US election 2024: Harris and Trump in tight race as US votes to decide 47th president

In the United States, election day voting began on Tuesday, with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris vying to become the next president. (Photo/Agencies)

Polls have opened in 35 states so far. Over the next few hours, more states will follow suit as America chooses its next president. (Photo/Agencies)

More than 82 million people have already taken advantage of early voting to cast their ballots for Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Kamala Harris. (Photo/Agencies)

The polling hours will vary across the states, but most locations will vote between 6 am and 8 pm on Tuesday (local time). (Photo/Agencies)

The first polls will close at around 7 pm ET (5:30 am IST) in six states, including Georgia. The final polls will close in the blue state of Hawaii and in the red state of Alaska at 12 am ET (10:30 am IST). Total votes will close by 1 pm ET (11:30 am IST), following which counting will start. (Photo/Agencies)

The electoral victory isn't determined by the overall popular vote count. Rather, candidates vie for victories across individual contests in all 50 states. States are allocated specific numbers of electoral college votes, determined partially by their population size. The total electoral votes available are 538, with 270 required to secure the presidency. (Photo/Agencies)

The presidential race may dominate headlines, but the congressional elections hold equal significance as voters cast their ballots. These elections determine the lawmakers responsible for passing legislation in the United States.
The electoral process encompasses both chambers of Congress. Every seat in the 435-member House of Representatives faces election, whilst 34 Senate positions are being contested this cycle. (Photo/Agencies)

The election outcome is typically announced on election night, although the 2020 results required several days for complete vote tabulation. (Photo/Agencies)