The Short List

Tue Nov 5 2024

Laura L. Davis | Audience Editor

@lauradavis

We've reached the finish line. Who will be the next president of the United States? We're following all the elections across the country as Americans make their decisions on consequential candidates and divisive issues.

👋 Greetings and salutations! Laura Davis here. It's Election Day in the USA, y'all! Take a deep breath. It's time for the news. Let's go!

But first: An election tradition. 🇺🇸 Thousands of voters visit Susan B. Anthony's grave in New York to leave their 'I voted' stickers.

🗳️📱 Can we get your number? Get election updates sent straight to your phone. Text 301-888-6791 to sign up for our Your Vote text group.

End of the campaign trail

For months, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have pitched plans for handling inflation, the economy, the border, abortion rights and a host of other issues, all while rallying and attacking each other. Weeks of razor-thin polling margins and projections now come to an end as Americans make their voices heard, some with high hopes and others with dread – all with a sense of civic duty.

🗳️ Keeping you posted every step of the way: Follow our live coverage.

The nation's voice: By the millions, doctors, delivery drivers, airline and restaurant workers, software engineers, retirees, and long-time and first-time voters alike waited in lines across America on Tuesday to cast their ballots in an election that has captivated – and divided – the nation for months. 🗣️ We talked to voters about how they're feeling today.

How late can I cast my vote? The majority of polls across the country close between 7 or 8 p.m., but Indiana and Kentucky close earlier – at 6 p.m. local time. Check your state.

Election Day voters cast their ballots at the Scheig Center & Gardens in Appleton, Wisconsin, on Tuesday.

Dan Powers, USA TODAY Network

When will we know the results? There's a good chance we won't know who the next president will be by the end of the night, but results from individual states could start being called around 7 p.m. ET. ⏰ What to know.

📊 Who's winning? Who's losing? Find live election results here.

Snags, snafus and shenanigans: With local officials from coast to coast already on guard for violence, threats against polling places in Georgia came in Tuesday, including a bomb threat that Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said came from Russia and isn't credible. Online hoaxes are cropping up, too. The FBI said a fake news clip was circulating, falsely reporting that the FBI was telling Americans to "vote remotely" because of terror threats. 🔎 We're keeping an eye on the issues here.

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Georgia Stand-Up members hosted a block party to encourage people to vote near the polling location at Metropolitan Library in Atlanta, Georgia, on Tuesday.

Josh Morgan, USA TODAY

📸 See Election Day photos from across the nation.

🚨 Stay in touch: We'll keep you up to date with results when they come in. Download our app to get breaking news alerts.

Big down-ballot issues, too

A host of down-ballot races across the country will determine control of Congress, the direction of state legislatures and major policy battles on issues such as abortion rights and marijuana. Your guide to the most consequential races in all 50 states.

Don't forget about Congress: It's not only a tight battle for the White House. Republicans and Democrats are also in a high-stakes competition for control of both chambers of Congress. See our breakdown + results here.

Samantha Mrazek proudly posed for a selfie with her sticker after voting in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday. She said this was the second presidential election she's voted in.

Samantha Laurey, Argus Leader via USA TODAY Network

Got your sticker? See the best 'I Voted' sticker designs from USA TODAY readers.

Real quick

•	These political yard signs are campaigning to make America laugh again.
•	How the stars vote: See the latest celebrity endorsements.
•	A werewolf and a crawfish walk into a voting poll: Unique 'I Voted' stickers.
•	Trump, Megyn Kelly, that headline-making speech and why it matters.
•	Man faces felony charges after cutting line, punching poll worker in face.
•	Who's more likely to turn out: Women or men? What it means for Harris vs. Trump.

Support the Short List and become a USA TODAY digital subscriber today.

A tropical storm could become a hurricane. Is the US at risk?

U.S. officials are monitoring Tropical Storm Rafael, which was forecast to swipe Jamaica on Tuesday before intensifying into a hurricane near the Cayman Islands and hitting Cuba on Wednesday. With much uncertainty in the long-range forecast, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said it's too early to determine what, if any, impacts Rafael could bring to portions of the northern Gulf Coast. Read more.

More headlines from today:

•	Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday, citing a "crisis of trust" between the two amid Israel's ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
•	People – and salmon – return to a restored Klamath River after removal of four dams.
•	After slashing its key interest rate by a hefty half percentage point in September, the Federal Reserve is expected to lower rates by a more measured quarter point this week.
•	Striking Boeing machinists voted to accept the company's latest contract offer, with the plane manufacturer promising a 38% pay increase over four years.

A (well-deserved) break from the news

While we all wait for election results to come in, be sure to take some time for yourself! Kick back, unclench your jaw, relax your shoulders and be sure to drink plenty of water. Talk to you tomorrow. 😊

•	✍️ We rounded up some great stories to read.
•	📺 Take a TV break with these happy, silly shows.
•	💝 How about some sweet messages from our Sesame Street friends?

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Say hi sometime! laura@usatoday.com. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.