Politics Divided US has a choice: Trump or Harris?

In the battle for power, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump go into the historic election day with fundamentally different visions for the USA. After months of campaigning with sharp attacks on each other and some dark rhetoric, both contenders for the White House are tied in the latest polls - the outcome of the highly anticipated global vote is completely unclear and concerns about riots are high.

"Optimism, energy and joy"

In a meticulously planned and star-studded rally at a famous site in Philadelphia in the "swing state" of Pennsylvania, Harris appeared confident of victory in her final speech. In front of the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the backdrop to the cult film "Rocky", Harris said: "Tonight we end it the way we started it, with optimism, with energy and with joy."

The Democrat was delighted to receive the support of various superstars such as Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey at her final rally in the evening (local time) before the US presidential election. Harris urged people who have not yet cast their vote to do so. "The race is not over yet." It could be one of the closest races in history. "Every single vote counts," said Harris. She did not mention Trump's name - her speech lasted less than half an hour.

Angry monologue from Trump

Only a little later, Trump used what was probably his last chance to convince undecided voters for a lengthy monologue with numerous attacks on his political opponents in front of an excited crowd in Grand Rapids in the "swing state" of Michigan: "She has a very low IQ, and we don't need a person with a low IQ. We've had this for four years. And our country is going down the drain," the 78-year-old said of his opponent.

He did not follow the wishes of his advisors to stick more to his speech manuscripts. Harris was "a radical left-wing lunatic", he scolded. Trump had already ended his election campaigns in Grand Rapids in 2016 and 2020. The former president began his speech shortly after midnight (local time) directly after Harris' appearance - and thus had the last word. Earlier, Trump had scored a success when popular podcaster Joe Rogan endorsed him as the next US president.

First election results: Tie in the village of Dixville Notch

The first decision of the election was made during the final rallies: in the small village of Dixville Notch in the state of New Hampshire, Harris and Trump tied by 3 votes to 3, as was announced on a handwritten board shortly after midnight (local time). Because there are only six registered voters in the ski resort near the border with Canada, voting and counting are completed quickly. The polling station in Dixville Notch has been opening at midnight on election day since 1960.

Fundamentally different messages

In his standard long speeches, Trump uses gloomy rhetoric to paint a picture of a nation in decline that only he can save. Harris, on the other hand, kept it short and targeted voter groups such as GenZ, i.e. the under-30s, Latinos and people with Arab roots.

It was the candidates' last chance to send a message to their voters before the final decision is made on the presidency and the future balance of power in the US parliament. It is also a fateful election for Germany and Europe.

There is a lot at stake in the vote. It is not only about the domestic political stability of the country, but also about the future role of the USA in international alliances, transatlantic cooperation and how to deal with Russia's and China's striving for power - for example, if Trump wins, Ukraine must fear for the important support of the USA in the war against Russia. Germany's and Europe's ties with the United States are huge in economic terms and even have existential dimensions in the area of defense.

Fear of violence

It is no coincidence that Harris and Trump are holding their final rallies in Pennsylvania and Michigan on the same day. Pennsylvania is seen as potentially decisive - there are 19 electoral votes up for grabs here, more than in any other swing state. As it is clear in the vast majority of states which party will secure victory there, Democrats and Republicans are focusing their election campaign on seven key states with an open outcome.

Election day is not only awaited with excitement, but also with great concern and in some cases fear of riots or violence. Trump once again sowed doubt about the integrity of the election and accused the Democrats and supporters of Harris of wanting to "cheat". He also never conceded his 2020 election defeat to Joe Biden. He is already preparing for a possible election defeat and claims that only fraud could deprive him of victory.

Trump also once again fueled false expectations about the vote count. "We want the answer tonight," said the 78-year-old in Grand Rapids. It is considered unlikely that the result of the election will be known within a few hours of the polling stations closing. Postal votes in particular are delaying the counting process in some states. After the 2020 presidential election, Trump declared himself the winner on election night - and called for a halt to the vote count when he was temporarily ahead of Biden. He still does not recognize his election defeat. There are fears in the USA that Trump could repeat this strategy.

As a precaution, security has been increased at numerous polling stations across the country - some now have panic buttons for poll workers. In some places, plans are also being made to use snipers on adjacent rooftops and surveillance drones to prevent violence from occurring around the vote. Security measures were also visibly increased in the capital, Washington. There were barriers around the Capitol and the White House. Some stores have barricaded their shop windows.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has set up a kind of command center around the election. In Washington D.C. and some states, the National Guard was activated to support police and firefighters on the day of the election and afterwards if necessary. The Pentagon emphasized that this is customary for major events such as the presidential election and the swearing-in of the president. Meanwhile, intelligence agencies warned of ongoing and possibly increasing election interference by Russia.

Results may not be known for days

The first usual polling stations on the east coast of the USA close at midnight German time. Unlike in Germany, there is no prediction of the winner of the election. And counting can take a long time, not only because of the country's many time zones, but also because of the large number of postal votes.

Most experts assume that there will still be no winner on election night - but that is not impossible. In 2020, Biden was only declared the winner on Saturday, i.e. on day four after the election date. In contrast, many Americans found out about Trump's victory in 2016 when they got up the morning after the election.

The election campaign was memorably turbulent this time: Biden originally wanted to run again, but after the big TV duel with Trump, he conceded the field to Harris following massive pressure.

The magic number 270

The US president is indirectly elected by the people. The votes of the electors decide the composition of the electoral college, which elects the president on their behalf in December. Each federal state has a certain number of votes, which is roughly based on the number of inhabitants.

The principle of "the winner takes it all" applies in almost all states: the candidate who wins there receives the votes of all the electors in the state. To enter the White House, a candidate ultimately does not need the most popular votes, but the majority of the 538 electoral votes - i.e. at least 270.

SDA