LIVE | US election: Trump leads over Harris as early numbers come in

NYT forecast gives Trump 80% chance of winning

Go vote, California, says Trump

Republican candidate Donald Trump appealed to California, a blue state, to vote 

AP Race Call: Trump wins Utah

Donald Trump has won Utah and its six electoral votes, said AP. "The Mountain West state is a rare Republican stronghold that has in past elections only half-heartedly supported Trump, whose brash style and comments about immigrants do not sit right with some members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," said the AP report.

Latter-day Saints, better known as Mormons, make up about half of Utah’s 3.4 million population. Since Lyndon B Johnson in 1964, no Democratic presidential candidate has won in Utah.

The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 10:00 pm EST.

AP Race Call: Harris bags Colorado

Kamala Harris has won Colorado, picking up the state’s 10 electoral votes. Colorado was once a purple state, flipping between Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, but it has shifted blue in the past two decades, said AP.

"The last Republican presidential candidate to snag Colorado’s electoral votes was George W Bush in 2004. Since then, it’s backed Democratic presidential candidates, with Joe Biden winning it handily in 2020. Colorado gained its 10th electoral vote after the 2020 census, attributed to population growth around Denver. The Associated Press declared Harris the winner at 10:08 pm EST," said the AP report.

Blue Mirage, Red Mirage and more

Votes cast on election day tend to favour Republicans, while Democrats are historically favored in early voting, causing blue and red “mirages” depending on which types of votes each state counts first, says a Forbes report.

The 'red mirage', a major factor in the 2020 race, could show up again in the 2024 vote counting, says the report, adding that it may be less prominent this time.

"The 'red mirage' refers to early vote totals that favour Republicans as ballots cast in-person on election day are counted, while a 'blue shift' occurs as absentee and provisional ballots are totaled (since Democrats traditionally vote by mail more frequently than Republicans)," the report said.

Some American states now count their mail ballots first, potentially leading to a 'blue mirage' in states like Georgia early in the night, followed by a 'red shift' as GOP-leaning in-person votes are added to the total.

Who’s winning where (AP Race Call)

Which way are swing states leaning? (AP Race Call)

Hours extended at 9 precincts in eastern Arizona county

NYT gives Trump 67% chance of a win

According to NYT forecast, Trump has a 67% chance of winning though Harris has slightly more popular votes.

Who’s winning where (AP Race Call)