WEST PALM BEACH, Florida - Millions of Americans began queueing up to cast their votes on a chilly November morning, as polling booths opened in an election guaranteed to make history.
The Nov 5 election may produce the first woman to command the world's most powerful military in Ms Kamala Harris, should the Democratic Vice-President become the first person of Asian descent and the first black woman to hold the office.
Or it could be another unprecedented moment if former president Donald Trump becomes the first convicted felon to claim the White House. If the Republican candidate wins, he would also become the first president in 132 years to be elected to two non-consecutive terms.
The new president will have to move quickly to manage the two wars in Europe and the Middle East, with implications for global stability and the rules-based international order.
Trump is the favorite of Americans casting their votes based on whom they trust more to ease worries about the economy, illegal immigration and national security.
On the other hand, Ms Harris wins if the voters care more for abortion rights or the defense of democracy.
The final opinion polls put both contestants still in a dead heat across the seven swing states that will ultimately decide the race.
A winner may not emerge at the end of election day if the contest is indeed as tight as projected and ends up triggering an automatic recount.
This is possible in the key battleground of Pennsylvania, if less than half a percentage point separates the winner from the loser.
A clean sweep for either is also in the realm of possibility.
It is expected that Trump may prematurely declare victory as he did in 2020, opening the door to lengthy legal battles that both sides are prepared for.
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