Live Updates: Election Day 2016
After a long campaign, Election Day is finally here. Get live updates and coverage from the ABC News team on this historic day.
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From ABC News Political Director Rick Klein:Of the 2016 election, it shall not be said that the country didn’t learn a great deal about itself. Those lessons do not have to be things you embrace, or things you want to know, to be important to remember. Of the end of the campaign, it should be remembered, both candidates had the room to finish the way they wanted.Emails and tapes alike faded so that the discussion could be, if not quite about issues, at least about competing visions. No voter can say he or she did not know the tone or direction that his or her candidate would take the nation, whether that’s to “make America great again” and “strike back” at the special interests, or to be “stronger together” and embrace “a hopeful, big-hearted America.”What has not been uplifting has at least been edifying. When the task turns to governing, as it always does, the clarity of tomorrow should not and cannot forget the divisions – and the lessons – of today.
Voters in Chicago marks their ballots near a row of pool tables at Pressure Billiards and Cafe in Chicago. Credit: Tannen Maury/EPA -
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Reporter's Notebook: My 'Golden Ticket' Covering the Election and Trump's Entire Campaign
June 16, 2015 was a big day for two guys from Queens. One announced he was running for president. Another was about to embark on the greatest roller coaster ride. The candidate, Donald J. Trump. The passenger, me.
We met with Donald Trump in late April 2015 as rumors swirled he might run for the White House. My role prior to election coverage was to go after major interviews for ABC and, with the year we were entering, politics was my focus.
We negotiated the launch interviews of many of the over 20 men and women who ran for the White House this election –- Marco Rubio, Mike Huckabee, Scott Walker, Carly Fiorina, Jeb Bush, John Kasich –- the list went on.
Read more from ABC News' JOHN SANTUCCI here.
Credit: ABC News/Ida Astute -
Donald Trump Jr. brought his daughter, Kai, with him to vote on Election Day.Brought Kai & the family to the polling place today. She wishes she could vote for her Grandpa! #ElectionDay #Vote https://t.co/QdKQ7Osx2H
12:35 PM - 08 Nov 2016- Reply
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New York City Ramps Up Security for Election Day
New York City is typically high on any list of possible terrorism targets for big public holidays and national events, and this year's election brings an added need for security as the two top presidential candidates will have their election night parties there, blocks away from each other.
This is the first time in over 70 years that both major-party presidential nominees will be in New York City on election night, and the city's police force is preparing in kind.
Carlos Gomez, the New York Police Department's chief of department, said the city is planning to deploy more officers on Tuesday than on any previous Election Day, "more than double than our previous high." He said more than 5,000 officers will work on Tuesday but would not give a specific number.
Read more from ABC News' MEGHAN KENEALLY.
Credit: Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo -
Voting is underway across much of the country. @HillaryClinton and @realDonaldTrump have already cast their ballots. https://t.co/5Fz04VHekZ12:46 PM - 08 Nov 2016
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Election Day 2016: Taylor Swift, Blake Lively and Other Celebs Post About the Importance of Voting
Election Day is here and celebrities like Taylor Swift, Jessica Alba, Mindy Kaling, Nick Jonas and many more took to the polls to cast their vote -- and posted about it on social media.
No matter whether the vote is for Republican nominee Donald Trump or Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, the resounding sentiment among celebrities and even a few friends from a street called Sesame is about how important it is for Americans to take advantage of their right to choose.
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Election-related tweets peaked today at 11:00 am, when Americans were tweeting at 27,000 tweets/minute, per… https://t.co/egk4rJaSnS12:34 PM - 08 Nov 2016
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Credit: Twitter -
Girl Celebrates Third Birthday With Election Day Photo Shoot
When your birthday falls on Election Day, you embrace it.
Little Haizlee Gardini of South Bend, Indiana, did just that, celebrating her historic 3rd birthday by dressing up as presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
“My daughter has a really hilarious personality, obviously,” the birthday girl’s mom, Trish Gardini, toldABC News. “I thought she’d have some fun with this election birthday. I saw the Trump hat in a store and then I ordered the wig online, and then I borrowed the Hillary wig from a girlfriend of mine.”
Read more from ABC News' ELIZA MURPHY here.
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Voters travel to Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York to visit the grave of Susan B. Anthony.
Proud of how far we have come, thanks to some of our earliest #rocgirlgang members???????? Words on the plaque below the Susan B. Anthony gravestone read: "Susan B. Anthony was beaten and arrested advocating for the right of women to participate in our democracy. Ladies, please vote". ????: @vacillavi #vote #explorerochesterby rocgirlgang via Instagram -
Donald Trump Suppoter's 'Mazel Tov Cocktail' Comment Delights Twitter
How is the 2016 election different from all others? For one, it has gotten “mazel tov” to trend on Twitter.
The reason: Donald Trump supporter Scottie Nell Hughes, critiquing rapper Jay Z on CNN on Sunday night, alleged that one of his videos starts “with a crowd throwing mazel tov cocktails.” The phrase is, obviously, “Molotov cocktails,” makeshift bombs made of lit rags, gasoline and glass bottles, as host Don Lemon pointed out a few moments later.
Twitter took notice. “Mazel tov,” a Jewish expression of congratulations or good luck, has been tweeted about almost 18,000 times since late Sunday and was averaging more than 4,000 tweets per hour on Monday afternoon.'
Read more from ABC News' EVAN MCMURRY here.
Credit: Shelley Lipton/ZUMA/Splash News -
In final hours of campaigning, @realDonaldTrump calls on working class to "strike back" https://t.co/KabhaSN7oR… https://t.co/UFxAkm19Kk1:07 PM - 08 Nov 2016
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Presidential Candidates Cast Votes on Election Day 2016Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and their
respective running mates, have already cast their votes on Election Day 2016.
Hillary Clinton voted in Chappaqua, New York, while Donald Trump voted in New York City. Credit: Reuters | AP Photo -
On board flight to NY, @timkaine gave his staff autographed harmonicas & a bottle of Virginia red wine.He wrote per… https://t.co/h3igaC66KC1:17 PM - 08 Nov 2016
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Credit: Jessica Hopper/ABC News -
Undecided Voters Make Last Minute Choice for President on Election Day
For undecided and uninspired voters across the country, time has run out. With Election Day finally here, ABC News checked back with three undecided voters in three battleground states who have had a hard time making up their minds this year.
Lacey Dickinson, a Democrat in Philadelphia, does not agree with many of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s policies, and has been weighing casting her ballot for Green Party candidate Jill Stein instead.
Read more from ABC News' AMNA NAWAZ and ADAM RIVERA here.
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How Many Different Ways Are There to Vote?
ABC’s ADAM KELSEY:
It’s no secret that there are different ways to vote, varying not just from state to state, but sometimes from precinct to precinct. Voting can be as low-tech as filling in a paper bubble with a pencil to as high-tech as pressing a computerized touch screen. Here are a few of the approaches:
Paper Ballots. Filling out a paper ballot is straightforward: using a pen or pencil, voters mark a bubble or box next to the name of their preferred candidate. But counting paper ballots can be accomplished by different processes. Optical scan ballots are fed into a system that reads and tallies the marks, while smaller precincts might prefer to count by hand, relying on a few sets of eyes and some math to reach a total.
Ballot Marking Systems. Not too dissimilar from paper ballots are ballot marking systems which allow voters to use a device to mark their paper ballot for them. These systems are often available for disabled voters who are unable to use a pen or pencil; they utilize a touch screen or controller and a paper ballot is still produced.
Punch Cards. Again, the same concept as paper ballots, except voters punch holes in paper cards rather than marking circles or boxes. The cards are then either counted by machines or by hand.
Direct Recording Electronic Systems. DRE systems record votes onto a computer’s memory. These systems usually require the voter to press physical buttons or a touchscreen to indicate choices before the ballot is saved. Some DRE machines produce a physical receipt or copy of the ballot for the voter to keep, but the actual ballot exists in memory cards, discs or hard drives that are eventually sent out for tabulation. -
.@RevBarberII of NAACP calling on local polling stations to stay open late because of paper ballot use #nc #ElectionDay1:31 PM - 08 Nov 2016
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William Barber in NC: "Do not allow any story, any rumor, any innuendo to keep you from the polls." #Election2016 https://t.co/60QGmGKiVT1:35 PM - 08 Nov 2016- Reply
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Inside the Battle for the US House of Representatives
While most eyes are likely to be glued on the state-by-state results of the presidential electiontonight, the fate of the U.S. House and Senate are also in voters’ hands.
Republicans are expected to maintain their majority in the House of Representatives, but party leaders have also acknowledged that they’re likely to lose at least a handful of seats that cut into their 29-seat majority, their largest since 1928.
That’s something that concerns House Speaker Paul Ryan, who would begin the next congressional session leading a conference with a larger number of conservative hard-liners skeptical of compromise.
Read more from ABC News' ALI ROGIN here.
People vote at a high school in McLean, Virginia. Credit: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images -
Group @PizzaToThePolls is sending pizzas to polling stations with long lines.Election volunteers and staff at All Saints Lutheran Church in Minnetonka thank you for the za @PizzaToThePolls… https://t.co/x6e2W8Y8p21:37 PM - 08 Nov 2016
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@DocPop We haven’t had time to figure out a charity yet, but every dime will go towards feeding people who need it if there's $ leftover.1:50 PM - 08 Nov 2016- Reply
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Inside the Battle for the US Senate
While most of the Election Night attention will likely be on the presidential results, equally as consequential are the results in the U.S. House and Senate races.
Few expect the House of Representatives to switch from Republican to Democratic control, but the fate of the Senate, where Republicans hold a 54-seat majority, is much less certain, given at least seven seats which, leading up to Election Day, ABC categorized as pure tossups: Indiana, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
1:38 PM - 08 Nov 2016- Reply
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From press conferences to ad spending: The 2016 race by the numbers https://t.co/IV63M8Bt6N #Election2016 https://t.co/ZjIf09NEkc
1:49 PM - 08 Nov 2016- Reply
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Voters Cast Midnight Ballots in New Hampshire
A few dozen voters have taken advantage of midnight polling locations in New Hampshire, kicking off Election Day 2016 in a key battleground state.
Three polling locations allowed voters to cast their ballots right at midnight, and reported the results just minutes later. Out of the 64 ballots cast, 32 went to Republican Donald Trump, 25 to Democrat Hillary Clinton and 3 to Libertarian Gary Johnson.
Read more from ABC News' J.J. GALLAGHER here.
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Hillary Clinton tweets that the race is "going to be close."It's going to be close, and we need you on this team. Confirm where to vote today: https://t.co/jfd3CXLD1s1:59 PM - 08 Nov 2016
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Voters Travel Near and Far to Pay Homage to Feminist Icon on Election Day
One hundred and forty-four years ago, a woman named Susan B. Anthony was arrested for voting in a presidential election.
Today, millions of women will cast their vote for Hillary Clinton -- the first female presidential nominee for a major political party.
Anthony's home city of Rochester, New York, is honoring her role in the movement for women's right to vote. It has become a bit of a tradition in Rochester to place "I Voted" stickers on Anthony's grave, but this year's turnout is unprecedented given the historic nature of the election.
Read more from ABC News' STEPHANIE EBBS here.
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Donald Trump Jr. says his father did not raise money from the "billionaire elite" during the election.This election my dad did not spend time raising $ from the billionaire elite. Instead he spent time talking to the American people! #MAGA1:58 PM - 08 Nov 2016
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Wikileaks doesn't Have Dirt on Donald Trump, Founder Says
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange today defended the anti-secrecy organization against claims that it has been trying to torpedo Hillary Clinton's presidential bid, saying it simply doesn't have good enough information on Donald Trump or the other presidential candidates to expose them in the same way.
"We cannot publish what we do not have. To date, we have not received information on Donald Trump's campaign, or Jill Stein's campaign, or Gary Johnson's campaign or any of the other candidates that [fulfills] our stated editorial criteria," Assange said in a statement posted on WikiLeaks' website.
Read more from ABC News' LEE FERRAN here.
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Bernie Sanders tweeted a photo of him voting.I hope today we defeat Donald Trump and we defeat him badly. https://t.co/8ttsSwcsnl https://t.co/4Q1JDdglhV
1:51 PM - 08 Nov 2016- Reply
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Long Lines Reported at Polling Stations
Americans waited in long lines as they exercised their right
to vote on Election Day. -
Sen. Tim Kaine has arrived in New York..@timkaine arrives in New York for #Election2016. He'll now head to his hotel https://t.co/6vam273cPr2:03 PM - 08 Nov 2016
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Both the Trump and Pence planes visible as @timkaine lands in NY #Election2016 https://t.co/i443kgeDj3
1:56 PM - 08 Nov 2016- Reply
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Obama: 'Go Vote, It's Up to You'
As President Barack Obama exited the White House colonnade,
he reminded the American people that the election is up to them.
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Young Americans on Manhattan's Upper West Side encourage people to vote.
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Election Flashback: 2012
ABC’s ADAM KELSEY:
Four years ago, President Obama won reelection over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney by a margin of 332-206 electoral votes.
Television networks began to call the election for Obama shortly after 11 pm, when a combined 74 electoral votes came in for the president upon the closure of polls in California, Oregon and Washington, and 18 votes from Ohio -- which had been too-close-to-call since closing earlier in the night -- put the Democrat over the top.
Despite the apparent results, Romney waited almost three more hours to call Obama to concede, leaving the candidates to give their concession and victory speeches early Wednesday morning. Romney, expecting victory, reportedly did not draft a concession speech in advance, eschewing the norm of preparing two speeches.
Both candidates urged the political parties to work together in the aftermath of the election.
“The nation, as you know, is at a critical point. At a time like this, we can't risk partisan bickering and political posturing,” said Romney. “Our leaders have to reach across the aisle to do the people's work.”
Added Obama, “I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. We're not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America.” -
RNC Communications Director Sean Spicer: The Party is 'Behind' TrumpIn an interview with Fox News' Martha MacCallum, Republican National Committee Communications Director Sean Spicer said that the party is "behind" Donald Trump."I think there’s some few, there’s some voices out there sometimes louder than others that drowned
out the millions that have come to be part of this," Spicer said on Fox News.Spicer also said he believes Republicans will have more electoral votes tonight than in the last two election cycles."I think that’s an important thing to note for all of the media, mainstream media narrative – we will do very, very well tonight," Spicer said. "We will bring millions of people into this process and I think we’ll see a resounding victory in more and more states that Obama carried twice.” -
Follow ABC_News on Snapchat for #ElectionDay updates from across America today! @ABC https://t.co/NIHgOqLvJC2:35 PM - 08 Nov 2016
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Trump Force 2 has landed in NYC! Thanks to everyone who has joined us on this journey. https://t.co/PRaQcEME2G
3:37 PM - 08 Nov 2016- Reply
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Woman Born the Year Women Gained the Right to Vote Casts Ballot for Hillary Clinton
Virgnia McDougle was born in 1920, the same year that women received the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment.
Today, 96 years later, McDougle said she had a “very good feeling” as she cast her ballot forHillary Clinton, who could become America’s first female president.
“I was always hoping that it would happen,” McDougle, of Worthington, Ohio, told ABC News of voting for a female leader. “When I saw other countries doing it, I did wonder why we don’t do it.”
Read more from ABC News' KATIE KINDELAN here.
Woman Born the Year Women Gained the Right to Vote Casts Ballot for Hillary Clinton https://t.co/acMPUecbIF https://t.co/Cq8Sc2xCV9
2:52 PM - 08 Nov 2016- Reply
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Long lines reported at a polling station in Durham, North Carolina.At a polling place now in Durham, NC with long lines and an NAACP attorney/ poll monitor. Coming up live again on ABCnews2:57 PM - 08 Nov 2016
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Long lines, lots of questions, some frustrated voters in NC... all if on ABCNEWS now https://t.co/uzGAzFtRlO
2:59 PM - 08 Nov 2016- Reply
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Top Tweets of the Presidential Race
This year’s presidential race has been unprecedented for a number of reasons, including the influence of social media. Discussions about the election have extended far beyond the campaign trail and onto platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
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Obama Posts Photo of Him on Election Day 2008
I started an Election Day tradition on the court back in 2008. Not about to break it today. If you've got your own Election Day rituals, make sure one of them is casting your vote. It's the most important American tradition we've got. So go vote -- let's finish what we started 8 years ago.
Timeline Photosby President Obama 11/8/2016 9:01:00 PM4:01 PM.@POTUS shares a throwback photo of him on Facebook playing basketball on Election Day in 2008.… https://t.co/vUmW3Ohkji3:19 PM - 08 Nov 2016- Reply
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Donald Trump's Son Eric Tweets Image of His Ballot, Illegally
Eric Trump wanted to leave no doubt that he had voted for his father, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
So earlier this morning, Donald Trump’s son tweeted a picture of his ballot, filled out with a vote for his father.
Along with the picture, Trump tweeted, “It is an incredible honor to vote for my father! He will do such a great job for the U.S.A! #MakeAmericaGreatAgain.”
The only problem: It is illegal in the state of New York, where Eric Trump voted, to post a picture of a completed ballot.
Read more from ABC News' JESSICA PUCKETT here.
Initial numbers look great but you have to get out and VOTE! Let's #DrainTheSwamp! https://t.co/27k5n882TU https://t.co/jyMnQsrG3J
1:20 PM - 08 Nov 2016- Reply
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It's quiet so far at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, where Hillary Clinton has set up shop for post-election activities.Quiet outside Javits so far. Just overheard a cop tell his partner to go vote while he still had time. Parting words: "Go Trump!"3:23 PM - 08 Nov 2016
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Trump Said 'Make America Great Again' As Early As 2013From ABC News' ALEXANDER MALLIN and JONATHAN KARL:During an interview in 2013 in Des Moines, Iowa, Donald Trump told ABC News' Jonathan Karl that his tag line would be "Make America Great Again" should he decide to run for president."If I had a campaign, and I decided to run, I think it would be very simple for me to say: Make America Great Again," Trump said in 2013. "And the world 'again' is a very important word, because right now we're a debtor nation. Right now we're a collapsing nation in so many different ways. Right now we have a real unemployment rate...We're a nation in trouble."
Donald Trump votes alongside his wife, Melania Trump, at a New York City public school. Credit: Evan Vucci/AP Photo -
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How to Stay Calm This Election Day
After a seemingly endless campaign season, Election Day has finally arrived. The polarizing campaign has put so many people in both political parties on edge, that the American Psychological Association (APA) has pointed to Election Day as a significant source of stress.
Vaile Wright, a licensed psychologist and member of APA's Stress in America Team, said even the biggest poll junkies need to take time to unwind. Here are some of her tips for staying sane this Election Day.
Read more from ABC News' GILLIAN MOHNEY here.
People wait in line to vote in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Credit: Rogelio V. Solis/AP Photo
