US election results LIVE: Results slow in Pennsylvania; Trump yet ahead

US election results 2020 LIVE updates: Among key states with most electoral votes, Trump is leading in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Texas and Florida. Joe Biden is ahead in Arizona, Nevada, California, NYC

9:05 PM

Donald Trump's campaign will make a "major announcement" in Las Vegas, reports Fox News

9:05 PM

Donald Trump's lead in Georgia narrowed further after Fulton County released results from 8,000 more ballots

9:02 PM

'Of course, we’re going to count all the votes', says Arizona secretary of state

Reacting to protests outside the election facility where votes are being counted, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs reiterated that officials will be counting all the votes that were cast in the state, CNN reported.

 

“I don’t understand the objective of these protesters. Of course, we’re going to count all the votes. We are legally obligated to do that,” Hobbs said.
 

She added that election workers in the county "have been working around the clock to get these ballots counted" and that "they're going to do their jobs whether or not there's protesters outside urging them to do that." Hobbs said there are approximately 450,000 ballots left for the state to count – about 300,000 of those coming from Maricopa County alone. Former Vice President Joe Biden currently holds a narrow lead of more than 68,000 votes over President Donald Trump in the state.

 

9:01 PM

Donald Trump's voter fraud claims 'baseless allegations': OSCE

A team of international observers has described US President Donald Trump's claims of voter fraud as "baseless allegations", asserting that such remarks harm public trust in democratic institutions. The observers from the Organization for Security and co-operation in Europe (OSCE), of which the United States is a member, said in a preliminary report on Wednesday that the November 3 general elections were competitive and well managed despite legal uncertainties and logistical challenges.

 

The report said uncertainty caused by late legal challenges and evidence-deficient claim about election fraud created confusion and concern among election officials and voters.

 

"Counting and tabulation are ongoing and should continue in accordance with the law and OSCE commitments. Baseless allegations of systematic deficiencies, notably by the incumbent president, including on election night, harm public trust in democratic institutions, the report said.

 

Despite numerous public statements by the incumbent President over the integrity of postal voting, the number and scale of alleged and reported cases of fraud associated with absentee ballots remained negligible, it said.

8:57 PM

Trump’s claims about fraud have harmed the electoral process, say election observers: NYT

President Trump’s late legal challenges and his baseless claims that Democrats had rigged the presidential election have created confusion and concern among voters, according to a preliminary report by independent election observers.

 

The US government, as part of its commitments as a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, invited election observers to the United States. In its report, the O.S.C.E. — which observes elections in its 57 member countries — said Mr. Trump’s attacks on the electoral process had harmed public trust in democratic institutions, reported NYT.

 

“Such statements by an incumbent president weaken public confidence in state institutions and were perceived by many as increasing the potential for politically motivated violence after the elections,” the NYT report said.

8:50 PM

US Election Results 2020 LIVE Updates: Fulton County in Georgia is about to wrap up its votes

Fulton County in Georgia is about to wrap up its votes, CNN reported. US President Donald Trump has held onto to a lead of 0.4 percentage points, or 18,540 votes, in the state with 4 per cent of the vote left to be counted. Results could be expected by noon EST, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said, according to CNN.

8:47 PM

US Election Results 2020 LIVE Updates: Election demonstrators arrested in Seattle and Portland

Police in Seattle and Portland, Oregon arrested more than a dozen people as hundreds took to the streets to demand a full count of all presidential election votes and a halt to President Donald Trump's court challenges to stop counts in some key battleground states, AFP reported.

 

Seven people were arrested on Capitol Hill in Seattle and one person who was being arrested for allegedly damaging property was taken to a hospital after “experiencing a medical episode,” police said in a statement. 

 

Others were arrested on suspicion of obstruction, pedestrian interference, property damage, resisting arrest and assaulting an officer. 

8:42 PM

ANY VOTE THAT CAME IN AFTER ELECTION DAY WILL NOT BE COUNTED!: Donald Trump

8:41 PM

US Election 2020 Results LIVE: US stocks surge as vote count continues

US stocks surged again in what's shaping up to be the market's best week in months. States are still counting election votes, but Wall Street is growing increasingly confident – and excited – the result will be a divided government, CNN reported

 

Investors are hoping Joe Biden will take the White House while Republicans will keep the Senate, and that such as combination will lead to more moderate policies including a quick stimulus deal but limited tax increases. 

 

All three indexes rallied at the opening bell in New York on Thursday. The Dow jumped 1.3%, or some 360 points, while the S&P opened up 1.6%. The Nasdaq rallied 1.9%. Even though a delayed election result was deemed the "nightmare scenario" before the vote, stocks have rallied every day this week.  The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite are on track for their best week since April. For the Dow, it's shaping up to be the best week since June.

8:32 PM

US Election 2020 Results LIVE: Donald Trump again seeks to stop the counting of votes

8:25 PM

US Election 2020 Results LIVE: Donald Trump campaign to file lawsuit challenging Nevada vote

The US President Donald Trump's campaign planned to make a announcement in Las Vegas on Thursday at 11:30 ET on what is expected to be a lawsuit challenging the vote in Nevada.

 

The Trump campaign, which has already filed lawsuits in Michigan and Pennsylvania to stop vote counting, planned to allege voter fraud in a lawsuit in Nevada, Fox News reported. In Wisconsin, the campaign has asked for a recount.

 

8:22 PM

Joe Biden on edge of 270 as Donald Trump claims victory in Pennsylvania, other states before race calls: Fox News

After major wins for Joe Biden on Wednesday when the Fox News Decision Desk projected that he will win in Wisconsin and Michigan -- two states where President Trump came out on top in 2016 -- the Democratic nominee sits at 264 electoral votes, needing just one more state to win the White House, Fox News reported.

8:19 PM

US Election 2020 Results LIVE: Donald Trump currently leads by about 18,000 votes in Georgia

8:14 PM

US Election 2020 Results LIVE: Russia says 'obvious shortcomings' in US election system

Russia's foreign ministry said outdated legislation and a lack of regulation had revealed flaws in the US electoral system, as votes were being tallied to decide the next American president, AFP reported.

 

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that both candidates had an equal chance of winning and pointed out "obvious shortcomings in the American electoral system."

 

"This is partly due to the archaic nature of the relevant legislation and a lack of regulation in a number of fundamental points," she said during her weekly press briefing.

8:08 PM

US election results LIVE: Donald Trump moves Michigan court to stop vote count

US President Donald Trump has filed a complaint petition in the Court of Claims in Michigan State in the United State seeking a mandate from the court to Secretary Jocelyn Benson to order all counting and processing of absentee votes cease immediately. The complaint filed by President Trump reviewed by IANS seeks immediate declaratory and injunctive relief.

 

The prayer of relief moved by Michigan citizens has asked the Court to order a "speedy hearing" of this action and "advance it on the calendar".

 

"Mandate that Secretary Benson order all counting and processing of absentee votes cease immediately until an election inspector for each party is present at each absent voter counting board and until video is made available to challengers of each ballot box," the prayer said. "Mandate that Secretary Benson order the immediate segregation of all ballots that are not being inspected and monitored as is required under law", it said.

 

The counts for the complaint are that Michigan absent voter counting boards, under the authority of Secretary Benson, are not complying with the statute. These boards are being conducted without inspectors from each party being present, the complaint said.