12:15 p.m.: Donald Trump continues to dominate nationwide, running his total up to 292 electoral votes and holding leads in three more states yet to be decided: Nevada, Arizona and Alaska. The former, and future, president could finish the race against Kamala Harris with as many as 312 electoral votes. He also hold a nearly 5 million-vote lead in the popular vote. Election 2024 has all the makings of a clear mandate for Trump, with the possibility of the GOP holding control of the presidency, U.S. Senate and U.S. House.
10:15 a.m.: Harrison County election officials have 14,100 absentee ballots to count, which could affect which two candidates reach the runoff race for the Court of Appeals, said Circuit Clerk Justin Wetzel.
In the race for a seat on the Pass Christian School board, Angel Fortenberry has 1,309 votes (56.8%). Incumbent Cecil Lizana has 988 votes (42.9%).
In the race for Harrison County Election Commission in District 1, incumbent Republican Toni Jo Kuljis Diaz leads with 6,082 votes (63%) to Democrat Anna Gines with 3,528 votes (37%). Those numbers are unofficial, with the absentee ballots still to count.
Including the absentee ballots, the voter turnout was 50%, Wetzel said. The results came in quickly, with all of the precinct ballot boxes at the courthouse by about 8:30 p.m.
6 a.m. Wednesday: Donald Trump captured Pennsylvania and Wisconsin overnight, according to The Associated Press, pushing him well past the necessary 270 electoral votes to defeat Kamala Harris and return to the White House.
11:22 p.m.: As we await the final results from the presidential race and other races of interest, click here for up-to-the-second results from The Associated Press. Thanks for following along.
10:57 p.m.: Vice President Kamala Harris captured Virginia’s 13 electoral votes and Hawaii’s 4 electoral votes, according to The Associated Press. The victory pulls Harris to within 21 electoral votes of Donald Trump and sets up a fight to the finish, where it appears Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin will determine the presidency.
10:50 p.m.: Republicans have secured control of 50 U.S. Senate seats, according to The Associated Press. The GOP now needs only to add one more Senate seat, or to capture the presidency, to control the legislative body.
Ga. official: Trump has ‘insurmountable’ lead in state
10:45 p.m.: The Macon Telegraph reports Georgia Sec. of State Brad Raffensperger declared an “insurmountable lead” for Donald Trump over Kamala Harris in the state, adding he expected no further election updates.
10:35 p.m.: Kamala Harris captured New Mexico and its 5 electoral votes, according to The Associated Press. The victory cuts Donald Trump’s Electoral College lead to 230-192 as the eyes of the nation increasingly are focusing on the remaining battleground states.
10:30 p.m.: Gulfport attorney David P. Sullivan has pulled ahead of incumbent Dawn Beam in the race for District 2, Place 2 on the Mississippi Supreme Court. With 84% if votes counted, Sullivan had 170,510, or 54.5%, to Beam’s 142,348, or 45.5%.
10:25 p.m.: Vice President Kamala Harris put a small dent in Donald Trump’s big electoral lead with a victory in Oregon, according to The Associated Press. The victory cuts Trump’s lead to 230-187.
10:20 p.m.: The Associated Press is projecting that former president Donald Trump will win North Carolina, capturing the Tar Heel State’s 16 electoral votes. This is the first of the seven battleground states that most prognosticators believe will determine the winner. Trump’s lead has risen to 230-179.
10 p.m.: Kamala Harris picked up two big electoral states, securing Washington’s 12 votes and California’s 54 votes, according to The Associated Press. The AP also awarded Idaho’s four votes to Donald Trump. That leaves the former president with a lead of 214-179 as we get to the point of the night where we wait on the seven states that prognosticators believe will decide the winner.
9:45 p.m.: Rumors of Kamala Harris’ strength in Iowa proved to be greatly exaggerated. Donald Trump again captured the state and its 6 electoral votes, and added the 6 electoral votes from Kansas, as well, according to projections from The Associated Press. That leaves Trump with a commanding 210-113 lead, as Kamala Harris picked up a single electoral vote from Maine’s 1st District.
9:45 p.m.: The race for the Mississippi Court of Appeals District 5 Position 2 seat is almost impossibly close, with two-thirds of the vote in. At the moment, Ian Baker leads with 34.3 percent of the vote, while Amy St. Pe has 33.3 percent and Jennifer Schloegel has 32.5 percent. In a race this close, a runoff seems all but certain. The competitors, though, are still to be determined.
Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump leaves the stage following a rally at Dorton Arena in Raleigh on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, one day before Election Day. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Is this the red wave?
9:30 p.m.: The New York Times presidential forecast is showing an 83% chance that Donald Trump recaptures the presidency, possibly sweeping all seven of the states considered too-close-to-call entering the night. Additionally, Nate Cohn of the Times wrote “The race for the national popular vote is a true tossup. Trump has run well all over the country. If that trend continues in California and New York, where the vote count is still early, there’s a distinct chance he could win it.”
9:30 p.m.: Kamala Harris, facing what is beginning to look like a steep climb to the presidency with Donald Trump outperforming predictions across the nation, captured Washington D.C. and its 3 electoral votes. Trump’s lead now stands at 198-112 and there is a very real chance that he not only captures the electoral vote, but the popular vote, as well.
9:10 p.m.: Donald Trump added two more states to his ledger, while Kamala Harris added one more, according to The Associated Press. Trump picked up Utah (6 electoral votes) and Montana (4), while Harris added Colorado and its 10 electoral votes. The additions leave Trump with a 198-109 advantage.
U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell reacts after winning reelection during an election watch party at Grand Magnolia in Pascagoula on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Hannah Ruhoff Sun Herald
U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell keeps seat
8:55p.m.: Republican Mike Ezell has been elected to a second term in the U.S. House, defeating Democratic challenger Craig Raybon, according to The Associated Press.
8:53 p.m.: Donald Trump captured Missouri, according to The Associated Press. The victory adds 10 electoral votes to the former president’s tally, giving him a 188-99 lead over Kamala Harris.
8:45 p.m.: Donald Trump added one electoral vote to his total, capturing the 3rd District in Nebraska, a state which awards its 3 electoral votes by district. The win adds to Trump’s lead, which now stands at 178-99.
Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump leaves the stage following a rally at Dorton Arena in Raleigh on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, one day before Election Day. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Trump picks up two big wins, adds to lead
8:15 p.m.: Donald Trump captured Ohio’s 17 electoral votes and the 40 electoral votes from Texas, according to The Associated Press. That takes the former president’s Electoral College lead to 177-99 over Kamala Harris. Importantly, none of the states considered too-close-to-call have been won by either candidate.
8 p.m.: Donald Trump and Kamala Harris each added to their electoral vote total, with Trump picking up five states and Harris picking up one. Trump was declared the winner of the following states by The Associated Press: North Dakota (3 electoral votes), South Dakota (3), Nebraska (2), Wyoming (2) and Louisiana (8). Harris added New York and its 28 electoral votes. Overall, Trump now holds a 120-99 lead. A reminder: 270 electoral votes are needed to secure the presidency.
7:35 p.m.: Kamala Harris was declared the winner of Delaware (3 electoral votes) and Illinois by The Associated Press. With the state’s three electoral votes, Donald Trump’s lead is now 101-71.
7:30 p.m.: Donald Trump extended his Electoral College lead to 101-49 over Kamala Harris in the most recent reporting from The Associated Press. Trump added Arkansas to his list of wins (6 electoral votes), while Harris added New Jersey (14).
7:10 p.m.: Republican Roger Wicker has won re-election to the U.S. Senate, according to the Associated Press. Wicker defeated Democrat Ty Pinkins in the race.
7:05 p.m.: Ten more states have been projected by The Associated Press, including Mississippi. States awarded to Donald Trump include: Oklahoma (7 electoral votes), Tennessee (11), Mississippi (6), Alabama (9), South Carolina (9) and Florida (30). States called by The Associated Press for Kamala Harris include Massachusetts (11 electoral votes), Rhode Island (4), Connecticut (7) and Maryland (10).
7 p.m.: Polls have closed across Mississippi, and the process of reporting results can begin. Additionally, in non-political news, Hurricane Rafael has formed in the Caribbean Sea.
6:30 p.m.: The Associated Press has declared former president Donald Trump has won West Virginia, pocketing four electoral votes and increasing his lead over Vice President Kamala Harris to 23-3.
6 p.m.: The first round of polls have closed in the east and The Associated Press has declared Donald Trump the winner in Indiana (11 electoral votes) and Kentucky (8 electoral votes). The AP has also declared Vice President Kamala Harris the winner in Vermont (3 electoral votes). To win the presidency, 270 electoral votes are required. For the latest results in the presidential race, click here.
The line at the West Jackson County Safe Room was significantly shorter at 4:45 p.m. than it was at 7 a.m., when it wrapped nearly all the way around the building. Laura Thorsen Provided
4:45 p.m. was the right time
4:45 p.m.: The line at the West Jackson County Safe Room took 25 fewer minutes to get through late Tuesday afternoon than early Tuesday morning. The line wrapped nearly all the way around the building this morning, and took more than 45 minutes to get through, depending on the first letter of your last name. This afternoon, it took 20 minutes or fewer. Additionally, there were no lines in Harrison County at the Frank Gruich Community Center, the Lopez Quave Public Safety Center or First Baptist Church on Popp’s Ferry.
In Hancock County, there was no line at Diamondhead City Hall. Poll workers said 1,160 people had voted as of 5:20 p.m. and over 200 had voted early through absentee. There are 2,620 registered voters in the precinct.
Former Circuit Clerk Connie Ladner retired in 2023 but still signed up to work as a poll manager Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, at the Lyman Community Center in Gulfport. Anita Lee Sun Herald
She retired, but she didn’t quit
5 p.m.: Connie Ladner worked for 40 years in the office of the circuit clerk for Harrison, Hancock and Jackson counties, serving her last eight years as the circuit clerk responsible for administering general elections.
She retired at the end of 2023.
So what did she do this election day? Well, she worked the election. This time, Ladner served as a poll manager at the Lyman Community Center in Gulfport.
“It’s still in my system,” she said, “but the good part is, I don’t have the stress of preparing for all this. But I still have the enjoyment of participating in the process.”
4:45 p.m.: One precinct in the state opened late on Election Day, according to a report from Secretary of State Michael Watson, and some voting machines temporarily went down. Polls close at 7 p.m., but any voter in line at that time can cast a ballot. “County election officials will begin tabulating ballots at the closing of the polls,” the report said. For questions or issues, call 800-829-6786 or email ElectionsAnswers@sos.ms.gov or visit YallVote.ms.
An 18-wheeler temporarily blocked Touriel Road, just south of the busy voting precinct at the Lyman Community Center in Gulfport (background). A tow truck lifted the rear wheels of the 18-wheeler from a ditch, freeing the driver to continue his route and unblocking one of the northbound lanes of U.S. 49, which runs in front of the center. Anita Lee Sun Herald
Truck blocks road near busy precinct
4 p.m.: As the end of the workday neared, a voter line built at the Lyman Community Center in Gulfport.
Just before the line started building, an 18-wheeler was fortunately cleared from Touriel Road, which sits just south of the center. The truck’s rear wheels got stuck in a ditch when the driver turned onto Touriel, blocking that road and a northbound lane of U.S. 49. The driver said he was headed for a tractor supply business.
As vehicles backed up on the highway, a tow truck driver lifted the rear of the truck back onto Touriel, clearing drivers and voters to return to the business at hand.
Anita Seymour (front) brought her grandchildren to the Donal Snyder Community Center in Biloxi to vote for the first time. Casting ballots with her were grandchildren DeShawn Donaldson (left), 19, granddaughter Angelina Donaldson (center) 18, and son Timothy Seymour. Anita Lee Sun Herald
She has instilled in her grandchildren the importance of voting and was happy that she was able to accompany two of them to cast their first ballots on Tuesday.
“I had a little bit of anxiety, but it was quite fun,” said 18-year-old Angelina Donaldson. She said she was worried that voting would be like a test, but it wasn’t at all. Her brother, DeShawn Donaldson, 19, also voted for the first time.
“I told them somebody died to gi ve them that right, ‘So you better go vote,’ “ Seymour said.
Her son, Timothy Seymour, also voted with the family at the Donal Snyder Community Center in Biloxi.
Sherry Tyson, left, and Patricia Jefferson, right, are outside the West Biloxi Library, where Tyson voted Tuesday afternoon. Jefferson, her caretaker, lives in Gulfport and plans to vote there after work. Anita Lee Sun Herald
Gulfport voter visiting three precincts
2:45 p.m.: Patricia Jefferson of Gulfport plans to vote later today but has already been to the polls twice. Jefferson is a caretaker who was working Tuesday. She had already taken one client to vote when she and a second client, Sherry Tyson, headed to the West Biloxi Library so that Tyson could vote. Both were drawn by the presidential election but also think it’s important that citizens exercise their right to vote.
“I advise everybody to vote,” Jefferson said. “It’s important.”
Poll manager Rachel Atkins said a line formed outside the library before the precinct opened, but voters have not encountered lines for most of the day. Instead, it’s been steady, with about 25% of registered voters having turned out. That’s about average, poll workers said, although they expect to be busier later in the day.
2:30 p.m.: Harrison County Circuit Clerk Justin Wetzel said there were some minor jams of ballots in machines Tuesday morning. “Those have all been worked out,” he said, and the machine shows when each ballot has been counted. He originally expected a turnout of 60% to 65% of the registered voters, he said, but judging from the lines he’s seeing all over the county and into the afternoon, he now thinks the turnout will be even higher.
2:30 p.m.: The Harrison County Good Deeds Community Center in north Gulfport is largely empty this afternoon. Poll workers, though, expect business to pick up as people get off of work. There have been no issues at the site and 231 votes have been cast, of the 1,154 registered voters there.
Brandy Hamilton and her son Kyrie vote at the D’Iberville Civic Center in D’Iberville on Election Day. Hannah Ruhoff Sun Herald
Big turnout in D’Iberville
2:15 p.m.: D’Iberville Civic Center, one of the largest precincts in Harrison County, has seen high turnout today according to poll manager Eugene LaCaze.
At about 1:30 p.m. the precinct had seen 2,196 voters, he said, or about 24% of registered voters for the precinct. According to LaCaze, there was a long line for the polling location this morning, but by 1 p.m. things had calmed down.
Things seemed calmer in general this year in comparison to 2020’s presidential election, said LaCaze, who has run the precinct since 2008. He dealt with heated voters and constant long lines in 2020.
Outside the precinct, down by the street, people waved signs for candidates, including David P. Sullivan and his wife Stefany Sullivan. Sullivan is running for Mississippi Supreme Court.
“It’s great to be here in my home city waving at people,” Sullivan said.
—Hannah Ruhoff
Around 12:50 p.m, poll workers at the First United Methodist Church in Long Beach said about 22 percent of the 4,000 registered voters there had cast their ballots. Margaret Baker Sun Herald
1:30 p.m.: At the First United Methodist Church in Long Beach, a steady stream of voters have been casting their votes since 7 a.m. Around 12:50 p.m, Poll workers said about 22 percent of the 4,000 registered voters there had cast their ballots.
“I voted” stickers await those who completed their ballots at the St. Martin Community Center in Jackson County Tuesday morning. A big turnout is reported across the state, with few problems at the polls. Hannah Ruhoff Sun Herald
Statewide ‘It’s steady, it’s crazy’
1:15 p.m.: No major election issues in the three Coast counties have been reported to the Secretary of State’s office, said communications director Elizabeth Jonson.
Large turnouts are being reported across the state, she said, with only a few incidents.
Most of the problems are about voters wearing clothing with campaign logos, which is prohibited, and political signs being too close to the polls. There also was a report of poll workers at Casey Elementary School in Jackson placing ballots inside boxes instead of voting machines.
“It’s steady, it’s crazy but it seems to be good,” she said.
Jack Eleuterius, bailif at the St Martin Community Center polling location, took this photo of the morning crowd. He said the line was around the building early Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Jack Eleuterius Provided
Very busy morning in St. Martin
12:30 p.m.: Voters in St. Martin lined up as early as 5:30 a.m., according to Jack Eleuterius, the bailiff at the St. Martin Community Center polling location. He says this morning until around 9:30 the line was wrapped around the building, which is also home to the St. Martin library.
So far, he says they’ve had no issues and as of noon they had seen around 1,000 voters, which according to Eleuterius is above average. By noon, the pace was much slower with no line but he says after 3 p.m. he expects the line will pick back up.
—Hannah Ruhoff
Poll worked at the St. Martin Community Center polling location check voters in Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Hannah Ruhoff Sun Herald
12:20 p.m.:According to FOX News, a Pennsylvania judge approved a petition to extend voting hours until 10 p.m. ET after a “malfunction” prevented voters in Cambria County from scanning their ballots.
Elections officials emphasized that no one who wishes to cast their ballot will be turned away and that all votes will be counted. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley urged voters to stay in line and cast their ballots regardless of the delay.
Lines stretched across the parking lot Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, at Orange Grove Community Center, but had disappeared by midday. Scott Watkins Sun Herald
Calming down at Orange Grove
12:15 p.m.: Lines stretched across the parking lot at Orange Grove Community Center in Gulfport on Tuesday morning.
Precinct manager Dian Lee said she believes turnout has been outpacing four years ago and the morning’s rush was a big indicator why.
“I think the line went all the way out to Dedeaux Road,” Lee said.
Voters were still entering the building at a steady pace around midday. The noon count for the location that covers the Orange Grove community and much of Dedeaux Rd. was at 1,160 ballots.
Lee said she expects another significant line in the evening and hopes it goes as smoothly as the morning’s, which didn’t produce any issues.
Noon: The Miami Herald reports Some Florida voters found error messages when they went to the state’s website to check their voter registration status Tuesday morning, according to the Associated Press. A spokesperson for Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd confirmed the state’s online Voter Information Lookup tool went down and was experiencing technical issues Tuesday morning. Said spokesperson Mark Ard: “We’re working to resolve it. We’re providing alternative websites and locations for voters to find their voter information, their precinct.”
“I have more faith in this election than I’ve had in any,” Diamondhead poll manager Debra Cwiklik (right) said Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Martha Sanchez Sun Herald
‘Never seen anything like this’
11:45 a.m.: The rush in Diamondhead started early. Election workers found voters sitting in lawn chairs outside the Diamondhead Community Center precinct before it opened at 7 a.m., poll manager Debra Cwiklik said.
By 11 a.m., 2,400 people had voted on Tuesday at the precinct, according to Cwiklik. The precinct also recorded over 1,500 absentee ballots before Tuesday.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Cwiklik, who has worked in three presidential elections.
Voters came in waves, but the lines were not long. Election workers let 15 people inside at a time during the morning rush, and the precinct started to grow busy again before lunchtime. Cwiklik said some voters were coming in from the nearby golf course.
The precinct had reported no problems Tuesday morning. Cwiklik said one woman walked in wearing a political shirt, which is prohibited, but the woman turned her shirt inside out at election workers’ request.
“I have more faith in this election than I’ve had in any,” Cwiklik said.
A child plays under the voting table Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, at the First Presbyterian Church in Pascagoula. Mary Perez Sun Herald
Action heavy in Pascagoula
11:30 a.m.: There have been 467 ballots cast at First Presbyterian Church in Pascagoula, and officials say the precinct usually doesn’t have that many total votes for a city election.
Election Day voters wait in line Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, at the Fountainbleau Community Center in Jackson County. Hannah Ruhoff Sun Herald
Heat-related problems in Jackson County
11:15 a.m.: A moderate line of voters waited outside in the sun around 11 a.m. at Fountainbleau Community Center in Jackson County.
Rick Lucero, the bailiff at the Fountainbleau location, said that the wait depended on the voter’s last name. The line for voters with last names starting with A, B and C had been moving slower, averaging about a 40 minute wait while the line for all other last names was moving quicker.
Lucero said the location has been busier than he expected. Due to the outdoor wait, he said they’ve had to call an ambulance a few times for heat-related injuries, but other than that Lucero said there’s been no issues at the polling location.
“Tell everyone to come down and vote,” he said.
—Hannah Ruhoff
Suzette Ezell (left), the wife of U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell’s greets voters Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, along with Eamon Mohiuddin at the Fountainbleau Community Center in Jackson County. Hannah Ruhoff Sun Herald
The first four hours of Election Day have been smooth at the Sue Ellen Recreation Center in Moss Point. Mary Perez Sun Herald
All clear in Moss Point
11 a.m.: Now’s a good time to vote at the Sue Ellen Recreation Center in Moss Point, with lines that aren’t too long. It’s a good turnout, election officials report, with 320 ballots cast by 10:45 a.m.
Mid-morning on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, there was no line to vote at the old Lopez Elementary School in Biloxi. Poll workers say they’ve had no problems, so far. Margaret Baker Sun Herald
Easy in-and-out in Biloxi
11 a.m.: Poll workers at the old Lopez Elementary School in Biloxi report no problems as voters trickled in. At 10:50 a.m., 541 people had cast votes at the election site.
1/2 Horrible, unsafe ramp at Miami-Dade precinct 669 in Little Havana. My husband literally called it "the death slide" just seconds before this lady fell trying to exit after voting. A @DisabilityRtsFL poll watcher witnessed it as well. pic.twitter.com/Al9EJBSaRZ
10:50 a.m.:From the Miami Herald: Be mindful of potential hazards on wet surfaces. A Florida voter said she slipped and fell on her way out of Precinct 669 in Little Havana on a video posted to X around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. In the clip she said she told poll workers that she almost slipped coming up the stairs on her way inside to vote. She said she asked them to place a second caution cone to warn that the walkway may be slippery.
“Mop it up or do something because it’s not right,” she said in the video after she had fallen on her way back out after voting. When she exited, she said she fell. Her leg slipped and swept backward — the same leg that was injured in a December car accident, she said. A photo on the X post shows her on the ground. “My husband literally called it ‘the death slide’ just seconds before this lady fell trying to exit after voting,” Dani Rivera wrote on her X post.
There was no line at 10 a.m. at the Hancock County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Martha Sanchez Sun Herald
You can walk right up in Bay St. Louis
10:30 a.m.: There was no line to vote at the Hancock County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis, which election workers said was normal at the smaller precinct. They said just after 10 a.m. that 49 people had voted at the precinct on Tuesday – 39 women and 10 men.
Janis Harmon, an election worker there, was working her first race in Mississippi. She recently moved to Bay St. Louis from New Jersey, where she said she served 10 years as an election worker. She said she is driven to serve in part because her family has deep roots in the military.
10:15 a.m.: A line snaked out the door and around the side of the Ocean Springs Civic Center as voters waited to place their votes. Nancy Wilson, a poll watcher with the Democratic Party said that voters have been waiting between 45 minutes to an hour to vote. Despite the wait, Wilson said she hasn’t seen any problems.
“I’ve been very impressed with this particular voting precinct,” Wilson said. “It’s been orderly and people have been respectful as it should be in a Democratic society.”
Wilson says that as a poll watcher her responsibility is to report into the DNC every hour on how the precinct is doing. To be a poll watcher, Wilson says she had to be certified and she has a responsibility to be present but not engage with voters and not say anything political.
Bo Vaughn, who was in line to vote, said she had been waiting about 20 minutes, but she was expecting to have to wait.
“It’s a gorgeous day to have a choice and a vote that counts,” she said.
—Hannah Ruhoff
The first three hours of Election Day saw no problems at the Ocean Springs Civic Center, with voters waiting patiently Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, to have their say. Hannah Ruhoff Sun Herald
Peter Dias of Vancleave wore a Trump hat and shirt to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. “I’ve had people attack me in Lowe’s and Walmart,“ he said. Mary Perez Sun Herald
Extra machines in Vancleave
10 a.m.: About 200 people were in line when the North Vancleave precinct in Jackson County opened at 7 a.m. Extra voting machines were brought in to handle the anticipated crowd. Election officials said more people voted in the first 15 minutes than vote in a 12-hour primary election. By 10 a.m. 450 people had voted and the line was short.
Voters line up as early as 4 AM to cast their ballot at the War Memorial Building, 220 N. Maple Street, Mooresville N.C. on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. DIAMOND VENCES dvences@charlotteobserver.com
The view from N.C. & Georgia
9:45 a.m.: The teams at the Charlotte (N.C.) Observer and Macon (Ga.) Telegraph are all over events in North Carolina and Georgia. Those two states are critical in Donald Trump’s and Kamala Harris’ bids to capture the presidency. Sun Herald subscribers can also access their content.
9:30 a.m.: Our friends at the Miami Herald report that an analysis from the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University showed young voters in 2022 had a major impact in swing states, shifting some of the key Senate battles. Could they do the same in the 2024 presidential election? College students are usually allowed to vote in either their hometown or where they attend school, according to Vote.org. It’s why some students in battleground states plan on casting their vote in their college state, ABC News reported.
9:15 a.m.: We love Mississippi, but our six electoral votes aren’t likely to be the determining factor in whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris is the next president of the United States. These are seven states that are likely to be the difference in the top race on the ticket. If you’re tracking presidential results tonight, these are the states to watch.
It was smooth sailing Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, for voters at the City Court building in Pass Christian, Mississippi. Martha Sanchez Sun Herald
Quick line in the Pass
8:30 a.m.: A line to vote stretched outside the City Court Building in Pass Christian around 8 a.m., one hour after polls opened in Mississippi. But the process ran smoothly, and most voters were in and out within 20 minutes.
The early morning line to vote at the West Jackson County Safe Room stretched around the building Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Tim Thorsen Sun Herald
Long lines in Jackson County
8:15 a.m.: Voters who lined up at 7:15 a.m. encountered long lines at the West Jackson Safe Room. The line, which wrapped around the building, took 46 minutes to get through. Voting officials reported no problems, despite the heavy early morning turnout.
—Tim Thorsen
It took early morning voters nearly an hour to get through the line Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, at the West Jackson County Safe Room in Gulf Hills, Mississippi. Tim Thorsen Sun Herald
No matter what happens today, 12 hours from now, you'll be less afraid to answer your phone and maybe slightly less annoyed by commercial breaks. Happy Election Day everyone. Godspeed to us all.
7 a.m.: The polls are open across Mississippi in Election 2024. You’ve got 12 hours to get to your polling place and vote. And once you’re done ... and polls close ... click here for the latest updates from races across the state and nation.
6:30 a.m.: We’re a half-hour away from the opening of polls across Mississippi. If you have any last minute questions before you vote, here is everything we will be voting on today. And what do you need to bring? Here is a list of IDs you can use to vote — including a Mississippi pistol/revolver ID.
6 a.m.: We’ve still got an hour before the polls open in Mississippi, but more than half the vote is already complete in Florida. Utilizing absentee and early voting, the Miami Herald reports about 50% of the state’s registered voters have already cast their ballots, according to Florida Division of Elections data and registered voters data analyzed by the Miami Herald.
5:45 a.m.: The first official votes of the presidential campaign are in. And if the rest of the day is anything like this, we’re in for a long night. The six citizens of Dixville Notch, a remote unincorporated township in New Hampshire’s North Country region, cast their ballots at midnight. The final tally? Former President Donald Trump and Vice-president Kamala Harris each finished with three votes.
5 a.m.: A large turnout is predicted by circuit court officials in the three Coast counties, based on the number of absentee ballots already cast.
“(Tuesday is) going to be some very long lines,” said Harrison County Circuit Clerk Justin Wetzel. He’s sent lots of extra equipment to the precincts to help alleviate some of the lines, he said, and asks the voters to be patient.
Hancock County: 3,674 absentee ballots issued, 3,546 received That’s a record, said Circuit Clerk Kendra Necaise. In the 2020 presidential election, 3,419 absentee ballots were received. The first day of absentee voting, nearly 70 people came to the office, she said.
Harrison County: 14,633 ballots issued, 14,085 received That’s slightly less than the 16,292 absentee ballots received in 2020, Wetzel said, when medical marijuana was on the ballot.
Jackson County: 7,486 absentee ballots were received, said Circuit Court Chief Deputy Valerie Damazio, with mail-in ballots still coming in. The absentee voter turnout usually is indicative of what it’s going to be at the polls, she said . Although this year’s absentee vote was lower than in 2020, “We’ve had a big turnout,” she said, as people lined up to vote early.
The Resolution Board in each county can begin processing absentee ballots at 7 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
“Most of these are scannable ballots,” Damazio said.
Election officials in each county can tabulate the ballots beginning at 7 p.m., when the polls close.
— Mary Perez
This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
