Polls begin to close, several battleground states extend hours
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Polls have just closed in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, and Vermont, while several battleground states extend polling hours.
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People cast their ballot during Election Day 2024 at John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring Md, on November 5, 2024. (AP)
Polls have just closed in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, and Vermont. In turn, several battleground states extended polling hours due to unexpected delays, technical difficulties, and other issues affecting voters in key precincts.
In Pennsylvania, polling hours were extended in Luzerne County, where voters were given additional time until 9:30 pm to cast their ballots. This change came as local election officials responded to delays. Voters already in line before 8 pm will be permitted to vote using the standard process, while those who arrive after 8 pm will have the option to cast a provisional ballot, according to state authorities.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Department of State announced a two-hour extension for polling in Cambria County due to a "software malfunction" that delayed scanning ballots at some precincts. As a result, voters in Cambria County will have until 10 pm to cast their ballots, two hours beyond the original 8 pm deadline. However, any votes cast after 8 pm will be required to use provisional ballots.
In North Carolina, state election officials granted a 30-minute extension for voting in Burke and Wilson counties. Voters in these counties will now have until 8 pm to cast their ballots, a later deadline than the 7:30 pm cutoff in the rest of the state.
Georgia also announced extended voting hours for precincts in the Atlanta area, including Cobb County, Fulton County, and Gwinnett County.
Earlier on Tuesday, two polling sites in Fulton County were evacuated after receiving multiple "non-credible" bomb threats. In response, county officials requested an extension of voting hours until 7:30 pm.
Meanwhile, US law enforcement officials believe that around 30 fake bomb threats have been made against election-related locations across the country, including 17 in Georgia, a key battleground state, according to CBS News sources.
Authorities are working to identify the source of these threats, which they suspect may be part of a foreign effort to disrupt the election. The threats are reportedly tracked in several states, including Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
