Harris and Trump face off in critical U.S. Election with Presidency and Congress at Stake”

Millions of Americans head to the polls today to determine the nation’s next president and the future composition of Congress. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are neck-and-neck, with national polls showing them separated by only 1-3%, keeping the race within the margin of error. Five major polls confirm this deadlock.

The competition intensifies in seven critical swing states, where Harris and Trump are separated by razor-thin margins. In Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, they’re less than 1% apart, while Trump holds a narrow lead in Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina.

The Electoral College system, unique to the U.S., makes these battlegrounds pivotal. Each state’s electoral votes—allocated based on population—are awarded to the candidate who wins the popular vote within that state. While most states use a winner-takes-all system, Maine and Nebraska assign their electors proportionally. To secure the presidency, either candidate must capture at least 270 of the 538 electoral votes.

Additionally, all 435 seats in the House and 34 Senate seats are up for election, with Republicans slightly favored to reclaim Senate control. However, with some seats classified as “toss-ups” in key states like Michigan and Pennsylvania, the final outcome remains uncertain. Governors in 11 states and numerous local leaders will also be decided in this election, shaping policies on everything from education to local governance.