The first phase of the examination favours Trump and promises a very tight result. The Democratic candidate was told to the press and his supporters: "We're going to win this election, it's going to take time, we have to be patient”

US elections: close battle in key states

photo_camera Donald Trump remporte une importante victoire préélectorale avec la nomination de la juge Amy Coney Barrett à la Cour suprême

Dawn is breaking in Spain and the final tally of the American elections is not yet known.

The early morning results give a slight advantage to Democratic candidate Joe Biden, but show that, despite what pre-election polls predicted, Donald Trump has a good chance of being re-elected. But the final result should not be known until several days after November 3.

At 12:30 p.m. (U.S. time), the Democratic candidate addressed the press and his supporters: "We're going to win this election, it's going to take time, we have to be patient".

According to accounts, Republican Donald Trump won 18 states, including Alabama (9), Arkansas (6), Idaho (4), Indiana (11), Kansas (6), Kentucky (8), Louisiana (8), Mississippi (6), Missouri (10), Nebraska (2), North Dakota (3), Oklahoma (7), South Carolina (9), South Dakota (3), Tennessee (11), Utah (6), West Virginia (5) and Wyoming (3). Trump should also retain Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Democrat Joe Biden won California, which has 55 votes in the Electoral College, as well as Washington DC (3), Vermont (3), Delaware (3), Minnesota (10), Maryland (10), Colorado (9), Connecticut (7), Illinois (20), Massachusetts (11), New Jersey (14), New Mexico (5), New York (29), Oregon (7) and Rhode Island (4).

All eyes are on three states: Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, the three "blue wall" states that Hillary Clinton lost and which have now become essential to Joe Biden's arrival in the White House.

Data from exit polls across the United States provide a sense of voter priorities and an indication of how different demographic groups voted.

Figures are updated on election night in the United States, but current estimates suggest that the proportion of white voters will have declined by six percentage points by 2016, while remaining the largest group by ethnicity.

The proportion of white voters supporting Biden has increased by five points from Hillary Clinton's figure in the last election, but Trump still holds the largest share of this group, according to the preliminary survey.

Meanwhile, Biden appears to have gained the support of the under-30s and middle-aged. Exit polls are conducted throughout the United States by Edison Research and are a combination of polling day interviews and telephone surveys designed to reach early and absentee voters.

The total number of votes has set a record and has led some experts to predict that voting rates for this election will be the highest since 1908. Prior to Election Day, just over 100 million people voted in advance, by mail or in person, according to the U.S. Election Plan.

The first polling stations will close at 23:00 GMT, but voting will officially end at 06:00 GMT on Wednesday, when the last polling stations in Alaska close. 

"I think we're going to have a great night," Trump said during an appearance in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, where he thanked campaign workers. "But it's politics and elections, and you never know.

"Winning is easy. Losing is never easy, not for me," Trump added.

Mr. Trump, who appeared somewhat tired and admitted that his voice was "a little shaky" after giving speeches at numerous raucous demonstrations in the final days of the campaign, said he was not yet thinking of making a concession or acceptance speech. 

The Democratic candidate traveled to his hometown to spend election night in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Addressing about 20 volunteers with a megaphone, Biden returned to some of the familiar themes of his campaign, pledging to unite Americans and "restore the basic principles of decency and honor to the White House.

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