Americans go to the polls today after a long, divisive election campaign – with rivals Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump battling it out to be the 45th US president.

The earliest time at which the result of the closely fought race will be called is likely to be around 11pm Eastern Time.


That’s 7am on Wednesday Nov. 9 in Saudi Arabia – or 6am in Egypt and 9am in the UAE.

The winner of the last election, in 2012, was called at around this time. The Associated Press declared Obama’s re-election at 11.38pm Eastern Time (7.38am in Saudi Arabia).

But such an early announcement very much depends on how the electoral college stacks up on the night.

To clinch the presidency one of the candidates will have to win at least 270 electoral college votes, which will hinge closely on the 10 or 11 “swing states”, which have a history of selecting both Republican and Democrat candidates.

In such a close race, the outcome could be seen much later, such as in the 2004 election, in which George W. Bush’s victory over John Kerry was not declared until late the following morning.

More than 120 million Americans are expected to cast votes in today’s historic poll.

Early-rising voters in nine states, mainly along the East Coast, were among the first.

Clinton has a slim lead in the polls but no one is ruling out a victory for Republican candidate Trump.

The 69-year-old former first lady, senator and secretary of state – backed by A-list musical stars and incumbent President Barack Obama - urged the country to unite and vote for “a hopeful, inclusive, big-hearted America”, AFP reported.


Trump meanwhile pressed his message with voters who feel left behind by globalization and social change, wrapping up with a flourish on his protectionist slogan of “America first.”


— With agencies