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US election 2016 live blog: ‘World collapsing before our eyes’

THE pendulum has dramatically swung to Donald Trump, with the controversial Republican candidate in reaching distance of the presidency.

Emma Reynolds and Victoria Craw
41 min read
November 9, 2016 - 6:38PM
Voters queue for a poll outside Trump place in New York. Picture: AFP/ Bryan R. Smith
Voters queue for a poll outside Trump place in New York. Picture: AFP/ Bryan R. Smith

HELLO and welcome to our live blog of the US presidential election. All times are in AEDT.

Election day is is drawing to a close and it looks as though Donald Trump will be the next US president, with just a few votes left to count.

Read on below for all the action from the polls and visit our live reaction blog to follow the news through the night.

6:35pm

Donald Trump is preparing to speak at the Hilton Hotel in New York at gone 2am local time as the Associated Press called the election for the Republican.

Trump is just four electoral votes shy of claiming victory after an extraordinary day.

Visit our new live blog to follow all the reaction through the night.

Supporters for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump celebrate late returns against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Picture: Ross D. Franklin/AP
Supporters for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump celebrate late returns against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Picture: Ross D. Franklin/AP

6:20pm

Populist, anti-immigrant French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has congratulated Donald Trump, with his win still not completely certain although more than likely.

Le Pen, hoping to ride anti-establishment sentiment to victory in April-May French presidential elections, tweeted her support to the “American people, free!”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said France would continue to work with the new president whoever wins the final tally, though expressed concern about Trump’s lead and said it could hold a cautionary message for Europe. “We don’t want a world where egoism triumphs,” Ayrault said on France-2 television Wednesday. France’s Socialist government had openly endorsed Clinton. Ayrault said European politicians should pay attention to the message from Trump voters. “There is a part of our electorate that feels ... abandoned,” including people who feel “left behind” by globalization, he said.

6:15pm

Hillary Clinton’s camp has refused to concede defeat, with a defiant campaign chair John Podesta appearing to say “she is not done yet” and “every vote needs to be counted.”

The Democratic nominee is not expected to appear at her election night event tonight, where supporters are packing up.

“Everyone should head home. You should get some sleep. We’ll have more to say tomorrow. I want you to know I want everyone in this hall to know, I want everyone in this country who supported Hillary to know that your voices and your enthusiasm means so much to her ... to all of us.

“We are so proud of you. And we are so proud of her. She’s done an amazing job and she is not done yet. So, thank you for being with her. She has always been with you. I have to say this tonight: Goodnight. We will be back. We’ll have more to say. Let’s get those votes counted. And let’s bring this home. Thank you so much for all that you have done.”

Trump is ahead by electoral 245 votes to 218.

Clinton’s campaign chair John Podesta announces that her camp will not declare defeat. Picture: Patrick Semansky/AP
Clinton’s campaign chair John Podesta announces that her camp will not declare defeat. Picture: Patrick Semansky/AP

6:00pm

It looks like there will be some big winners from this campaign. Samantha Armytage admitted she put $100 on Donald Trump to win when he was paying 100-1.

The bookies are panicking, with reports they are offering punters cashout deals.

If Trump wins, Sportsbet will have to pay out nearly $10 million, TAB will pay more than $3.8 million, and William Hill will pay a bit over $700,000.

Two punters each bet $100,000 on Trump several weeks ago, one at $5.00 and the other at $4.50.

5:45pm

A devastated Clinton supporter tells news.com.au’s Charlotte Willis in New York: “What a step back for this country, it’s made me realise the disconnect in this country. We didn’t fully process the reality of a Trump win. No one did.”

5:35pm

Hillary Clinton’s win of Nevada’s six electoral votes makes it the first time since the 1940s that the Democrats have carried the state in three consecutive elections.

The winner of the US presidential election has failed to carry Nevada only once, but Trump has won so far in all of the traditionally Republican states, as well as in the swing states of Florida, North Carolina, Iowa and Ohio, the Associated Press reports.

No Republican has ever won the White House without prevailing in Ohio. Clinton, as expected, took the big states of California, New York and Illinois. Trump leads the former secretary of state in what were seen as the reliably Democratic states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, while Minnesota and New Hampshire remain too close to call.

She needs to win the knife-edge Michigan and Pennsylvania and come from behind in Wisconsin or Arizona, which would be a huge surprise at this point.

Clinton will quite possibly win the popular vote and lose the electoral college.

The rising prospect of a Trump presidency jolted markets around the world Wednesday, sending Dow futures and Asian stock prices sharply lower as investors panicked over uncertainties on trade, immigration and geopolitical tensions.

5:20pm

Americans say they finally understand what Brexit felt like, reports news.com.au’s Charlotte Willis from New York.

Colleagues and friends are already asking me when I’m leaving and if I can take them with me in their suitcase.

A Trump supporter outside the Hilton has stuck his head through the sunroof of a moving truck, holding up a sign that says “The silent majority stands with Trump.”.

Around 400 protesters have gathered outside the White House chanting “f*** Donald Trump”.

The Republicans will retain their majority in the House of Representatives, while the battle for the Senate continues.

5:05pm

The final polls have closed in Alaska with Trump on 244 electoral votes to Clinton’s 215, with each needing 270 to win.

It looks like the impossible has really happened, with experts saying the race is over and Trump will shortly be president.

It's being called a “historic anomaly” and “uncharted waters” by Sky News commentators while Twitter users called it “worse than Halloween”.

No one quite sure what the fallout will be, considering Trump’s extreme campaign promises over tearing up free trade agreements, building a wall between the States and Mexico, banning Muslim immigration and winding back global commitments on climate change.

The Australian stock market stemmed some of the bleeding at the end of a volatile session. The benchmark S&P ASX/200 index closed 1.9 per cent lower, having been as high as 1 per cent up and down as low as 3.9 per cent.

A group of girls reflect the current mood among Clinton supporters at her election night rally. Picture: Patrick Semansky/AP
A group of girls reflect the current mood among Clinton supporters at her election night rally. Picture: Patrick Semansky/AP

4:50pm

The Trump supporters chanting offensive slogans have been removed from the University of Sydney’s US Studies Centre party. The uni said it did not “endorse” and would not “tolerate” such behaviour.

As they left, the crowd continued chanting: “No more leftist bulls***! PC is over! Stop crying about it!” The Australian’s Simone Koob reported.

The world is still waiting with bated breath, reports Charlotte Willis in New York.

A fellow journalist tells me: “He’s going to write us out of the constitution, we’re all gone. And they can’t even impeach him because Mike Pence is the f***ing VP!”

There are an almost comical number of photos of devastated Hillary supporters doing the rounds.

Hillary Clinton supporters look defeated at her election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York. Picture: Kena Betancur/AFP
Hillary Clinton supporters look defeated at her election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York. Picture: Kena Betancur/AFP
A Clinton fan with her head in her hand at an election party at the Kingston Hotel in Melbourne. Picture: Julian Smith
A Clinton fan with her head in her hand at an election party at the Kingston Hotel in Melbourne. Picture: Julian Smith
Despondent onlookers at a Democrats abroad function in Melbourne. Picture: Julian Smith/AAP
Despondent onlookers at a Democrats abroad function in Melbourne. Picture: Julian Smith/AAP
Marta Lunez prays on her knees as election results come in at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center . Pictre: Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP
Marta Lunez prays on her knees as election results come in at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center . Pictre: Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP
The Democratic nominee’s supporters have all but given up in a dramatic shift in mood. Picture: Kena Betancur/AFP
The Democratic nominee’s supporters have all but given up in a dramatic shift in mood. Picture: Kena Betancur/AFP
Expectations for the night have done a complete 180. Picture: Kena Betancur/AFP
Expectations for the night have done a complete 180. Picture: Kena Betancur/AFP

4:35pm

Clinton has won in Nevada, which polling website FiveThirtyEight is calling “a consolation prize” for her.

The site offered up a comment made by British political scientist Rob Ford in the wake of Brexit that seemed fitting again. He asked whether people felt like strangers in their own country — and said that’s how people voting for Brexit have felt for years.

Trump has performed significantly better than his predecessors among whites without college degrees.

He is on 254 to 215 electoral votes and is now just ahead in Pennsylvania, which the Democratic candidate desperately needs to win to have any chance of staying in the race.

The French ambassador to the United States Gerard Araud tweeted: “After Brexit and this election, everything is now possible. The world is collapsing before our eyes. Dizziness.”

He has since deleted the tweet.

4:20pm

It’s now past midnight, and supporters are trailing out of the Hillary Clinton post-election party in tears, news.com.au’s Charlotte Willis reports.

People don’t want to be there when the final announcement comes through. They don’t want to hear her speech.

Some Clinton supporters are too scared to go home, no one wants to get on the subway right now for fear that it will be too chaotic and they will run into rowdy Trump supporters.

An ABC reporter inside the venue said the atmosphere was “depressed” and being there was “like covering a wake”. She said the Democratic candidates campaigners just “don’t get it”, with most probably never having spoken to a Trump supporter.

The Republicans currently control both the lower and upper house of Congress, but the Democrats fancied their chances of reclaiming the Senate. Those hopes are fading fast. Incumbent Republicans, such as Florida Senator Marco Rubio, have held on to their seats by overperforming Donald Trump’s share of the vote.

The TV networks have already projected that the Republicans will retain control of the House.

4:05pm

Donald Trump is just one state from victory and has left the war room for the first time tonight, heading to his penthouse in Trump Tower to take a moment with wife Melania.

Trump has 244 electoral votes to Clinton’s 209, with the Republican having taken the battleground state of Georgia along with Iowa and leading in the now all-important Wisconsin as well as Arizona.

He only needs Michigan, or a combination of Arizona and Pennsylvania, to win.

Pauline Hanson has tweeted her congratulations to Trump, with the One Nation leader referring to the Republican candidate as “Mr President”.

There's been radio silence from inside the Clinton camp. The change in the frame of mind from the Clinton supporters in New York was noticeable within about half an hour, reports news.com.au’s Charlotte Willis.

First they were declaring, “we’re not worried” and “it’s early days”, and now there is just dead silence. Video from within the Clinton campaign shows her entire camp at a standstill, they’re like statues as they watch the numbers roll in.

I’ve got friends and colleagues crying, no one wants to go home and be alone, hearts are breaking around the city already. No one can believe how perfectly he appears to have played this.

Clinton supporters are stony-faced, heads in their hands, hands over mouths in horror, and people are walking out of her camp in the venue, they’re so stunned.

There are about 600 supporters at Sydney University’s Manning Bar watching the outcome of the election unfold, with a handful of Trump supporters getting more rowdy as the night progresses, shouting, “lock her up”, “build a wall”, “drain the swamp” and “grab her by the pussy”.

T

3:50pm

The scene on the streets of New York is now one of delirium among Trump supporters, news.com.au’s Charlotte Willis reports.

They’re all decked out to the nines in his hats, merchandise, some even dressed as him, doing impersonations. No one is boozing but they’re all drunk on the energy of the crowd. Every time a state gets announced, it’s pandemonium.

It’s 11.30pm here and no one is going home, they can’t believe it, and they’re not missing the chance to see their commander in chief win here tonight.

They all know it could come down to one state. But so do the Clinton supporters, I can already see plenty of Democrats in tears.

Trump has 228 electoral votes and Clinton 209 with Fox calling Wisconsin for Trump, which could clinch the win for him.

One very scared male Clinton fan said: “It’s going to take a miracle for her to win now.

“So tell me about your immigration laws in Australia, they have good gun laws right? Would they let me in?”

3:35pm

Bill Clinton is concerned his wife didn’t campaign enough, noting that her surprise difficulties in Wisconsin speak to the fact she didn’t do as much as she could have, CNN reports.

While FBI boss James Comey’s letter about Clinton’s emails had an impact on her performance, one adviser admitted: “We can’t blame it all on that.”

The industrial Midwest states of Michigan and Wisconsin remain Clinton’s lifeline and if she can win them both, she can still hang on. Pennsylvania is also critical.

But Trump has a strong support base among non-college educated white men. Many say these unexpected results point to “shy” fans of the outspoken Republican candidate turning out to vote despite not declaring their intentions to pollsters, who have radically changed their predictions since the count started.

Trump is on 197 electoral votes and Clinton on 193, with 270 needed for victory in this presidential election.

3:20pm

The race for the White House turned into a neck-and-neck contest largely because Donald Trump was running was leading by 26 percentage points in rural and blue-collar parts of the country, while Hillary Clinton held on to the traditional Democratic edge in urban areas, Dow Jones reports.

Clinton was winning female voters on Tuesday by 14 percentage points, preliminary exit poll results found, while Trump was winning male voters by 9 points, the largest margin for the GOP since George W. Bush’s re-election in 2004.

Trump was winning a majority of white voters, while Clinton was carrying nearly three-quarters of minority voters.

Google searches for Canada by despairing US citizens have spiked and the country’s official immigration site crashed.

Perhaps they were following the lead of Girls star Lena Dunham, who sensationally promised to move to Vancouver if Trump got elected.

Trump supporters at Sydney University are reportedly yelling, “Grab them by the pussy! That’s how we do it!”

One young male Trump supporter told news.com.au’s Charlotte Willis in New York: “I’m very pleasantly surprised at this stage, no one thought it was going to be this close.

“Every American voter knows that once you win Ohio and Florida, you’ve won the presidency. No one saw this coming!”

World reacts to US election results
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump watch early results during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
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3:05pm

Trump is leading in the key states of New Hampshire, Arizona and Michigan as his supporters begin celebrating in Make America Great Again caps.

The Republican candidate is projected to win 19 states so far, including the battleground of Florida, North Carolina and Ohio while Hillary Clinton has 12.

Online trading platform PredictIt and bookermaker Paddy Power are showing a massive reversal of fortune for the US presidential candidates, Reuters reports.

Paddy Power put Trump’s chance of victory at 83.3 per cent Tuesday and Clinton’s at 22.2 per cent. The two had been in essentially opposite positions on Tuesday morning.

The Irish bookmaker stands to take a $US4 million hit if Trump wins, said Paddy Power spokesman Feilim Mac An Iomaire, who said the dramatic reversal in odds was reminiscent of what it saw in the Brexit vote for Britain to leave the European Union.

“You could say it’s deja vu again,” said Mac An Iomaire. “Much like Brexit, it looked to be following the odds early on before a dramatic turnaround.”

2:55pm

Donald Trump has just won battleground state of Florida, giving him a vital 29 electoral votes.

Dozens of Trump supporters in New York are now chanting, “Florida, Florida, Florida,” reports news.com.au’s Charlotte Willis.

Sophie, 26, a Clinton supporter, tuned into the live coverage surrounded by Trump supporters:

“We’re still pretty calm, we’re starting to get a bit on edge but we’re still missing half of our country so it’s not accurate yet.

“The Trump supporters are ecstatic because they never even thought they could get this close! They’re celebrating way too early really. We’re chilled.”

Bill, 55, added: “Look, it’s not over until the fat state sings, as they say. But you’re what you’re looking at is pretty amazing. We’re looking at states that were predicted to be incredibly tight, or to go Hillary’s way, and they’re going to Trump. So it’s pretty scary right now.”

Trump fan Sandra, 51, said: “Florida is totally Trumped, they’re just not going to call it ‘til the death. Everyone just thinks they’re just holding off on it. He’s winning everything he has to win! The New York Times is predicting 94 per cent that he’s in.

“Hillary Clinton is a nasty woman, she doesn’t deserve to be there. She doesn’t have what it takes!”

2:35pm

It’s looking like Brexit all over again, with Trump now projected to win the battleground Ohio — one of the biggest swing states he needed.

The Republican candidate is now on 168 electoral votes to Clinton’s 131 and is the favourite.

Virginia and New Mexico have gone to Clinton.

Trump is currently leading in Florida, North Carolina, Michigan and Arizona. With those states, plus Iowa, he would have enough electoral votes to win the election.

Let's take a breath and check out those results:

2:25pm

Markets around the world are taking a huge hit as the Hillary Clinton win they had been banking on looks increasingly less certain.

The Mexican peso has slumped to a record low against the US dollar as results point to Donald Trump taking the presidency.

Financial markets reacted violently to the preliminary results, with S&P futures rising as much as 0.8 per cent and falling more than three per cent at one point, Reuters reports.

“Donald Trump has stunned the consensus thinking, thus far,” said Peter Kenny, senior market strategist at Global Markets Advisory Group in New York. “Ahead in Florida, Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina, in addition to being ahead in the electoral count and popular vote has triggered the onset of panic in global financial markets.”

“Too early to call, obviously, but clearly markets were tentative today and seem to being growing increasingly concerned..”

Wall Street sees former Secretary of State Clinton as a status quo candidate who would lend stability to the markets, while Trump’s stances on foreign policy, trade and immigration are more conducive to volatility.

“The chance of a Republican sweep is now very real,” said Brad McMillan, chief investment officer at Commonwealth Financial in Waltham, Massachusetts.

2:10pm

There’s been a dramatic shift towards Trump, with the New York Times now putting him as the favourite to win the presidency at 73 per cent to Clinton’s 27 per cent.

The champagne is being popped at the Republican candidate’s party in New York with his supporters feeling confident he can clinch the victory.

“It looks good for Trump,” said Todd Cefaratti, a Trump supporter who flew in from Gilbert, Arizona, sounding almost surprised.

Sportsbet now favours Trump at $1.64, to Clinton at $2.17.

1:55pm

Clinton is the projected winner in New York but there are some troubling question marks for her with Trump ahead in Wisconsin and Michigan, where he has strong support from white working class voters.

A Republican has not won in those states in six elections, where around 20 per cent of the count is complete.

Clinton is ahead by a kinfe-edge in the battleground of Virginia but it hasn’t yet been called for her and Trump is ahead by 1.3 per cent in Florida — a must-win for the business mogul — with almost 95 per cent of the count complete.

The Democratic nominee will be clinging to the hope that she is strong in some parts of Florida yet to be counted and has started well in Nevada, where the polls have just closed. They are also closing in Iowa and Utah.

Clinton watch televised coverage of the US presidential election at the Comet Tavern in Seattle, Washington. Picture: Jason Redmond/AFP
Clinton watch televised coverage of the US presidential election at the Comet Tavern in Seattle, Washington. Picture: Jason Redmond/AFP

1:40pm

The pundits are predicting a very long night as the candidates race to reach the magic number of 270 votes out of 538 members of the electoral college.

Clinton is now on 104, having won the following: Connecticut (7) Delaware (3) Illinois (20) Maryland (10) Massachusetts (11) New Jersey (14) New York (29) Rhode Island (4) Vermont (3) Washington, DC (3).

Trump is ahead on 138 after winning: Alabama (9) Arkansas (6) Indiana (11) Kansas (6) Kentucky (8) Louisiana (8) Mississippi (6) Nebraska (5) North Dakota (3) Oklahoma (7) South Carolina (9) South Dakota (3) Tennessee (11) Texas (38) West Virginia (5) Wyoming (3).

But these are mostly safe states, and it’s those vital swing states that the candidates desperately need to win, including key battlegrounds Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Trump must win the first three of these to stay in the race, while Clinton just need to pick off one.

We don’t know about you, but we really need a drink. Just not at Trump’s election night party:

1:25pm

As the votes rolled in, Clinton fans at the US Studies Centre party in Sydney admitted they were getting nervous, Debra Killalea reports.

University of Minnesota professor of political science Ron Krebs said Clinton had had a “tortured relationship with the truth” and she was paying the price for the fact that a lot of Americans, both republicans and democrats, didn’t trust her.

“If she had been more honest at the start she might not be in this position,” he said.

1:10pm

A bunch of states were just called. Hillary Clinton has won New York and Connecticut, while Donald Trump has claimed Texas, Kansas, North Dakota, Arkansas, South Dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska.

Clinton has 97 electoral votes to Trump’s 139.

All eyes are still on Florida, where Trump is currently clinging to a razor-thin lead. If he loses Florida, he can’t win the election. But if he can hold on and claim its 29 electoral votes, he’ll have an outside shot at an Electoral College majority. It’s the key to everything.

To pull off an election victory, Trump will also need to win North Carolina, where he currently trails, Ohio, which is virtually tied, and a couple more states that lean towards the Democrats. Michigan, Virginia and Pennsylvania are all potential options.

“Donald Trump could be our next president,” said Fox News analyst Chris Wallace, looking at the numbers in Florida. It’s still a long shot, but it’s possible.

12:55pm

The US Studies Centre party at Sydney University’s Manning Bar crossed to the US consulate in Sydney and the Perth USAsia centre where the Hon Kim Beazley was speaking, Debra Killalea reports.

Fear and anger have dominated the election, he said, while recognising Americans had guenuine concerns and frustrations.

The Manning Bar event was MC’d by the chaser’s Dom Knight who encouraged the rowdy crowd to enjoy a democracy sausage sizzle.

One Trump reveller admitted the room was 80 per cent Clinton and 20 per cent trump.

Trump supporters were vocal in their distrust of Clinton with many saying our politicians here had a lot to learn from Trump’s honest approach.

Clinton supporters said Trump had created a cycle of fear and it was a case of better the devil you knew.

Students and staff at the University of Sydney watch the US Election at the United States Studies Centre election party at the Manning Bar. Picture: Dean Lewins/AAP
Students and staff at the University of Sydney watch the US Election at the United States Studies Centre election party at the Manning Bar. Picture: Dean Lewins/AAP

12:45pm

The two words Donald Trump fears most appeared in the last place you’d expect to find them — on his own campaign website.

Mischievous users realised they could edit the page’s URL with the simplest of hacks replaced the big bold letters at the top of the screen with phrases including “Clinton Wins”.

With voting completed in more than half of the 50 US states, the race was too close to call in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Virginia, states that could be vital to deciding which contender wins the presidency.

The whole world is gripped as a hisotric election aws to a nail-biting finish. Picture: Angela Weiss
The whole world is gripped as a hisotric election aws to a nail-biting finish. Picture: Angela Weiss

12:30pm

Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office in Texas has confirmed a man has been arrested for attempting to vote a second time. He claimed he worked for Trump and was testing the system.

Meanwhile, security has become a massive headache for New York City tonight, reported news.com.au’s Charlotte Willis.

Clinton and Trump are spending election night in the same city, and their parties being held merely 15 blocks apart.

The location of Hillary’s lavish party is said to be able to accommodate as many as 85,000 people, so it’s absolute chaos down there, as people have been waiting it out since 8am this morning.

The garbage trucks stationed outside Trump Tower and the Hilton filled with sand is an indicator of the election night jitters. Let’s not forget this is a city still nervous and on heightened terror alert after a bomb exploded in the Chelsea neighbourhood in September, where 29 people were injured. The streets are littered with police officers.

Hillary Clinton is projected on a screen on election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center . Picture: Drew Angerer/Getty Images/AFP
Hillary Clinton is projected on a screen on election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center . Picture: Drew Angerer/Getty Images/AFP

12:20pm

Results are now rolling in fast. Hillary Clinton has won these states: Vermont, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Delaware, Rhode Island and Washington D.C.

None of those states were expected to be competitive.

Neither was Georgia, which tends to lean Republican, but it is currently among six states that are too close to call. The other five are Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida and New Hampshire.

See our results tally here.

12:10pm

There’s a weird lull over the city tonight, reports news.com.au’s New York correspondent Charlotte Willis. People are huddled together outside huge TVs that have been erected in central locations including outside the Rockefeller Centre.

They’re all watching together, it’s like no one wants to be alone at home. It seems as though most are staying back at work to watch the results roll in with colleagues and friends.

Clinton supporter Alexis, 23, said: “I’m definitely feeling scared tonight. While there are states that historically vote blue or red, I think it’s scary to see the battleground state results rolling in.

“It’s pretty clear that one candidate would be dangerous to our country and one wouldn’t, so I’m really putting my faith and hope in Hillary tonight.”

12:00pm

It may be a historic night, but all most of us really want is a reassuring squeeze.

11:55am

The University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre held a lively party at the Manning Bar, reports news.com.au’s Debra Killalea.

The bar had a mock voting booth and was filled with rowdy Trump and Clinton supporters as the counting took place.

Trump supporters chanted “Build the wall!” as Clinton fans looked on.

US Studies Centre CEO Professor Simon Jackman said regardless of the result, the election deserved to be celebrated.

11:50am

Donald Trump is currently leading in both electoral votes and the raw popular vote, but the signs are not looking good for him.

States that should be safely Republican, including Georgia and South Carolina, are closer than they should be from Trump’s point of view. He’s also running behind down-ballot Republicans in key states — Marco Rubio is doing better than Trump in Florida, and Rob Portman is outperforming him in Ohio.

High female turnout across the board is also favouring Clinton. Trump is winning the male vote by a large margin, but losing the female vote big time.

Hillary Clinton supporter wach the results roll in at the Democratic candidate’s election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Picture: Elsa/Getty Images/AFP
Hillary Clinton supporter wach the results roll in at the Democratic candidate’s election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Picture: Elsa/Getty Images/AFP

11:45am

US ambassador to London Matthew Barzun has paid homage to democracy and the “special relationship” between the US and UK at an election night party in London, reports news.com.au’s London correspondent Victoria Craw.

“To this special relationship, to all that we have done...all the culture we created,” he said at the Mayfair event packed with political and broadcasting heavyweights.

“Yes, the mistakes we made and the lessons we’ve learned ... and of critical importance tonight is the democracies we demonstrate. To ourselves, with one another and to the world, that we demonstrate not just on Election Day or the day after but every single day.”

The comments came as polls closed in the first US states and a senior Trump advisor said it would take a “miracle” for the Republican to win. The UK crowd remained skeptical of predictions having seen the Brexit result come in against official poll data five months earlier.

11:35am

Trump has won West Virginia and leads by 53 per cent to 44 per cent across the whole of the state after the polls closed in parts of eight states,

It’s neck-and-neck in Florida, with the Republican candidate 2.5 per cent ahead on 50 per cent to Clinton’s 47.5 per cent with around 30 per cent of the state’s votes counted.

Polls are closed in the battleground state of North Carolina, but the State Board of Elections has extended voting in Durham County in eight precincts.

11:20am

11:05am

Donald Trump is leading in the vital swing state of Florida with 53 per cent of the vote. A win here would give him 29 electoral votes and is essential to help him secure a victory.

He’s leading by a 2-1 ratio with two per cent of the vote counted.

The Republican candidate is also projected to win in Indiana and Kentucky, according to the exit polls, while Hillary Clinton has taken Vermont.

A win in Indiana would give Trump 11 electoral votes while Kentucky would give him eight, Vermont is worth just three votes for Clinton.

11:00am

Follow live election night coverage from NBC News:

10:55am

One person is dead and and at least three others have been wounded by a shooter in Azusa, California.

Two polling locations, schools and a daycare centre are closed following the shooting, which occurred sometime after 2pm in a residential LA neighbourhood, according to the LA Times.

One witness told CNN he heard a “massive shooting is happening and the police have told us to stay indoors.”

A female voter said she heard the shots ring out. “At first, I thought it was construction but people came running into the room saying they see a guy with a bulletproof vest and a white shirt. As of right now, they just have us in the voting room and are trying to keep us calm.”

10:45am

This group of women were born before women got the vote in 1920 in the US. Today they have proudly placed their vote for the candidate who they hope will become the first female president of the United States of America. Photos courtesy of @iwaited96years

10:30am

A polling station in Los Angeles, California is reportedly in lockdown after shots were fired nearby.

Four people were transported to an area hospital following a shooting involving an officer in Azusa, authorities told CBS Local.

Officers “were met with gunfire at the scene” and found themselves “pinned down” by gunfire, Azusa police officer Jerry Willison said. Authorities worked to extract the pinned-down officers, Wilison added.

Multiple ambulances could be seen at the scene from Sky9. A triage area was set up to treat patients at the scene.

10:20am

Former president George W. Bush has voted — but he didn’t choose fellow Republican candidate Donald Trump.

He didn’t choose Hillary Clinton either, with he and wife Laura leaving the presidential line empty, but casting votes for down-ballot candidates, NBC News reported.

His father, former President George H.W. Bush, did not endorse Trump either and there was speculation over whether he may have voted for Clinton.

Trump defeated the younger Bush’s brother, Jeb, in the GOP primary.

Only one Bush is thought to have been planning to vote for Trump — Jeb’s son George P. Bush, who revealed his intentions at a rally in San Marcos, Texas.

NEWS: George W. & Laura Bush did not vote for Trump. They left the presidential line empty & cast votes for downballot GOP candidates

— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) November 8, 2016

10:15am

The polls have closed in the first states of Indiana and Kentucky, with an exit poll by the AP showing that most people did not want to vote for either Clinton or Trump.

Clinton is tipped to win, with RealClearPolitics giving her more than an 80 per cent chance of winning the election, but it will all hinge on a few vital swing states, including Florida, Georgia, New Hampshire and Virginia, where polls close at 11am.

Trump has again flagged he may not accept the outcome, claiming there has been vote rigging.

There have been reports some touch-screen voting machines had not been recording their ballots correctly and a North Carolina advocacy group has filed a lawsuit asking that polls in one county be kept open later after problems with electronic voting rolls there earlier in the day.

Trump clinched the first results counted overnight by just 32 to 25 votes in three New Hampshire districts, which close early because of low vote numbers.

Celebrities are out voting, too, but some are more vocal about who they’re choosing than others, with pop juggernaut Taylor Swift keeping her cards close to her chest.

Others are more overtly pro-Clinton, with Miley Cyrus equating voting on The Voice to voting in the election in terms of importance, and the eternally cool Rihanna managing to make politics look fashionable.

9:56am

US stocks rose for a second straight session as investors bet Hillary Clinton would win the election.

Australian economists are hoping that’s true, with an overwhelming majority backing the Democratic candidate as “superior ... for the Australian economy and for Australia”, according to a poll of 36 leading economists by the Monash Business School and the Economic Society of Australia.

“Trump would be a disaster for the world,” said Max Corden, Emeritus Professor of International Economics at Johns Hopkins University. “Do we want another Hitler? Or Mussolini? No, No. Hillary is okay.”

Bookmakers are feeling the same, after two punters each bet $100,000 on Trump several weeks ago, one at $5.00 and the other at $4.50. Not to be deterred, one punter put $74,000 on Clinton yesterday.

Sportsbet has close to $7 million wagered so far, William Hill Australia has more than $1.5 million, and TAB has taken $1.6 million. TAB says if Trump wins, it will have to pay out more than $3.8 million.

Read more over on our markets live blog

The White House is lit up in Washington as Americans cast their votes, marking the end of a bitterly divisive presidential campaign. Picture: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
The White House is lit up in Washington as Americans cast their votes, marking the end of a bitterly divisive presidential campaign. Picture: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

9:50am

The tension is building across the world, from US embassies in Rome and Cairo to election night parties across America with just over an hour until the first vital polling stations start to close in Florida, Georgia, Vermont, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia.

9:35am

Well, that didn’t last long. The Secretary of State’s office in Colorado says systems are back up across the state, and were down for just under half an hour.

Meanwhile, election watchdogs have received more than 4000 calls complaining of voter intimidation and suppression in the first few hours after polls opened, according to US News, outstripping the number recorded in 2012.

A militia group known as Oath Keepers has warned on its YouTube channel it expects civil unrest or violence either on election day or soon after.

The white supremacists earlier called on members to head to the polls to monitor for voter fraud.

News.com.au’s Charlotte Willis reports from New York:

9:20am

Statewide election systems are down in Colorado, delaying voters. Locals report they have been down for around 15 minutes, with officials working to restore systems.

It means clerks cannot process mail-in ballots, and voters at the polls can choose to either wait o fill in a provisional ballot, which are placed in pink envelopes to be processed later.

These are usually used when there are questions about a person's eligibility to vote, for example if they filled in their registration form too late.

9:10am

An early exit poll from Morning Consult/POLITICO has revealed more voters are concerned about Donald Trump’s personal attributes than Hillary Clinton’s character.

Fifty-seven per cent said she “has the right experience,” compared to only 31 per cent for Trump. But only 32 per cent said Clinton was “trustworthy,”to 33 per cent describing Trump as trustworthy.

The poll of almost 14,000 people also revealed more voters were contacted by Clinton’s team than by Trump’s campaign.

Twice as many voters said they had heard from Clinton’s people (17 per cent) than had spoken to Trump’s campaign (8 per cent), while a further 9 per cent were contacted by both.

But in a blow for Clinton, who is hoping for a high turnout of African-American voters, the results found little evidence of an “Obama effect”.

Twenty-one per cent of voters said their vote was to express support for President Barack Obama, while 19 per cent said it was to express opposition to him. More than half said their opinion of the president was not a factor.

8:55am

Royal Jordanian Airlines is throwing some brutal shade at Donald Trump this morning.

8:40am

News.com.au's Charlotte Willis and James Law are outside Trump Tower in New York. This video covers pretty much everything you’d want to know.

8:25am

Donald Trump is already voicing his displeasure with the election process, publicly suggesting it's been “rigged” against him.

“There are reports that when people vote for Republicans, the entire ticket switches to Democrat,” Mr Trump told Fox News today, referring to the electronic voting machines.

“You have seen that, it is happening at various places today, it's been reported. There are machines. You put down Republican and it registers them as a Democrat. And there have been lots of complaints about that today. We have to be careful, we have to see what it is.”

Mr Trump has refused to promise he will concede if Ms Clinton is adjudged the winner of the election.

8:00am

Sure, the future of the world is at stake today, but that doesn’t mean you have to take this election seriously. So here’s a fun quiz.

7:50am

There’s a line of dump trucks parked in front of Trump Tower in New York. Which is weird.

According to TMZ, the trucks are filled with sand, and they showed up earlier today. Law enforcement says the vehicles are there to minimise the chances of a terrorist attack.

7:30am

Some voters are particularly committed to the cause.

Take Sosha Adelstein, from Colorado. Ms Adelstein went into labour on Friday afternoon, but stopped off at a voting station to submit her early ballot before rushing to hospital, CNN reports.

“We ran over there and kind of made it just in time, because like shortly after that I was like, ‘OK, it’s time. We got to get to the hospital,’” she said.

And to think I struggled to even get out of bed this morning.

Sosha Adelstein. Pic: CNN
Sosha Adelstein. Pic: CNN

7:10am

British politician Nigel Farage, a key figure in the campaign to take the UK out of the European Union at the referendum in June, has tweeted to say he hopes this will become America’s own “Brexit day”.

Mr Farage, who supported Mr Trump on the campaign trail, said he would “rather like to be (Mr Trump’s) ambassador to the EU” during an appearance on ITV.

“This election is very simple, it’s rather like Brexit,” Mr Farage told presenter Robert Peston.

“Do you want a change, or do you want to stay exactly as you are?

“If he did offer me a job, I would quite like to be his ambassador to the European Union,” he said. “I think I would do that job very well.”

Nigel Farage. Pic: AFP
Nigel Farage. Pic: AFP

6:45am

Donald Trump’s son Eric got himself into a bit of trouble today, breaking a New York voting law by posting a photo of his filled-in ballot online.

In a tweet he’s since deleted, the 32-year-old shared the evidence that he had indeed voted for his dad. “It is an incredible honour to vote for my father! He will do such a great job for the USA!” he said.

Voters who take photos of their ballots in New York can be fined up to $1,000 and jailed for up to a year.

Oops. Pic: Twitter
Oops. Pic: Twitter

6:15am

The Trump campaign has already filed a lawsuit complaining about the voting process.

Mr Trump’s legal team is suing Joe Gloria, a registrar of voters in Nevada’s Clark County, over his decision to keep polling locations open “two hours beyond the designated closing time” on the final day of early voting, which was last Friday.

The lawsuit alleges people were allowed to vote “illegally”, even though they weren’t in line at the official closing time.

“The incidents that occurred on Friday night should be troubling to anyone who is interested in free and fair elections. Voters who showed up after the scheduled closing times at selected locations were allowed to vote,” said Charles Munoz, the Trump campaign’s Nevada State Director.

A spokesperson for Clark County told CNN the people who were allowed to vote after the official closing time actually were already in line. That would be legal.

“It’s being reported that certain key Democratic polling locations in Clark County were kept open for hours and hours beyond closing time to bus and bring Democratic voters in,” Mr Trump himself told a rally on the weekend.

“Folks, it’s a rigged system. It’s a rigged system and we’re going to beat it. We’re going to beat it.”

6:00am

There have been 63 reports of intimidation at the polling booths so far, according to the Election Protection helpline, but voting appears to be running relatively smoothly.

The heated campaign stoked fears of violence and intimidation towards voters. But despite some racist signs in Tennessee, long queues and some computer malfunctions, it appears to be largely uneventful so far.

Early voters in Columbus, Ohio. Around one in seven Americans has already voted. Picture: Photo/John Minchillo.
Early voters in Columbus, Ohio. Around one in seven Americans has already voted. Picture: Photo/John Minchillo.

5:45am

Donald Trump was both booed and cheered as he arrived at his polling station in New York City. Comedian Harrison Greenbaum called it “craziness” on the streets, as the public was locked out and forced to wait while Mr Trump and his entourage, including his wife Melania and daughter Ivanka, were inside.

People heckling Trump as he arrives to vote. Picture: Bryan R. Smith
People heckling Trump as he arrives to vote. Picture: Bryan R. Smith

Afterwards, Mr Trump joked to reporters that his vote was a “tough decision” as construction workers praised him outside the polling station.

“It’s looking very good. Right now it’s looking very good. It will be an interesting day. Thank you,” he said.

The internet had some fun at Mr Trump’s expense, leaping on photos that appeared to show him checking his wife’s ballot.

Mr Trump sneaks a peek at his wife’s ballot. Picture: AP
Mr Trump sneaks a peek at his wife’s ballot. Picture: AP

5:15am

Ms Clinton and Mr Trump will watch the election

Trump will be based at the New York Hilton Midtown while Clinton has hired the huge Javits Center on the banks of Hudson River.

A Hilton staffer told AP the hotel is booked solid and it will be “mayhem both ways” following the result.

“He doesn’t look like he is the type to lose gracefully,” said the man, known only as Mark.

4:30am

It’s usually one of the busiest places on the planet, but Times Square is a ghost town today, with Broadway shows going dark for Election Day to encourage people to vote.

Trump Tower is also closed to the public, with the entire building barricaded by garbage trucks loaded with sand to prevent attacks. There’s also a heavy police presence outside the place Mr Trump calls home and work.

Meanwhile, Hillary supporters have travelled across the country to support their candidate, Charlotte Willis reports from New York. “I’m really excited to be a part of what I hope is the right side of history,” one supporter told news.com.au. “It’s such a huge event in history.”

4:00am

Voting is underway in all US states. We’ll have to wait many more hours for the main results, but in three small New Hampshire towns, the votes have already been counted. Those towns are Dixville Notch, Hart’s Location and Millsfield.

For the record, Mr Trump’s tally currently stands at 32, and Ms Clinton’s is at 25. There were a couple of write-in votes for Bernie Sanders and Mitt Romney, neither of whom are actually candidates.

Voting is underway in every state across the US.
Voting is underway in every state across the US.

3:45am

As Americans vote across the country, Hillary Clinton has retained her slim lead in most of the polls. The final polling average from RealClearPolitics has her ahead by three per cent, with 46.8 per cent of the vote. Mr Trump has 43.6 per cent.

Global markets have risen slightly because of the prospect of a Clinton win, AP reports.

Polls begin to close at around 11am AEDT on Wednesday, with the first meaningful results due about an hour later.

3:15am

Voters have donned their merchandise and taken to the streets of New York, prepared to wait until they see a result on Tuesday night.

Thousands of Hillary Clinton supporters have lined up outside the Jacob K. Javits Convention Centre in Manhattan, where she will hold her post-election party after the polls close, our New York Correspondent Charlotte Willis reports.

Follow Charlotte on Twitter for the latest from the scene.

2:51am

Did they or didn't they? Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen has denied claims she backed Donald Trump for president following reports he had received an endorsement from her husband, NFL star Tom Brady.

On Monday, Mr Trump said Mr Brady called to tell him he had voted for him, calling him a “great guy, great friend of mine and great champion.”

“He called today and he said, ‘Donald, I support you, you’re my friend, and I voted for you,” Mr Trump told a rally in New Hampshire.

However on Instagram Gisele was asked whether it was true by user Ricky Valle and wrote “NO!”

It's unclear whether Gisele was referring to just herself or both of them. However the denial has sparked thousands of comments from political supporters on both sides of the divide.

Last month, Mr Brady ended a press conference when he was asked about the “locker room talk” heard on the Access Hollywood Tape where Trump bragged about “grabbing women by the p***y”.

2:42am

Hillary Clinton’s top aide Huma Abedin has been spotted back by her side in the final days of the campaign after she went to ground during the FBI investigation.

She was spotted boarding the Clinton private plane after the final rally on Monday. Ms Clinton has described Ms Abedin as her “second daughter” however the relationship proved problematic when Ms Abedin’s estranged husband, Anthony Weiner, ended up under investigation for sexting a 15-year-old girl.

Huma Abedin pictured with Hillary Clinton again after her emails were seized on her husband’s laptop. Picture: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP.
Huma Abedin pictured with Hillary Clinton again after her emails were seized on her husband’s laptop. Picture: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP.

2:17am

Regardless of who they support, Americans are happy the bitter election campaign will be drawn to a close after an unprecedented level of animosity between candidates.

With Hillary Clinton subject to an FBI investigation over her emails and Trump peddling divisive rhetoric for nationalistic voters, many are sick and tired of the debate.

Republican and Trump voter Laura Schmitt, 54, told AP she was “tired of the mudslinging.” Clinton voter Ramiro Wires, 50, said “I’m so glad it's over.”

Meanwhile global stock markets remain poised for the “flip of a coin” with the race too close to call.

2:07am

Artist and filmmaker Alison Jackson has hired a Trump impersonator for a series of pictures to imagine him as President, showing him in a number of compromising positions.

The pictures are designed to promote her latest book Private: Alison Jackson and show Trump with bikini-clad models and getting a spray tan inside the Oval office. Check them out below.

1:48am

Women are flocking to declare themselves members of the “Pantsuit Nation” in support of Hillary Clinton, with the term trending and selling out online.

Others took to the polls in the outfit favoured by the Democratic nominee who has declared herself a “pants suit aficionado”.

New Yorker Denise Shull told AFP she tried to buy a white pants suit on Amazon, but they were sold out. She’s wearing a black-and-white suit to support Clinton, but also to symbolise “women making progress.”

1:38am

Warning: Graphic. Topless women have been spotted inside polling booths in New York protesting against Trump, while others show long lines as voter turnout appears to be high.

Follow our reporter Charlotte Willis on the ground in New York for the latest information.

12:50am

POTUS has been spotted on the basketball court at a military base letting off some steam on Tuesday as Joe Biden heads to vote in Delaware.

Obama has played basketball on election day since 2008 as part of a superstitious ritual. He voted in Illinois earlier this month.

The only time President Obama didn’t play basketball before a vote was the New Hampshire primary — which he lost to Hillary Clinton. Picture: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais.
The only time President Obama didn’t play basketball before a vote was the New Hampshire primary — which he lost to Hillary Clinton. Picture: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais.

12:25am

Donald Trump’s son Eric Trump Jr said his father will concede the results if they are “legit and fair.”

Speaking to MSNBC’s Morning Joe, the Republican nominee’s son said: “all we want is a fair fight, not just for this election but for all elections.”

“If he loses and it’s legit and fair, and there’s not obvious stuff out there then without question, yes,” Eric said.

Mr Trump has repeatedly called the results “rigged” and said he would keep the public “in suspense” about what he would do following the result.

On Tuesday he admitted to a rare moment of uncertainty saying “who knows what happens ultimately?”

“If I don’t win, I will consider it a tremendous waste of time, energy and money.” He claims to have spent $100 million of his own money however electoral estimates put it closer to $66 million.

Eric Trump campaigns on behalf of his dad and said he doesn’t think there would be a problem if the results are “legit and fair”. Picture: Dan Reiland/The Eau Claire Leader-Telegram via AP
Eric Trump campaigns on behalf of his dad and said he doesn’t think there would be a problem if the results are “legit and fair”. Picture: Dan Reiland/The Eau Claire Leader-Telegram via AP

12:18am

Mrs Clinton’s campaign team has cancelled an election night fireworks display due to take place on the Hudson River in New York just moments after polls closed.

“They do have a permit for fireworks, but at this point we believe the fireworks is cancelled,” NYPD chief of intelligence Tommy Galati said on election day. He would not respond to questions why, saying only: “I cannot tell you that.”

Mrs Clinton casts her vote early Tuesday morning in New York alongside her husband Bill.

“It is the most humbling feeling,” she said about voting for herself. “I know how much responsibility goes with this.”

11:52pm

Eagle-eyed fans have spotted an amazing surprise in Lady Gaga’s choice of jacket for her final rally with Hillary Clinton.

The outfit the Joanne singer wore was once owned by Michael Jackson. It’s part of her huge collection she bought back in 2012 which she promised to expertly care for.

11:19pm

Lines snaking out of the polling station and around the block have been the reality for voters on election day, with many state on track for a record turnout. Check out some of the scenes voters have shared below.

11:06pm

Europe’s main stock markets painted a mixed picture on Tuesday as voting opened in the US with Hillary Clinton showing a slight edge on Donald Trump.

London’s market fell while Paris flatlined and stocks in Frankfurt edged higher. All three closed higher on Monday amid news the FBI had cleared Hillary Clinton from the emails found on the computer of Anthony Weiner.

While electoral college predictions make a Clinton victory look likely, there is a possibility of a Brexit style upset that polls failed to predict.

Spreadex analyst Connor Campbell told AP: “In terms of the election Clinton seems to have momentum on her side.”

“She is the clear market-favourite. Of course, this was basically the situation for the Remain camp pre-referendum.”

Nine states have already opened to voters with heavy turnout leading to queues. Pictured, Jessica Hoffman votes in Ohio. Picture: AP Photo/John Minchillo.
Nine states have already opened to voters with heavy turnout leading to queues. Pictured, Jessica Hoffman votes in Ohio. Picture: AP Photo/John Minchillo.

10:42pm

Russian media claims Hillary Clinton will “surround them with nuclear rockets”, while Germany’s Die Welt warned of an “apocalypse”.

10:27

There are four main voting blocs who will decide the outcome in this year’s Presidential race, Ronald Brownstein reports in The Atlantic.

They are: Blue collar workers, college educated whites, Latinos and millenials. However rather than create new trends, he said this divisive and nasty race has reinforced trends already present in US society.

“Yet a race that has unfolded like no other still appears on track to reinforce and intensify the trends that have defined the competition for the White House over the past quarter-century.”

Traditional Russian Matryoshka dolls in a gift shop in Moscow as the world watches the outcome of the US election. Picture: AFP PHOTO / Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV.
Traditional Russian Matryoshka dolls in a gift shop in Moscow as the world watches the outcome of the US election. Picture: AFP PHOTO / Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV.

10:14pm

Polls in nine major states have opened for voters who have begun to make their choice. Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Vermont and Virginia have opened.

Real Clear politics puts Hillary Clinton in front in their poll average with 46.8 per cent to 43.6 per cent. A four way average shows Mrs Clinton on 45 per cent and Mr Trump on 42 per cent.

It comes after a huge last ditch effort from both candidates who campaigned into the early hours of the morning on Monday.

Hillary Clinton appeared with Lady Gaga, the Obamas, Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen while Donald Trump appeared with his family and secured an endorsement from football star Tom Brady.

Trump supporters in Raleigh, North Carolina. Picture: AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGAN
Trump supporters in Raleigh, North Carolina. Picture: AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGAN
Lady Gaga and Jon Bon Jovi in North Carolina for Hillary. The critical swing state is a must-win for both candidates. Picture: AFP PHOTO / Logan Cyrus
Lady Gaga and Jon Bon Jovi in North Carolina for Hillary. The critical swing state is a must-win for both candidates. Picture: AFP PHOTO / Logan Cyrus

9:50pm

Independent Mormon candidate Evan McMullin has claimed to be on the verge of something “historic” in Utah, urging his supporters to “get as many people to the polls as possible”.

The former CIA operative spend the last 10 years undercover and has based his entire campaign on winning enough of the vote in Utah to subvert a Trump victory.

Utah is 60 per cent Mormon and has voted Republican for the last five decades but polls show McMullin is close in a move that could prove an electoral upset for Trump.

Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin said he wants to win Utah as he can’t bring himself to support Trump. Picture: AP Photo/Rick Bowmer.
Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin said he wants to win Utah as he can’t bring himself to support Trump. Picture: AP Photo/Rick Bowmer.

9:24pm

The first US front pages are beginning to appear on election day. Here’s what the New York Post and Daily News had to say:

The NT News has also got in on the act, tweeting US media in an appeal for US voters to move or visit down under.

9:16pm

Can you bring your gun to the polling booth? CNN reports carrying a weapon in voting booth is determined by state law.

It’s banned in Arizona, Florida and parts of Wisconsin, but there are no rules against it in other states like Ohio, North Carolina and New Hampshire, CNN reports.

9:11pm

Check out this handy video below for when the results will start to roll in.

Trump, Clinton Path to 270: What to Watch Hour by Hour

9:03pm

Pollsters at FiveThirtyEight have claimed Hillary Clinton has a 70.9 per cent chance of winning compared to 29.1 per cent for Donald Trump on the eve of the election.

The site also expects Hillary Clinton to take 48.6 per cent of the popular vote with 45 per cent for Trump and 4.8 per cent for Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.

Follow their latest analysis here.

8:51pm

Signs proclaiming “Make America White Again” and “Stop the Muslim Invasion” were spotted beside a road in Cleveland, Tennessee, on the eve of the election.

Protesters held the signs with messages like “Just say to no to white guilt” and “do something radical”.

It comes as authorities are on high alert for tensions that could erupt into violence following the most divisive election campaign in history.

8:41pm

A large number of the 650,000 emails found on the computer of disgraced Democrat Anthony Weiner turned out to be duplicates, allowing the FBI to declare Hillary Clinton in the clear two days before the election.

The New York Times reports of the 650,000 found on the computer, an unknown portion of those were found to belong to Hillary Clinton’s top aid Huma Abedin.

The Bureau was able to use software to week out copies and employees reviewed the rest, according to authorities. It remains unclear exactly how many of the emails were between Mrs Clinton and Ms Abdedin.

Trump supporters have said it’s “impossible” to have review that number in a week, and say it’s further proof the election is “rigged”.

Huma Abedin has appeared back on the Clinton campaign after Mrs Clinton was cleared by the FBI. Picture: AP/Photo/Andrew Harnik.
Huma Abedin has appeared back on the Clinton campaign after Mrs Clinton was cleared by the FBI. Picture: AP/Photo/Andrew Harnik.

8:32pm

Long lines have been found outside polling stations as voters cast early ballots in record breaking numbers.

The first place to vote was the tiny village of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire where eight voters were excited to be among the first to cast their ballots.

“It’s very exciting to be the first in the nation,” Russ Van Deursen told AP. “Your vote is right out there in the small little hamlet that we have of seven or eight voters and it feels like you’re a real part of democracy.”

Hillary Clinton won the midnight ballot with four votes, Trump received two, Gary Johnson and Mitt Romney each received one vote.

Voters in California will also decide on a number of ballot initiatives on everything from plastic bag use to gun control and the death penalty. Picture: Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP.
Voters in California will also decide on a number of ballot initiatives on everything from plastic bag use to gun control and the death penalty. Picture: Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP.
Trump supporters outside the Rockefeller centre that has been lit up by NBC. Madonna held an impromtue concert in New York overnight. Picture: Mark Wilson/Getty Images/AFP.
Trump supporters outside the Rockefeller centre that has been lit up by NBC. Madonna held an impromtue concert in New York overnight. Picture: Mark Wilson/Getty Images/AFP.

8:24pm

Conservative commentator Ann Coulter has been mocked for a tweet suggesting that only people with “4 grandparents born in America” would deliver Trump a victory, as people pointed out that would exclude Trump himself, whose mother is Scottish.

8:16pm

With the race expected to be tight, all eyes are on the critical swing states that could deliver the result.

Analysts predict Mrs Clinton has 19 “safe” states in the bag which add up to 242 electoral college votes. Mr Trump has 22 but these only give 180 electoral votes.

There are 10 key states left, five of which are deemed “likely” to go one way or another (three to Clinton, two to Trump). Plus another five crucial swing states: Nevada, Colorado, Virginia, Florida or Ohio.

Confused? Here’s the full story on the maths of a Trump victory.

8:07pm

Odds on Donald Trump becoming the next President have narrowed from $201 to $4.50 since 2012, according to Sportsbet.

The company said four years ago the Republican nominee was a rank outsider, however on the eve of the US vote he is paying $4.50 to win. Hillary Clinton is paying $1.22 and has attracted more than $3 million in punter support compared to $2 million for Trump.

Donald Trump has never held political office but polls show him in a virtual dead heat with the Democratic nominee. Picture: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/AFP
Donald Trump has never held political office but polls show him in a virtual dead heat with the Democratic nominee. Picture: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/AFP

7:49pm

UK comedian John Oliver has apologised to the US and admitted he urged Donald Trump to run for President eight years ago.

“Do it. Look at me. Do it. I will personally write you a campaign check now,” the host of Last Week Tonight said in an old clip.

Now with polls showing the candidates tied, he urged Americans to turnout and vote, saying: “I’m an idiot”.

“But that clearly shows no outcome is certain so if you are thinking you don’t have to show up to vote on Tuesday because there is no way the impossible could happen, take it from somebody who has learned from painful experience: You are wrong about that.

7:45pm

7:41pm

Australians should begin to see results trickle in around 11am (AEDT) on Wednesday morning with Florida, Georgia, Vermont, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, the first to have polls close.

The timing of the final result will depend on how the results pan out. Check out the different scenarios here.

7:38pm

A RECORD number of early votes have been cast in the US election with a record turnout among Latin-American voters expected to favour Hillary Clinton.

More than 46 million people — around one in seven — have already voted at levels higher than 2012. Political analysts say extreme rhetoric from Donald Trump has energised the protest vote among Latinos, while white working class voters are also expected to turnout in higher numbers.

The early vote count is expected to top 50 million on Tuesday.

Both candidates held rallies into the early hours of the morning on Monday. Hillary Clinton told voters “It’s not just my name or Donald Trump’s name on the ballot, it’s the kind of country we want,” in a rally with Lady Gaga in North Carolina.

Donald Trump called it “our Independence Day.”

“We are finally going to close the history books on the Clintons, their lives, their schemes, their corruptions,” he said.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/us-election-2016-live-blog-record-turnout-in-early-voting/news-story/e820878edf84c0749b734a05130589df