Shawdesh Desk:

US President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden are battling it out for the White House, with polls gradually closing across the United States Tuesday and a long night of waiting for results ahead.

The first results are trickling in, with US media projecting wins for the Republican incumbent so far in 13 states including Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia — all states he won in 2016.

Joe Biden has captured 11 states including his home state Delaware and big prize New York, plus the US capital Washington. As with Donald Trump, so far, all states claimed by Biden were won by Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016.

More than 100 million Americans cast their ballots in advance of Tuesday’s Election Day, according to the US Elections Project watchdog, a record figure largely attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, reported news agency AFP.

BBC report shows that Democrat candidate Joe Biden is ahead of Republican Donald Trump winning 89 and 72 so far.

Results suggest a tight race in key states including Florida, with the candidates needing 270 electoral college votes to secure the presidency.