Chaotic election cycle ends with a mostly calm day and high voter turnout

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After a surge of early voting, tens of millions of Americans turned out on Election Day to cast their ballots, suggesting another high presidential poll turnout.

There were technical problems and bomb threats at some polling stations, spurring some counties to extend voting hours. In Florida, a state website with poll booth locations crashed, though election officials said it would not impact ballot counts.

Why We Wrote This

Election Day marks the end of a tense presidential campaign season of high drama and record-high spending. Voters across the United States largely agree on the problems, but are split on who offers the best solutions.

But the vast majority of voters – nearly 85 million citizens – went to the polls on Tuesday without incident. And they walked away having marked their ballots for federal, state, and local candidates after a presidential campaign of divisive rhetoric and accusations.

On Tuesday, Laura Beth Gwiazdowski cast her ballot in Las Vegas. “I’m hoping that the country can start to have conversations about politics again without name-calling,” she says. “It’s time that we start acting like human beings again.”

The two presidential contenders are betting on high turnout within their coalitions. For former President Donald Trump, that means primarily working-class men who align with his pugilistic politics. Vice President Kamala Harris is focusing on voters of color and women who support reproductive rights.

Tens of millions of Americans turned out for a mostly calm Election Day, after a surge of early voting that could point to another high-turnout presidential race.

Some states reported technical problems and bomb threats to polling stations, spurring counties in Georgia and Pennsylvania to extend voting hours. In Florida, a state website where voters can find their polling locations crashed, as did some county websites, though election officials said this should not affect ballot casting and counting.

But most voters went to the polls on Tuesday without incident and walked away having marked ballots for federal, state, and local candidates after a presidential campaign of high drama, record-high spending, and charged rhetoric.

Why We Wrote This

Election Day marks the end of a tense presidential campaign season of high drama and record-high spending. Voters across the United States largely agree on the problems, but are split on who offers the best solutions.

Nearly 85 million citizens cast votes early, taking advantage of in-person voting and postal ballots, the use of which was expanded during the pandemic election of 2020. In many states, this led to shorter-than-expected lines at polling stations and fewer reports of delays in casting ballots than in past elections.

In Michigan, which expanded voting options in 2020, nearly half of all registered active voters cast ballots early, according to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. North Carolina has also seen higher levels of early voting, including in western counties slammed last month by Hurricane Helene.

Tony Ehrman shows his shirt after voting in the presidential election on Election Day, in North Woodstock, New Hampshire, Nov. 5, 2024.

“I don’t want to say it’s a slow day, but it’s a reflection of so many people that have already voted,” Jay Young, senior director of voting and democracy at Common Cause, a nonprofit, said at a press briefing.

Mark now, scan later

In Republican-leaning Cambria County in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state, precinct ballot scanners failed to function correctly on Tuesday, forcing voters to mark paper ballots that officials said would be scanned later. The county board of elections obtained a court order to extend voting access for two hours, until 10 p.m.

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