US Elections: Counting of votes begins with Donald Trump taking lead in three states

The first races have been called. Donald Trump is projected to win Kentucky, according to Edison Research. Kamala Harris is projected to win Vermont.

Washington: Counting began in the US after millions of Americans cast their votes in a presidential election marked by drama and uncertainty. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are now left to await the results of a tightly contested race following months of intense campaigning. As of writing this article, Trump won Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia while Democrat captured Vermont, Edison Research projected, as polls closed in the first nine US states, including critical Georgia and North Carolina.

The early results were expected, with the race likely to come down to seven battleground states: Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Opinion polls showed the rivals neck and neck in all seven going into Election Day.

US exit polls

Nearly three-quarters of voters say American democracy is under threat, according to preliminary national exit polls from Edison, reflecting the nation's deep anxiety after a contentious campaign.

Democracy and the economy ranked by far as the most important issues for voters, with around a third of respondents citing each, followed by abortion and immigration. The poll showed 73% of voters believed democracy was in jeopardy against 25% who said it was secure.

The data underscored the depth of polarization in a nation where divisions have only grown starker during a fiercely competitive race. Trump employed increasingly apocalyptic rhetoric while stoking unfounded fears that the election system cannot be trusted. Harris warned that a second Trump term would threaten the underpinnings of American democracy. The figures represent just a slice of the tens of millions of people who voted, both before and on Election Day, and the preliminary results are subject to change during the evening as more people are surveyed.