While election day has begun in the United States, interestingly, nearly 100 million people have already voted by mail or in person.

It is expected that another 60 million are expected to vote by the end of the day.In India, we won't come to know who the winner  is -- Republican President Donald Trump or Democratic challenger and former US Vice-President Joe Biden -- until Wednesday noon or later.

But AFP warns that the battle to achieve a majority 270 electoral votes could be too close to call.

This could also mean that we Indians could come to know of the full results late on Wednesday or even longer. If there are legal battles over the counting of votes, then the electoral fight could reach epic proportions too.

In fact, both parties have geared up for legal fights in several states where a favorable court judgment could tilt the results one way or another, AFP reports.UPDATES It's still early, but the vote count is turning dramatic CNN is now projecting 192 seats for Biden and only 108 for Trump.

The gap has suddenly widened.

But these are early hours.Trump's electoral votes so far ( 9 am IST )Alabama (9)Arkansas (6) Indiana (11)Kansas (6)Kentucky (8)Louisiana (8)Mississippi (6)North Dakota (3)Oklahoma (7)South Carolina (9)South Dakota (3)Tennessee (11)West Virginia (5)Wyoming (3)BIDEN (131)Colorado (9)Connecticut (7)Delaware (3)District of Columbia (3)Illinois (20)Maryland (10)Massachusetts (11)New Jersey (14)New Mexico (5)New York (29)Rhode Island (4)Vermont (3)Virginia (13)Trump improves performance in Florida -- courtesy Hispanic votesFlorida is turning out to be an interesting battleground, with Trump narrowly leading Democratic rival Joe Biden.

Part of Trump’s strength in Florida came from an improved performance relative to 2016 in the state’s counties with large Latino populations. Biden was leading in counties where Hispanics make up more than 20% of the population, but Trump’s share of the vote in those counties was larger than it was in the 2016 election.

More than four in 10 Hispanic voters in Florida said they cast a ballot for Trump, according to an Edison Research exit poll.Polls largely a smooth and peaceful affair Americans by the millions flocked to the polls on Tuesday amid a deadly pandemic in a mostly calm, orderly show of political determination and civic duty that belied deep tensions shaping one of the most polarizing presidential races in U.S.

history.

The masks worn by many voters and the sight of boarded-up storefronts in major city centers were reminders of two transformative issues defining the 2020 election, with COVID-19 still ravaging parts of the country after a summer of mass protests against racial injustice.

A few developments stood out during a day that was freighted with anxiety but otherwise mostly tranquil. Maine's unique voting process11 States will also get new governorsNew York remains Blue! Nation by nation, the world watches Election Day in the USLongtime alliances have been strained, agreements wiped away, tariffs erected, funding withdrawn.

Some nations have been the objects of presidential derision.

Others, like North Korea, have been on the receiving end of diplomatic overtures once considered unthinkable.For countries around the planet, the presidency of Donald Trump in its first term has been, it is safe to say, a singular experience to watch.

Now that an inflection point in Trump's time in office is at hand with Tuesday's U.S.

election, what's at stake if his presidency ends _ or if it continues? BIDEN WINS ( As of 8 am)Connecticut (7)Delaware (3)District of Columbia (3)Illinois (20)Maryland (10)Massachusetts (11)New Jersey (14)New York (29)Rhode Island (4)Vermont (3)Virginia (13)TRUMP WINS (As of 8 am )Alabama (9)Arkansas (6)Indiana (11)Kentucky (8)Louisiana (8)Mississippi (6)North Dakota (3)Oklahoma (7)South Dakota (3)Tennessee (11)West Virginia (5)Wyoming (3)Biden leads in electoral votesAs per AP projections, Biden leads in electoral votes while Trump has won more states so far. Tally update (7.30 am )President Donald Trump has won the state of Arkansas.

The Republican nominee was awarded its six electoral votes.

Arkansas is a reliably Republican state that hasn’t gone for a Democratic presidential candidate since Bill Clinton in 1996.

Trump is up to 80 electoral votes in all and Biden 117.

A candidate needs to reach 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.Trump has won Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Tennessee, while Democrat Joe Biden has won Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island.

The results were not a surprise.

Biden is very strong in the states that went for him, just as Trump is strong in the states he won. Trump has won the state of South Carolina.

Biden has won the state of Virginia.

He was awarded its 13 electoral votes on Tuesday.

Trump has coasted to victory in West Virginia, taking its five electoral votes.

The Republican nominee defeated Biden in a reliably conservative state.

Trump has won Kentucky, and Biden has carried Vermont.Highest voting percentage in a centuryThe US appears to be on track to see over 160 million votes cast in the 2020 presidential election, a turnout rate of about 67 per cent, which is higher than the country has witnessed in more than a century.New York investigating allegations voters are receiving robocalls spreading election disinformation New York Attorney General Letitia James on Tuesday said her office is actively investigating allegations that voters are receiving robocalls, spreading disinformation and encouraging people to stay home on Election Day. "Voting is a cornerstone of our democracy," James said.

"Attempts to hinder voters from exercising their right to cast their ballots are disheartening, disturbing and wrong.

What's more is that it is illegal and will not be tolerated." James said every voter must be able to exercise his fundamental right to vote without being harassed, coerced or intimidated.

"Early trends of a deeply divided nationPreliminary figures showed a deeply divided nation and mixed signs for each candidate, with Biden appearing to underperform in the crucial state of Florida as Trump made inroads in Cuban-American-dominated Miami.

But Biden was also outpacing Trump in suburban areas that have traditionally tilted to the president's Republican Party including around Atlanta in Georgia. Biden's three major headachesBased on projections for the "decided" states, it is possible that if Biden captures Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, he could be judged the overall winner of more than 270 electoral college votes early in the night.

These three states are generally considered conservative in political orientation.Pennsylvania seems to be in favour of BidenPennsylvania, with its 20 electoral college votes, is turning out to be an one-sided match -- if the CNN projections are to be believed.

The "Keystone state" backed Trump in 2016 but seems to overwhelmingly backing Biden this time. Be patient, says US media Probably for the first time, millions have already voted in person before the election day.

In addition, there are postal votes across the country.

So, it is too early to call the election, says US media.CNN shows Trump trailing in TexasIn Texas, a major state for both the parties, Trump is trailing by over 10 percentage points, CNN projection shows.By 6.30 am IST, several states will close pollingAt 20:00EDT (01:00GMT) polls close in the states of Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Tennessee. Melania Trump votes in Florida, without face maskWATCH THE ELECTORAL MAP CHANGE Joe Biden tweetsPresident Trump seems positive Florida is key to both candidatesA political science professor Kathryn ePalo-Gould is quoted by WUWF 88.1, a local Florida publication, as saying, "So Florida's considered a battleground state or a swing state because a lot of our statewide elections are decided within one to two percentage points." Florida has 29 electoral votes.

In the last elections, the winner, Trump and Obama, won the state by just about 1 percentage point. What are swing states?Swing state (or battleground state) refers to any state that could reasonably be won by either the Democratic or Republican presidential candidate by a swing in votes.

These states are usually targeted by both major-party campaigns, especially in competitive elections.Kentucky goes to TrumpAP calls Kentucky for the Republican Party, Trump gets 8 electoral votes.DO not go by early trends, warns New York Times reportAs per a New York Times report, states which count in-person votes first, like Pennsylvania, will probably be skewed toward President Trump.

States that count pre-Election Day votes first, like Florida, will probably be skewed toward Joe Biden. Georgia is an interesting caseThe so-called peach state has voted solidly Republican in all but two presidential elections since 1960.

Biden seeks to win this state this year.Biden takes Vermont AP projects the ex-VP has won Vermont, which has 3 electoral votes.CNN, NBC projects Indiana for Trump Indiana has 11 electoral votes.When will all polls be closed?Most close by 9:00 pm EST ( 7-7.30 am), opening the way for a gusher of vote tallies over the following hours, with some districts and states reporting faster than others. The 538 factor There are 538 electors in the 50 states of America and the District of Columbia.

States with bigger population have more number of electors.

Hence, a candidate needs to win at least 270 electors.How to Americans vote? According to an Al Jazeera article, voters do not directly elect the president, but the members of the US Congress are directly elected.

This means that voters in each US state vote for “electors”, who vote for a presidential and vice presidential candidate.

However, such a system has led to a candidate winning the nationwide popular vote but losing the Electoral College, like it happened in 2016 and 2000.