Election Day in the United States is officially under way, as two small towns in the north-eastern state of New Hampshire kicked off the vote with their traditional midnight opening of polling stations.
Some major cities on the east coast would see polling stations open at 6am (11:00-12:00 GMT) and then polls will continue to open across six time zones. The final polls will close in Alaska, in the far west, when it’s already morning in the east.
Voters in Dixville Notch, a village of 12 residents in New Hampshire, kicked off Election Day at the stroke of midnight by voting unanimously for Biden within minutes: five votes for Biden and none for Trump.
The tiny northeastern town in the middle of the forest has traditionally voted “first in the nation” since 1960.
Neighbouring Millsfield also began voting at midnight but a third village in the area, which typically follows the same tradition, cancelled overnight voting due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump and Biden made a last-ditch push for votes as their campaigns prepared for post-election disputes that could prolong a divisive presidential election.
Trump – trailing in national opinion polls – has continued his unfounded attacks on mail-in ballots, telling reporters that Pennsylvania’s plans to count mail ballots that arrive up to three days after Election Day would lead to widespread cheating, although he did not explain how.
He urged the US Supreme Court to reconsider its decision that left the extension in place. The court has left that possibility open.