As US goes to the polls today result is on a knife-edge as race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump goes down to the wire
ANXIOUS voters will see the US Presidential Election go down to the wire, pundits predicted last night
Former First Lady Hillary Clinton, 69, was holding a lead of between three and six percentage points in key polls taken across America.
But rival Donald Trump, 70, was making late gains in a clutch of swing states — crucial to deciding who gets the keys to the White House — following the FBI’s Clinton email probe.
And he claimed the election result would be “Brexit plus plus plus” in a last-ditch plea to motivate voters. Speaking in Florida, the Republican added: “Good luck. Get out there. I did my thing. Tomorrow’s going to be a historic day.”
Election experts have calculated that the FBI investigation launched 11 days before voting halved Clinton’s lead.
But her campaign received a boost just two days before polls opened when FBI director James Comey announced they had found no criminal wrongdoing for a second time.
currently has Clinton as a 6-1 ON shot for the White House with Trump trailing on 4-1.
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A BRIT could bag more than £500,000 if Donald Trump wins.
The London man, whose ID is under wraps, staked bets totalling £200,000 with Spreadex.com on different dates.
Spreadex financial analyst Connor Campbell said: “The US Election is our single biggest betting event ever and we are seeing some huge bets.”
Neil Newhouse, a Republican strategist and pollster, said: “The numbers indicate Clinton is going to make it across the finish line. But Trump has a path to victory if he runs the table and wins all the toss-up states.
“When the FBI announced the email probe there was a narrowing in the polls. But that has softened over the last 72 hours. Trump’s voters have to turn out and he will hope hers are complacent and do not.”
A Washington Post and ABC News tracker, which had Democrat Mrs Clinton up by 12 points on October 22, gave her a steady four-point lead.
American broadcaster NBC had her six points clear. But a poll by Bloomberg put her lead at half that, showing her advantage among women, non-white and Hispanic voters.
Mr Trump has struggled to appeal to Latinos after calling Mexicans “rapists”, threatening to build a wall on their border and branding a Venezuelan ex-beauty queen “Miss Housekeeping”.
An IPSOS and Reuters tracker gives Mrs Clinton a four-point lead. Mr Trump had been on the front foot after Mr Comey announced a second email probe.
The new messages were discovered on the laptop of Anthony Weiner, the former partner of a Clinton aide. He is being investigated after allegedly sexting a 15-year-old girl.
Mr Trump had stretched his lead in the crucial swing state of Ohio and edged in front in Florida. He must win both to get the 270 Electoral College votes needed to be President.
Mr Newhouse added: “He is going to have to win key states like North Carolina, Ohio and Florida. If he wins those three states his pathway is easier.”
Both candidates were on the final day of their campaign yesterday. Mr Trump visited Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Michigan.
Mrs Clinton dashed across Michigan, North Carolina and held a blockbusting rally in Pennsylvania with Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen.
If she wins, she could deliver her victory remarks underneath a glass ceiling in Manhattan’s Javits Convention Centre in front of a 4,000-strong crowd.
Mr Trump is hosting his own invitation-only event at the city’s Hilton Hotel.
Cops are on high-alert for potential clashes between Trump and Clinton supporters as well as terror attacks. More than 5,000 officers will be in the city.
Trump or Clinton..who puts us more at risk?
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When exactly is the US Election 2016?
The people of the United States go to the polls on Tuesday, November 8. Polling booths will open in all states across six time zones.
Timings vary for each state - voting either opens between 6am and 7am and closes between 7pm and 8pm (in Iowa and North Dakota polls are open till 9pm).
More than 130 million Americans are expected to cast votes.
Dixville Notch, New Hampshire - just 20 miles from the Canadian border, is known for being one of the first places to declare its results - often up to 24 hours before the rest of the country.
Who is winning the Presidential race?
The two rivals really couldn't be more different - and the opinion polls have have swung wildly between neck-and-neck and 6 points difference.
After being cleared by the FBI of any wrong-doing over her recent email scandal, Hillary Clinton has shot ahead in most major polls in the US.
Today's NBC poll has Clinton ahead 48 points to 43, ABC News gives the Democrat a five point lead and Fox News has her a narrow one point ahead.
However, there is some hope for outspoken Trump as the LA Times has him five points AHEAD.
What time will the results be announced in the UK?
Usually by around 11pm on the East Coast - 4am here - it's become clear that one side has come out on top.
The magic number is 270 electoral college votes - each state, plus Washington DC, is awarded a certain number of electoral votes based roughly on size.
When the winner is beyond doubt, the losing candidate calls the winner to concede.
Both Mrs Clinton and Mr Trump will give a speech: one to claim victory and the other admit defeat.
However, Mr Trump has dropped huge hints he may well contest the election result if he loses claiming it has been fixed.
But there is always the possibility - as happened in 2000 - that at the end of Election Day we may still not know who has won.
The result could either be too close to call without counting every vote or else legal battles over election procedures may delay the result or force a recount.
It could even be a tie, with both candidates stuck at 269, in which case the House of Representatives would vote choose the next president.
When does the new President take up office?
This is clearly laid out in the US constitution. The 20th Amendment says that the term of the President and Vice President ends at noon on January 20th.
That day is called Inauguration Day - when you’ll see the president-elect place his/her hand upon the bible and take the Oath of Office.
From that point on January 20, 2017, the government is officially in the hands of the new president. Their staff will then move in to the White House.
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