Voters in the United States will cast their ballots on Tuesday, marking the end of a highly contentious election that will either see Kamala Harris become the first female president in US history or result in a dramatic comeback for Donald Trump, sending ripples across the globe.

As polling stations opened on Election Day, Democratic Vice-President Harris, 60, and Republican former president Trump, 78, are locked in a dead heat, making this the tightest and most unpredictable presidential race in modern times. The two rivals spent their final campaign day tirelessly urging their supporters to vote and attempting to sway any remaining undecided voters in key swing states.

Despite a series of dramatic twists throughout the campaign—from Harris stepping in after President Joe Biden withdrew in July, to Trump surviving two assassination attempts and a criminal conviction—the polls have remained deadlocked. Polling stations opened at 6am (1100 GMT) on the US East Coast, with tens of millions expected to vote, on top of the more than 82 million who have already cast their ballots early.

A definitive outcome may take several days if the results are as close as the polls indicate, adding to the tension in a nation deeply divided. There are concerns of unrest and potential violence if Trump loses and contests the result, as he did in 2020, with security measures heightened around the White House and businesses in Washington boarded up.

The world watches with bated breath, as the outcome will significantly impact conflicts in the Middle East, Russia's war in Ukraine, and efforts to combat climate change—which Trump dismisses as a hoax. Harris and Trump are effectively tied in the seven main swing states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

On the eve of the vote, Harris focused on the crucial state of Pennsylvania, rallying on the iconic Philadelphia steps from the 'Rocky' movie and asserting: 'Momentum is on our side.' However, she cautioned, 'This could be one of the closest races in history—every single vote matters,' with support from celebrities like Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey.

Trump, who would become the first convicted felon and oldest person to win the presidency, portrayed himself as the sole solution to the country's apocalyptic decline and overrun by 'savage' migrants. 'With your vote tomorrow, we can fix every single problem our country faces and lead America—indeed, the world—to new heights of glory,' Trump declared at his final rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, after visiting North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Harris, on the other hand, emphasized her opposition to Trump-backed abortion bans, a key issue among crucial women voters. She also struck a positive tone, avoiding direct mention of Trump after weeks of targeting him as a threat to democracy.

A Trump comeback would be unprecedented—only the second non-consecutive second term for a US president, after Grover Cleveland in 1893. Such a victory would immediately fuel international instability, with US allies in Europe and NATO alarmed by his isolationist 'America First' policies. Trading partners are on edge over his threat to impose sweeping import tariffs.

A Harris victory would mark the first Black woman and South Asian president in US history, signaling the end of the Trump era that has dominated American politics for nearly a decade. Trump has stated he will not seek re-election in 2028, yet he still refuses to concede the 2020 election to Biden. The trauma from his supporters' violent attack on the US Capitol to stop the certification of the result remains fresh. Trump has hinted at rejecting another loss, revisiting baseless claims of election fraud in the final days of the campaign.

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