The United States presidential race between Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris came to a culmination as the former president secured 277 electoral votes, reports The Washington Post.
Besides Harris and Trump, the race featured additional candidates, including the Green Party’s Jill Stein, the Libertarian Party’s Chase Oliver, and independent candidates Robert F Kennedy Jr (who withdrew but remains on ballots across most states) and Cornel West.
Although many exit polls previously favoured the Democratic candidate, preliminary results suggest a different trend.
Seven "swing states," also known as “battleground states,” kept the race unpredictable. These states, operating under the "winner-takes-all" rule, played a decisive role in the presidential race.
Unlike states that traditionally support either Democrats or Republicans, these swing states often vary in their political leanings, backing Democrats in some elections and Republicans in others.
US election comprises 538 Electoral College votes across 50 states and Washington, DC. To secure the presidency, a candidate requires 270 votes.
Each state carries a specific number of Electoral College votes, all of which are awarded to the candidate winning that state under the "winner-takes-all" policy.
