A federal judge has dismissed an RNC lawsuit seeking to block Georgia voters from returning ballots by hand.

Last updated: Wednesday 6 November 2024 14:22 GMT.

Election Day 2024: Live results and analysis

ABC News projects former President Donald Trump will win the high-stakes presidential matchup against Vice President Kamala Harris, based on projections in most states across the country. Early Wednesday, Trump had won enough Electoral College votes to claim a second presidency, including by flipping key swing states of Georgia, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

In addition to the presidential race, voters also went to polling places across the country on Tuesday and cast ballots to decide who controls Congress and state and local governments. Reporters from 538 and ABC News followed every step, providing real-time updates, analysis and commentary on the results. See full election night coverage below.

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Here’s how the news is developing.

Track the electoral vote count and presidential election results map

TOOlivia Rubin ABCNews logo

November 05, 2024 23:37 GMT

Federal judge rejects RNC lawsuit seeking to block Georgia voters from returning ballots by hand

A federal judge has rejected the RNC’s lawsuit seeking to block some Georgia counties from accepting ballots that were hand-delivered over the weekend and Monday, according to Marc Elias, a lawyer working for Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign.

Judge R. Stan Baker, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, said the Republicans’ lawsuit “fails to withstand even the most basic level of statutory scrutiny and reading comprehension,” according to Elias.

Republicans said seven Georgia counties that accepted hand-delivered ballots after early voting broke the law.

November 05, 2024 23:10 GMT

2024 exit polls: Concerns for American democracy and economic discontent are driving voters

Americans will go to the polls Tuesday to vote in the historic election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

Polls taken in the lead-up to Election Day showed the two candidates virtually tied nationally and in several key swing states.

Signs marking a polling place stand in Bonner, Montana, on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

Widespread economic discontent, sharp divisions over the country’s future and polarized views of the major party candidates are shaping voters’ attitudes nationally in preliminary ABC News exit poll results.

The state of democracy narrowly prevailed as the most important issue for voters out of the five tested in the exit poll.

TOMax Zahn ABCNews logo

November 05, 2024 22:19 GMT

In numbers: how the economy will develop on election day

The tumultuous presidential campaign included a replacement of the top Democratic ticket, two apparent assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump and the unexpected significance of a joke made in the final days of the race.

Despite unexpected turns of events, voters consistently state their priority: the economy comes first. A Gallup poll last month found that 52% of voters believe the economy is an extremely important influence on their choice for president, far outweighing any other concerns.

With polls set to close within hours, ABC News spoke with experts to discuss where the economy stands after the race ends.

Dive deeper into the state of the economy on Election Day by the numbers. Here

Consumer prices rose 2.4% in September compared with a year earlier, according to the latest data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

November 05, 2024 21:28 GMT

Vice President Harris to Host Election Watch Party at Alma Mater Howard University

Vice President Kamala Harris will watch the results being tabulated on election night at her alma mater Howard University in Washington, DC.

ABC7 News Anchor Julian Glover will be there to provide live observer coverage of Election Night.

Howard University students from the Bay Area tell Glover they are excited, optimistic and proud. More details here.

MORE | Vice President Harris to Host Election Watch Party at Alma Mater Howard University

Vice President Kamala Harris will watch the election results at her alma mater Howard University in Washington, DC.