The first results in the U.S. election have not so far moved away from the planned agenda, with victories by President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden in the states where they were listed as favorites, in an election characterized by large participation in advance.
According to unofficial media projections, Trump, who aspires to another four years in the White House, won elections in Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia, three solidly Republican states.
He also won in South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi, where election polls ventured a closer fight, but the Republican nominee’s victory was certain.
In the 2016 election, Trump had won by a margin of 30 percentage points over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in Kentucky, by 19 points in Indiana, while his lead in West Virginia was 42 points.
Trump winner in states like Oklahoma and Alabama
In addition, in Oklahoma the president won by 36 points, in Alabama by 28; Tennessee for 26; Mississippi for 18; and in South Carolina, by 14.
These states represent a total of 66 delegates to the electoral college, out of the 270 needed to rise up with the Presidency.
Biden, for his part, has been the winner for the media screening in Virginia, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont, the state in which he lives and has been a senator for many years.
In this way, Biden, beat U.S. President Donald Trump by 117 delegates to 89 at the Electoral College, according to U.S. media projections.
Trump (89): Alabama (9), Arkansas (6), South Carolina (9), North Dakota (3), South Dakota (3), Kentucky (8), Indiana (11), Louisiana (8), Mississippi (6), Oklahoma (7), Tennessee (11), West Virginia (5) and Wyoming (3).
Biden (117): Connecticut (7), Delaware (3), District of Columbia (3), Illinois (20), Maryland (10), Massachusetts (11), New Jersey (14), New York (29), Rhode Island (4), Vermont (3) and Virginia (13).
Large influx at the polls
The election has been characterized by the large influx, and participation is expected to exceed the 60% level reached in 1968, when Republican Richard Nixon first took over the White House.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, millions of voters did not wait for today and voted by mail or in person in previous days to avoid crowds and the danger of covid-19 contagion, a disease that has already caused more than 232,000 deaths and 9.3 million cases.
According to the US Elections Project, a total of 101 million voters participated with the early face-to-face vote (35.9 million) or by mail (65.2 million).
No incidents on election day
Today’s votes were recorded without incident, but with many cities in the country armoured, with businesses and hotels upholstered with wooden plates, for the possibility of protests that may turn violent.
Plans to prevent potential violent outbreaks have also been designed in Washington, Philadelphia, Detroit and other locations, and there was a greater police presence than usual.
In Washington, the White House today dawned completely enclosed by metal fences on a perimeter that includes the Treasury Department and Executive Office Building buildings, close to the presidential residence and in front of which peaceful protesters have gathered in favor of Trump’s defeat.
Suspicion in downtown Philadelphia
In central Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one of the key states, there were few people in polling places, where few rows were recorded, amid some tension and suspicion, especially in the presence of journalists.
In addition to electing president between Trump and Biden, Americans this Tuesday elect the 435 members of the House of Representatives, one-third of the hundred members of the Senate, and a dozen governors.
They also talk about numerous popular initiatives that, if successful, are then taken into account by state legislatures to adopt laws.
