American voters go to polls in referendum on Trump’s presidency

Americans go to the polls on Tuesday in arguably the most consequential election in the country's history, as voters choose whether or not to grant Donald Trump another four years in the White House.

Mr Trump is facing a formidable challenge from Joe Biden, a veteran politician who served as vice-president for eight years under former president Barack Obama and has successfully galvanised the Democratic party behind him.

The election is taking place against the unique background of a coronavirus pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 230,000 Americans and has upended traditional modes of campaigning and voting. Already, close to 100 million Americans have cast their vote – an unprecedented number which suggests that this year’s election could break turnout records.

‘Flames of hate’

In many ways, the election is a referendum on Mr Trump – the firebrand political novice who secured a stunning victory against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton four years ago. Despite holding office for almost four years, the president has continued to cast himself as a political outsider, working for ordinary Americans.

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“If I don’t sound like a typical Washington politician it’s because I’m not a typical politician,” he said to cheers at a campaign rally in North Carolina on Monday, one of five he held around the country.

In his closing argument, Mr Biden returned to his core election message that he can restore unity to a divided country. “Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has divided this nation. Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has failed to protect this nation. Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has fanned the flames of hate across this nation,” he said at a campaign event in Cleveland, Ohio on Monday.

Swing states

Though polls are showing Mr Biden ahead nationally and in key swing states, Mr Trump still has a path to victory. In a sign of the importance of Pennsylvania – a battleground state Mr Trump won by just 44,000 votes in 2016 – both campaigns fanned out across the state on Monday, with the president holding a campaign event in his opponent’s home town of Scranton.

Florida also remains in focus heading into election day, with Mr Obama campaigning in the state on Monday.