Fourth Estate’s minute-by-minute coverage of the 2024 presidential election

 BY GABRIEL KING, CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

As the polls close and America turns its eyes to the results, join Fourth Estate for live, minute-by-minute coverage of the 2024 presidential election. From breaking news and state races to real-time updates, we’ll keep you informed as the nation decides between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

10:22 p.m.: Harris wins D.C., site of her campaign’s watch party

Vice President Kamala Harris claimed Washington, D.C.’s three electoral votes to bring her total to 112 after her earlier victory in Colorado. Harris is holding her campaign watch party in the nation’s capital at her alma mater, Howard University.

10:03 p.m.: Trump earns expected wins in Montana and Utah

As projected, former President Trump won six electoral votes in Utah and four in Montana. These victories bring Trump’s total to 198 electoral votes.

9:56 p.m.: Trump wins Missouri to extend his lead

Donald Trump claimed Missouri’s 10 electoral votes. Trump also won Missouri in 2016 and 2020.

Entering the 10:00 hour, Trump leads Harris 188-99 with the key battlegrounds still in play.

9:53 p.m.: Three more states close their polls at 10:00 p.m., including one battleground

Montana, Nevada and Utah will close their polls at 10:00 p.m. Montana and Utah are expected to go to Trump, as both states have long leaned Republican in presidential elections.

Nevada is one of the biggest swing states in the election. Despite holding less electoral votes, six, than other swing states, Nevada could play a pivotal role in deciding the presidency. Similar to Arizona, Nevada could take days to reach a final result.

9:34 p.m.: Trump claims three electoral votes in Nebraska

After winning the statewide electoral vote in Nebraska, Donald Trump also won state’s 3rd Congressional District, giving him three total in the Cornhusker State. Two more electoral votes remain in Nebraska’s two other congressional districts. Kamala Harris currently leads in both districts.

9:14 p.m.: Ohio and Texas go to Trump

Donald Trump was victorious in Ohio and Texas, giving him 57 more electoral votes. Both victories were expected, as Trump has won Ohio in each of his three presidential campaigns and Texas has not gone blue since the 1976 presidential election.

9:02 p.m: 9:00 closures bring Trump four more states; Harris claims New York

Former President Donald Trump claimed Louisiana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming to gain 17 more electoral votes. However, Harris was the big winner in the early stages of the 9:00 hour, winning New York and its 28 electoral votes.

Trump holds a 120-99 lead in the race to 270.

8:51 p.m.: Next polls close at 9:00 p.m., including swing states Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin

9:00 p.m. will see polls in 15 states close. This includes battlegrounds Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin, which will play a pivotal role in the election as three of the seven swing states. Arizona is expected to take the longest of the three to count its votes, as full results could take weeks to tally.

8:40 p.m.: Illinois goes to Harris

Vice President Kamala Harris earned a much-needed victory in the state of Illinois. The victory gives Harris 19 electoral votes, bringing her total to 71.

8:37 p.m.: Harris wins Delaware and New Jersey, Trump wins Arkansas; key battlegrounds still too close to call

Kamala Harris won the state of New Jersey and its 14 electoral votes and Delaware and its three electoral, while Donald Trump claimed Arkansas and its six electoral votes. Trump leads 101-52 in the race to 270.

Elsewhere, battlegrounds Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania remain neck-and-neck. Trump holds slim leads in Georgia and North Carolina with many urban votes yet to be counted. Harris holds a sizable lead in Pennsylvania but less than 10% of the Keystone State’s votes have been counted

8:07 p.m.: Massive vote closures give both candidates a significant boost

Polls in 17 states closed at 8:00 p.m. Former President Donald Trump claimed Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Tennessee to bring his total to 95 electoral votes. Trump also won South Carolina, which had its polls close at 7:00 p.m.

Vice President Kamala Harris won Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts and Rhode Island to continue to Democrats’ northeast dominance. These four states brought Harris’ total to 35 electoral votes.

7:43 p.m.: Trump has early lead in Georgia with many Democratic votes yet to come in

With 12% of the state’s vote counted, Donald Trump has an early lead in Georgia. Another key battleground state, Georgia carries 16 electoral votes. Despite Trump’s early lead, the gap is expected to narrow due to votes in urban counties that have yet to be counted. Kamala Harris is favored in Georgia’s urban areas, which could turn the state in her favor.

7:31 p.m.: West Virginia officially goes to Trump

West Virginia and its four electoral votes will go to Donald Trump, bringing his total to 23. Republican Jim Justice also won the state’s Senate election, flipping West Virginia’s seat.

7:30 p.m.: Next wave of polls close, including key battleground North Carolina

Polls in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia closed at 7:30. Ohio and West Virginia are expected to be victories for Donald Trump.

North Carolina is a battleground state that could dictate the results of the election. The winner of the Tarheel State will claim 16 key electoral votes in the race to 270.

7:06 p.m.: Trump wins Indiana

For the third straight presidential election, Donald Trump won the state of Indiana. This gives Trump 11 electoral votes, bringing his total to 19.

7:00 p.m.: Kentucky goes to Trump, Vermont to Harris

After the first wave of poll closures, Kentucky was called for former President Trump and Vermont went to Vice President Harris. All other states that closed at 7:00 p.m. are still too close to call. 

These early calls give Trump the lead with eight electoral votes, while Harris sits at three electoral votes.

6:54 p.m.: Both candidates urge voters to stay in line

With record turnouts expected across the country, both presidential candidates are urging voters to stay in line after polls close. “If you are in line before the polls close, stay in line,” Vice President Harris said in a post on X.

In a TikTok also posted on X, former President Trump said to “make sure you get through and vote.”

6:05 p.m.: First polls close in Indiana, Kentucky

Select polls in Indiana and Kentucky closed at 6:00 p.m. While neither state has been called, both states are expected to go to Donald Trump. The remaining polls in Indiana and Kentucky, along with all polls in Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia, close at 7:00 p.m.

5:27 p.m.: NC extends voting in two precincts

North Carolina extended voting 30 minutes in two precincts due to technology issues, the North Carolina State Board of Elections announced. Polls at a precinct in Burke County and a precinct in Wilson County will be open until 8:00 p.m.

4:54 p.m.: Both campaigns prepare for close race as the first polls close in just over one hour

With the first polls closing at 6:00 p.m., both presidential campaigns are settling in for what is expected to be a long night. Vice President Harris spent the afternoon phone banking at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Former President Trump will watch the results from Mar-a-Lago this evening. After casting his ballot today, Trump told reporters that he is “very confident” heading into the night.