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.

8:41 a.m.: In an unprecedented political comeback, Trump secures the presidency

Former President Donald Trump has been declared the winner of the 2024 presidential election. Trump will become the first president since Grover Cleveland to serve two non-consecutive terms.

Wisconsin pushed Trump over 270 electoral votes. Trump won the Badger State and its 10 electoral votes, which puts him at 277 total.

2:35 a.m: Trump delivers speech at the Trump HQ to celebrate campaign

After securing Pennsylvania to bring his electoral vote total to 267, Donald Trump celebrated his anticipated victory at Trump HQ in West Palm Beach, Fla. Trump called his campaign the “greatest political movement of all time.”

While Trump has not secured the necessary 270 electoral votes, he holds a significant lead in each of the states that have yet to be called. Alaska, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin are all leaning in Trump’s direction and a victory in any of those states would clinch his presidency.

2:18 a.m: Trump prepares to address supporters, expected to declare victory

With Donald Trump closing in on a victory in Pennsylvania, the former president plans to address supporters in West Palm Beach, Fla. In the speech, Trump is expected to declare his victory.

12:58 a.m.: Trump wins Georgia in his second battleground victory of the night

Former President Trump won Georgia and its 16 electoral votes as he inches closer to a return to the White House. Trump now sits at 247 electoral votes, as he also gained an additional vote in Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District.

12:54 a.m.: Harris no longer speaking at Howard University tonight

Kamala Harris will not speak tonight at her campaign watch party at Howard University as previously planned, Harris-Walz campaign Co-Chair Cedric Richmond announced. “You won’t hear from the Vice President tonight, but you will hear from her tomorrow,” Richmond said. Harris currently trails Donald Trump 230-210 in the electoral vote.

12:39 a.m.: Trump outperforming his metrics from 2020

As former President Trump cements a strong lead, he continues to outperform his totals from the 2020 election. Trump has taken the lead in Georgia and Pennsylvania, two states he lost to President Joe Biden in 2020. If Trump wins both states, his second term would be secured.

12:02 a.m.: Polls in Hawaii close, state is immediately called for Harris

In one of the last poll closures of the night, Hawaii was awarded to Vice President Harris. Harris’ total now sits at 209 electoral votes after gaining The Aloha State’s four votes.

Alaska is the only state yet to close its polls, which will close at 1:00 a.m.

11:43 p.m.: Virginia goes to Harris after tight race

After a back-and-forth race, Kamala Harris won the Commonwealth of Virginia and its 13 electoral votes. Donald Trump made a significant push but Virginia stayed blue for the fifth consecutive presidential election.

Following this result, Trump leads Harris 230-205 in the race to 270.

11:35 p.m.: Harris wins Oregon and New Mexico

Kamala Harris won New Mexico and Oregon to bring her total to 192 electoral votes. Despite these victories, the election will still come down to the six remaining battleground states, particularly Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

11:20 p.m.: Trump wins North Carolina in first battleground result of election night

Donald Trump won the state of North Carolina and its 16 electoral votes. One of the seven swing states of the election, North Carolina gives Trump a significant advantage as the race tightens. Trump now has 230 electoral votes, needing only 40 more to secure the presidency.

11:03 p.m.: Late poll closures give Harris big boost

As projected, Vice President Harris earned 54 electoral votes in her home state of California, along with Washington’s 12 electoral votes to bring her total to 179.

Former President Trump earned four electoral votes in Idaho after the 11:00 p.m. closures, putting him at 214 electoral votes.

10:53 p.m: Harris expected to make up ground after 11:00 p.m. closures

With Trump leading the electoral vote 210-113, Harris is expected to close the gap in the 11:00 hour. California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington close their polls at 11:00.

Harris is projected to claim California, Oregon and Washington, while Trump is expected to win Idaho. Barring any surprises, these results would tighten the race, putting even more emphasis on the seven battleground states

10:47 p.m.: Trump avoids upset in Iowa, secures six more electoral votes in Kansas

Despite a late push from Kamala Harris, Donald Trump won the state of Iowa. On Saturday, pollster J. Ann Selzer released a poll that showed Harris with a slim lead in the traditionally red state. However, Trump maintained his hold on the state for the third consecutive election. The former president also won Kansas.

Trump’s victories in Iowa and Kansas give him 12 more electoral votes, as he now sits at 210 electoral votes, 60 away from the presidency.

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 votes, 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 the 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.