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(PHOENIX) — Kristin and Dave Gambardella never expected the journey of growing their family to include an abortion procedure, but in summer 2023, the married couple nevertheless found themselves in a Planned Parenthood parking lot in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a seven-hour drive from their home in Tucson, Arizona.

A week beforehand, a routine blood test at 17 weeks into Kristin’s pregnancy had come back with devastating results. A follow-up ultrasound confirmed her doctors’ fears. The fetus had a severe genetic abnormality.

“They told us it was really a guaranteed short life, full of pain and surgeries and constant medical care,” Gambardella said. “Dave is a stoic person,” she said of her husband, “and I remember he just broke down and lost it. And that’s when I really felt that feeling in my gut that was like, wow, this is pretty catastrophic.”

In deciding to end the pregnancy, the Gambardellas realized they weren’t only tasked with an agonizing decision for their family — they also had an Arizona law to contend with, which would prevent them from seeing any of their own doctors for the procedure.

“The doctor, I remember, she looked at me and her eyes just looked really sad. And she said, ‘No, you can’t come here. We can’t do that procedure for you. You’d have to leave the state’,” Gambardella said.

Arizona’s abortion ban

In Arizona — one of 21 states that has enacted abortion restrictions since the end of Roe v Wade — abortion is banned after 15 weeks, except for medical emergencies endangering the life of the mother. Gambardella didn’t qualify for that exception.

“As someone who has always believed in a woman’s right to make decisions about her own bodies, it was such a turning point in my understanding on just how much abortion care is interconnected with fertility care and the act of wanting to have a baby,” Gambardella said.

The experience inspired her to join the campaign to pass Proposition 139, a ballot measure that would enshrine in Arizona’s state constitution the right to an abortion until fetal viability.

Arizona is one of 10 states in the country that have such measures on the ballot this November, including Florida, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Montana and Nebraska.

This large push nationwide comes as abortion access remains one of the most important issues to voters this election — and the top issue for women under 30, according to an October survey by KFF, the nonpartisan health policy organization.

Where the candidates stand

Democrats hope that the issue could drive enthusiasm for Vice President Kamala Harris, who has centered her campaign on restoring reproductive rights and attacking former President Donald Trump for nominating the conservative Supreme Court justices that voted to overrule Roe v. Wade.

Trump, who has repeatedly shifted his position on abortion from supporting a federal ban to declaring that he would not pass one, while remaining open to other reproductive health care restrictions, maintains that he will “protect women,” but is sparse on details.

It’s not clear, however, if abortion-access ballot measures will alter the outcome of the presidential race in a swing state like Arizona. Voters could split the ticket — voting to enshrine abortion access, but prioritizing other issues in their presidential choice.

Trump is leading Harris in Arizona by two points, according to 538’s latest polling average, even as polling so far has shown the abortion access amendment in Arizona to be widely popular, with about 60% of likely voters saying they’ll support it.

That level of support is in line with the success of abortion rights ballot measures in other states over the last two years since Roe v. Wade was overruled. Reproductive rights ballot measures have passed every time they’ve been on the ballot, whether the state leans Republican, Democrat or is closely divided like Arizona.

Susan Ashley, a retiree and a volunteer for the Arizona for Abortion Access campaign, says her “fury” over Roe vs. Wade being overturned drove her to make the initiative her “full-time job right now.”

“I’ve been an active voter, but I’ve never been involved in an event where there were so many passionate volunteers. And so this struck a nerve,” Ashley said.

Efforts on the ground

Athena Salman, a former Arizona state representative and director of Arizona campaigns for Reproductive Freedom for All, was at Ashley’s side for door-knocking in mid-October, in the 90-degree heat.

The two women spoke to nearly a dozen registered Independents in a neighborhood of Chandler, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. Each voter they spoke to said they were supporting the ballot measure.

“I think it really shows that Arizonans are just fed up with their reproductive freedom being up in the air and they’re ready to take action and get the government interference out of our personal decisions,” Salman said.

Though Arizona currently bans abortion at 15 weeks, the state saw all abortions halted for four months in the summer of 2022 when a ban from 1864 was revived. It nearly took effect again in the spring of 2024, but the Arizona state legislature repealed it after massive outcry from residents and a push from the Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes.

To Cindy Dahlgren, spokesperson for the campaign against the abortion access ballot measure, the legislature’s decision to repeal the near-total abortion ban and keep a 15-week ban should put people at ease.

“Proponents play on those fears and that confusion by saying there’s a ban when there’s not a ban,” she said, arguing that the current law only curtails the procedure but doesn’t fully ban it. “I would also point out that it was the legislature that repealed that law. And there doesn’t seem to be an appetite to put that law back in.”

Her campaign, called “It Goes Too Far,” argues that enshrining abortion access until fetal viability would remove too many restrictions around abortion, leaving it too unregulated.

“The choice really in November is not between abortion or no abortion. It’s between limited abortion and safety precautions and a doctor and parents involved or unlimited and unregulated abortion,” Dahlgren said.

Asked about cases like Gambardella’s, where pregnancy complications arise in the second trimester, or women who experience rape or incest and do not qualify for an exception, Dahlgren said, “we do not have to enshrine a very extreme abortion amendment to care for those victims.”

But Dr. Misha Pangasa, an OB-GYN with Planned Parenthood, one of only nine clinics in Arizona providing abortion care, said she doesn’t want to leave reproductive rights up to the political makeup of the state legislature anymore.

“The idea that Arizonans health care is at the whims of whichever legislature is holding the majority is never going to be the best way for people to get the best care,” Pangasa said.

There are currently around 40 laws that restrict abortions in the state of Arizona, which Pangasa said have already significantly impacted her ability to provide care to pregnant patients.

“Pregnancy is complicated and decisions at various stages are hard. And I am the one there helping support them. And what I wish that our government would do is just let me,” Pangasa said.

Pangasa said she sees patients like the Gambardellas on a regular basis.

“To be honest, it’s a really heartbreaking moment to be in when I talk to my patients and say, if you were in a different state with me right now, I would tell you that these are your options. But because we’re in Arizona, an abortion is just not an option,” she said.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — The Democratic National Committee on Saturday is launching a new ad campaign targeted at rural voters to boost turnout in two southern battlegrounds in the final days of the presidential election.

The effort, backed by a six-figure media buy, comes as Democrats are especially concerned that early vote turnout is low among Black voters in rural areas. The effort will span 15 counties that are part of the “Black Belt” in Georgia and North Carolina.

The ads, which will run on multi-media billboards and on radio stations in the area, will feature DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison, a Black South Carolinian who has spoken extensively of his upbringing in rural Orangeburg. The effort will promote policies that Democrats say will help rural voters, including expanding rural infrastructure, making health care more affordable and ensuring rural hospitals can remain open.

“In the final days of this election, Democrats are not taking our foot off the gas as we communicate our plan for rural America. From affordable and accessible health care, to lower costs, and economic opportunities, the Democratic Party will fight for the policies that make a tangible difference for rural Americans,” Harrison said in a statement provided first to ABC News.

“Growing up in a rural town, I know how important it is to show up and truly meet rural voters where they are. The DNC’s latest rural ‘I Will Vote’ initiative does exactly that, ensuring that the final message rural voters in the critical battlegrounds of Georgia and North Carolina receive in this election is Democrats’ commitment to fight for them.”

The ad buy comes as Democrats grow concerned that Black rural voters are not participating in early voting at the rate that the party needs.

Democrats hope to be competitive in Georgia and North Carolina, where Black rural voters are key. Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to clean up in urban areas, but she’ll have to keep former President Donald Trump’s rural margins down enough to stop him from offsetting her advantage in cities like Atlanta and Raleigh.

In Georgia, 41% of early voters are Republican, and 42% are Democrats, according to 538 analysis of voter data from L2, a non-partisan political data company. In 2020, early voting was 41% Republican – 46% Democrat.

It’s the same story in North Carolina, where 34% of early vote ballots have been cast by Republicans, and 33% by Democrats. In 2020, early voting was 32% Republican – 35% Democrat.

Of voters who voted early in 2020, only 66% of Black voters have cast an early ballot this time around so far. That number drops to 63% of Black voters in rural areas.

The drop is likely explainable in part by this year’s election not taking place in the middle of a pandemic, whereas in 2020, many voters leaned on early and absentee voting to avoid long lines and possible COVID-19 exposures.

Still, both states remain highly competitive. Polling averages from 538 show Trump up 1.6 points in Georgia and 1.3 points in North Carolina.

Early voting has also had some promising signs for Democrats, including high female turnout, particularly as polls show a widening gender gap, with women leaning toward Harris and men toward Trump.

And while operatives said Democrats were not hitting their marks with Black rural voters early on, that trend has begun to be mitigated, with veteran North Carolina Democratic strategist Morgan Jackson conceding that while “they had started early vote a little low,” the turnout has “picked up pretty substantially.”

“My suspicion is by Saturday’s close, they’ll be at parity with where they were four years ago,” added Michael Bitzer, a political science professor at Catawba College in North Carolina who is tracking the early vote numbers.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — The origins of the video that falsely showed individuals from Haiti voting in Georgia is the work of Russian influence actors, the intelligence community assessed on Friday.

“The IC assesses that Russian influence actors manufactured a recent video that falsely depicted individuals claiming to be from Haiti and voting illegally in multiple counties in Georgia,” according to a joint statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA).

“This judgment is based on information available to the IC and prior activities of other Russian influence actors, including videos and other disinformation activities. The Georgia Secretary of State has already refuted the video’s claims as false.”

CISA is the cyber arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

The intelligence community also found that Russian actors falsely shared a video of an individual associated with a democratic campaign falsely taking a bribe from an entertainer.

“In the lead up to Election Day and in the weeks and months after, the IC expects Russia to create and release additional media content that seeks to undermine trust in the integrity of the election and divide Americans,” the joint statement said.

This is the second time in two weeks the intelligence community has alerted Americans of a Russian influence operation.

Last Friday, intelligence officials assessed that a video purporting to show ripped ballots in Pennsylvania was also part of a Russian influence operation.

Russia, along with Iran and China are seeking to sow discord and undermine confidence in the 2024 presidential election, according to the CISA director.

“We have to understand what these adversaries want,” CISA Director Jen Easterly told ABC News’ Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas on Thursday. “They all want just two things. They want to undermine American confidence in our elections and trust in democracy, and they want to stoke partisan discord. They want to pit Americans against each other, and they are looking for any opportunities to create rage, and we know that enragement equals engagement.”

Easterly said the government will be “leaning forward” in debunking foreign influence operations.

Since the summer, the intelligence community has warned that foreign adversaries will try and influence the election.

Just hours prior to the notification was made by the intelligence community on Friday, a senior CISA official was briefing reporters: election security is national security, and said CISA is monitoring both the physical and cyber threats ahead of the 2024 election.

The official did not single out any one individual, but did say that anyone who knowingly puts out disinformation is “putting election officials at harm.”

When someone puts out misinformation they are “doing the work of our foreign adversaries, and it’s an important reminder to know that these are the tactics that they’re out there leveraging,” and added that there are real-world sometimes violent consequences to the disinformation.

 

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — With three days to go — and the candidates engaging in their final push — Donald Trump is lashing out at Liz Cheney, who’s supporting Kamala Harris. Thursday night in Arizona, he called her a “war hawk” and said she should face “nine barrels,” appearing to suggest a firing squad.

Both Trump and Harris are heading into the last weekend of the campaign by spending time in the crucial Midwest on Friday, both ending up in battleground Wisconsin with dueling rallies in Milwaukee.

 

Trump attempts to clean up Cheney comments, bashes new jobs report

In a new social media post overnight, former President Donald Trump attempted to clean up his comments regarding Rep. Liz Cheney, saying she doesn’t have “the guts” to fight in war herself.

Trump also posted about the Friday jobs report calling it a “great embarrassment” to the nation and repeated that American jobs have been taken by “foreign-born workers.”

“America is a Nation in Decline because Sleepy Joe, and Lyin’ Kamala, didn’t do their job,” Trump said.

Cardi B joins Harris on stage at Wisconsin rally

Vice President Kamala Harris brought out Cardi B on Friday night for her final Wisconsin rally before Election Day, as she worked to turnout remaining voters in the race’s final days.

The Grammy-winning rapper told the crowd she was going to sit out the election until Harris replaced President Joe Biden.

“I’mma be real with y’all,” Cardi B said. “I wasn’t gonna vote this year. I wasn’t. But Kamala Harris joining the race, she changed my mind completely,” she said. “I did not have faith on any candidates until she joined the race and said the things that I wanted to hear, that I want to see next in this country, all right?”

The musician hit Trump over his recent comments on protecting women.

“Trump says he’s going to protect women whether they want it or not,” Cardi B said. “Well, if his definition of protection is not the freedom of choice … I don’t want it!”

Cardi B was one of many celebrities to take the stage, including Keegan Michael Key, GloRilla, Flo Milli, MC Lyte, to take the stage.

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow, Gabrielle Abdul-Hakim and Will McDuffie

Judge extends early voting in Pennsylvania after thousands of mail-in ballots delayed, missing

A Pennsylvania judge on Friday ordered election officials in Erie County to extend early voting hours and offer expedited absentee ballots to up to 17,000 voters whose mail-in ballots either never arrived or arrived late, delivering a victory to state Democrats who sued county election officials over a series of “vendor issues.”

Those vendor-related issues “threaten to disenfranchise thousands of registered voters,” according to the suit from the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, which claimed thousands of individuals had not yet received or belatedly received mail-in ballots.

At a hearing earlier this week, Democrats shared evidence establishing that around 1,200 Erie voters who live out-of-state never received mail-in ballots “through no fault of their own,” Judge David Ridge ruled on Friday.

Ridge wrote that the measures he imposed, which include a mandate to add additional printers to election offices to reduce wait times, were necessary to “ensure all registered voters … are given full opportunity to complete their right to vote.”

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Texas says DOJ election monitors not allowed in state’s polling places

Texas says election monitors from the U.S. Department of Justice will not be permitted in the state’s polling places.

A letter from Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson sent Friday to the department’s Civil Rights Division, says federal monitors are not permitted under Texas law.

Earlier Friday, the Justice Department issued a press release stating it planned to send election monitors to more than 80 counties in 27 states to monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws. The list included eight counties in Texas, including Dallas and Harris counties.

“Texas law is clear: Justice Department monitors are not permitted inside a polling place where ballots are being cast or a central counting station where ballots are being counted,” Nelson’s letter stated.

The letter ended with: “Rest assured that Texas has robust processes and procedures in place to ensure that eligible voters may participate in a free and fair election.”

The Justice Department has sent Election Day monitors to polling places around the U.S. for decades.

Johnson claims he ‘probably will’ repeal CHIPS Act if Trump wins before backtracking

At a campaign stop in upstate New York on Friday, House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters, “I expect that we probably will” repeal the CHIPS and Science Act.

Johnson was asked about his position on the legislation by Syracuse University student journalist Luke Radel if former President Donald Trump wins the election and Republicans keep control of the House.

“We haven’t developed that part of the agenda yet. We gotta get over the election first. That’s why we are so happy to be in NY-22,” Johnson said.

The speaker added, “When you take the Green New Deal out of the equation you will save trillions of dollars in the long run for the U.S. economy.”

New York Republican Rep. Brandon Williams – who is running in a tight race that could determine control of the House – said he supports the CHIPS and Science Act.

“I will remind him [Johnson] night and day how important the CHIPS Act is,” Williams said.

The comments already drew ire from Democrats including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

“I’m amazed that any national leader would even consider repealing the CHIPS & Science Act — and Speaker Johnson threatening to do so during his visit to Central New York just shows how out-of-touch he and his allies are,” she said in a statement.

In a statement released later in the evening, Johnson clarified his remarks and reversed his previous comments.

“The CHIPS Act is not on the agenda for repeal. To the contrary, there could be legislation to further streamline and improve the primary purpose of the bill—to eliminate its costly regulations and Green New Deal requirements,” he said in his statement.

Williams said in a statement that the speaker “apologized profusely, saying he misheard the question.”

-ABC News’ Lauren Peller

Supreme Court denies GOP request on Pa. ‘naked ballots’

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the Republican National Committee NC emergency request Friday evening to block the counting of provisional ballots in Pennsylvania cast by voters whose mail-in ballots arrived without a required security sleeve and therefore invalid.

There were no dissents.

The decision, however, applies only to the case at hand — which involves the “naked” ballots submitted during the 2024 Democratic primary.

That means the court has taken no precedent position on any future dispute over Pennsylvania provisional ballots stemming from “naked” mail-in ballots in the general election.

The court signaled it agreed with the Democratic voters’ argument that the RNC lacks injury to intervene, and that granting a stay now would impose no obligation on state election officials overseeing the general election.

Justices Neil Gorsuch, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas — three conservatives who in 2020 expressed desire to intervene in disputes over Pennsylvania mail ballot rules — issued a joint statement respecting the decision to deny the RNC request.

-ABC News’ Devin Dwyer

Harris campaign to hold livestream GOTV show on Election Day eve: Sources

The Kamala Harris campaign team is planning a large-scale Get Out The Vote effort in all seven battleground states – with eight “interconnected” and “simultaneous” rallies for Monday night, two campaign sources told ABC News.

The vice president, Doug Emhoff, Gov. Tim Walz and Gwen Walz will focus on the blue wall/Rust Belt states while top surrogates will be in other states, the sources said.

The sources claim it will be the “largest interconnected GOTV event” in political history with all rallies connected through a livestream.

-ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks

Judge sets Monday hearing in Philly DA case against Musk

The Philadelphia district attorney’s case against Elon Musk over his controversial $1 million voter giveaway continued in state court Friday, with the judge scheduling a hearing for Monday morning.

The move comes after the federal court rejected Musk’s bid to move the case earlier Friday — greenlighting it to move forward in state court.

Philadelphia Judge Angelo Foglietta set the hearing for 10 a.m. on Monday.

Musk’s attorney also filed a motion asking the judge to excuse him from attending.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Trump spins his Cheney comments

Trump is offering a similar spin as his campaign on his criticism of Liz Cheney’s position on U.S. military entrance into foreign countries.

“All I’m saying about Liz Cheney is that she is a War Hawk, and a dumb one at that, but she wouldn’t have ‘the guts’ to fight herself,” Trump wrote on his social media platform.

“It’s easy for her to talk, sitting far from where the death scenes take place, but put a gun in her hand, and let her go fight, and she’ll say, ‘No thanks!'” Trump wrote.

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soorin Kim and Kelsey Walsh

Harris says Trump’s violent rhetoric ‘must be disqualifying’

Speaking to reporters ahead of an afternoon of campaigning in Wisconsin, Harris slammed Trump for his recent comments attacking Liz Cheney and other political opponents.

“This must be disqualifying,” Harris said. “Anyone who wants to be president of the United States, who uses that kind of violent rhetoric, is clearly disqualified and unqualified to be president.”

“Representative Cheney is a true patriot who has shown extraordinary courage in putting country above party,” she added. “Trump is increasingly, however, someone who considers his political opponents the enemy, is permanently out for revenge and is increasingly unstable and unhinged.”

US Capitol Police Union urges force to be prepared for Election Day and beyond

The U.S. Capitol Police Union is urging the U.S. Capitol Police to be prepared to tackle any issue that arises on or after Election Day.

“The Department must communicate and work with rank-and-file officers as we prepare for this election, the certification and Inauguration — we cannot repeat the failures of four years ago,” U.S. Capitol Police Chief Union chairman Gus Papathanasiou said in a statement released on Friday.

On Jan. 6, 2021, over 140 Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan Police officers were injured. One officer died the next day and several others took their lives in the days after the attack, according to the union.

“Our officers will be out in force to protect the Capitol Complex, Members of Congress and their staffs,” Papathanasiou said. “We trust our fellow Americans to support law enforcement by supporting and respecting our officers by allowing every vote to be counted in a safe, secure election process. There is no place for violence in our elections.”

-ABC News’ Luke Barr

 

Trump campaign attempts to spin Cheney comments

Trump’s campaign is attempting to spin Trump’s violent rhetoric against former Rep. Liz Cheney.

Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s spokesperson, claimed on Friday morning that his remarks were being taken out of context.

“President Trump was CLEARLY explaining that warmongers like Liz Cheney are very quick to start wars and send other Americans to fight them, rather than go into combat themselves,” Leavitt wrote on X.

She also shared a clip of Trump’s talk with Tucker Carlson when Trump said: “Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK, let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face. You know, they’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying, ‘Oh, gee, well, let’s send a — let’s send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy.'”

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa

Cheney responds: ‘This is how dictators destroy free nations’

Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney responded to Trump’s comments in a post on X.

“This is how dictators destroy free nations,” she wrote. “They threaten those who speak against them with death. We cannot entrust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.”

She also included the hashtag #VoteKamala in the post.

Trump escalates violent rhetoric in attack on Liz Cheney

Sitting down with Tucker Carlson in Arizona late Thursday, Trump unleashed on former Rep. Liz Cheney.

“She’s a radical war hawk,” Trump said as he accused her and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, of leading the United States into the war in the Middle East.

“Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her,” Trump said, invoking violence on his opponents as he implied that she sends people to war without having any war experience of her own.

“Okay, let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face. You know, they’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying, ‘Oh, gee, Will, let’s send a, let’s send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy,'” Trump continued.

He also repeatedly called Cheney a “stupid” and “bad” person.

-ABC News’ Soorin Kim, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh

Trump repeats ‘enemy within’ comments, points to example of Rep. Adam Schiff

Appearing at Tucker Carlson’s fireside chat style interview for his final stop of the Western swing in Arizona, former President Donald Trump suggested that there is an “enemy within” and if there is a “smart president” in office, the country will be fine.

“We do have an enemy from within. We have some very bad people, and those people are also very dangerous. They would like to take down our country. They’d like to have our country be a nice communist country or a fascist in any way they can. And we have to be careful of that,” Trump said.

“They’re the threat to democracy. You know, the amazing thing — the amazing thing is where they say, ‘He wants to become elected, and he wants to put people in jail.’ How terrible. That’s what they’ve been trying to do to me for four years,” Trump said, reminding his followers of the legal battles he’s gone through.

Trump repeatedly threw personal attacks on Rep. Adam Schiff, attacking his appearance and suggesting he’s an example of a Democrat who “hates the country” because he led the efforts of Russian intelligence in the 2016 election.

“Schiff, he’s a sleazebag, and he’s probably going to be a senator, if you can believe it,” Trump said, pointing to an example of Democrats who he alleges “hate the country.”

“He’s unattractive both inside and out,” Trump said. “But this is a really bad guy. This is a dishonest guy, not a dumb guy at all.”

Harris leans into prosecutor past in Nevada, doubles down on Trump’s remarks about women

Vice President Kamala Harris vowed that “nothing in the world” will prevent her from fighting for Americans while speaking in Reno, Nevada, on Tuesday.

She referenced her time as a prosecutor in the neighboring state of California, saying, “A lot of folks here know I’m not afraid of tough fights.”

“And it is my pledge to you that if you give me the chance to fight on your behalf as president, there is nothing in the world that will stand in my way of fighting for you,” Harris added. “For the people.”

During her first general election rally in the northern part of Nevada, she also criticized former President Donald Trump’s comments on protecting women.

“He said, on the issue of freedom of choice, reproductive freedom, he said that he will do what he wants because, quote, he — this is his perspective — he will do it ‘whether the women like it or not,’ ‘whether the women like it or not,’” Harris said. “Can you imagine?”

“He does not believe women should have authority or agency over their own bodies. This is the same person who said that women should be punished for their choices,” she said, echoing remarks that she’d made at campaign stops throughout the day. “This is someone who simply does not respect the freedom of women, or the intelligence of women to make decisions about their own lives.”

She closed out the rally with a phrase she’s employed over the past several days, telling those in the crowd that “in less than 90 days, either he or I will be sitting in the Oval Office,” explaining that while Trump will walk into that room with an enemies list, she is prepared to walk in with a to-do list.

Although Harris’ remarks were interrupted a few times by protestors, she addressed them saying, “We’re here because we’re fighting for a democracy.”

She said it was “okay” and “all right” for them to protest at the event, because “we’re fighting for the right to be heard and not be jailed for speaking their mind.”

“We know what’s at stake,” Harris assured.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie

Trump delivers low-energy remarks at second campaign stop in Nevada

At his second campaign stop of the day, former President Donald Trump was set to make his final pitch to voters from the populous Las Vegas metropolitan area just five days ahead of Election Day.

But Trump seemed noticeably low energy Thursday evening as his speech gradually strayed from his key campaign messaging to ramble about topics like his social media company.

Despite this, Trump repeatedly bashed Vice President Kamala Harris for appearing tired, while touting that he has been campaigning for 62 days in a row.

“Five days — I can’t wait. You know what? I’ve worked for 62 days in a row. I haven’t taken a day off,” Trump said at the rally. “I looked at her today. She was trying to justify the fact that they called us all garbage. And I watch her do news coverage. She’s exhausted. She’s finished,” he said of Harris.

-ABC News’ Soorin Kim, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh

Georgia’s top election official warns of fake online video: ‘Likely foreign interference’

With just days until the election, Georgia’s top election official warned Thursday that a fake video circulating online claiming to show voter fraud in the state is “likely foreign interference attempting to show discord and chaos on the eve of the election.”

The video circulating on social media, according to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, purports to show a Haitian immigrant claiming to have voted multiple times with multiple state IDs.

“This is false,” Raffensperger said of the video, calling it “targeted disinformation.”

Raffensperger’s statement said law enforcement is investigating, and added it is “likely” a product of Russian troll farms. Raffensperger called on social media companies to take the video down — and specifically called out Elon Musk by name.

“As Americans, we can’t let our enemies use lies to divide us and undermine our faith in our institutions — or each other,” he said.

Obama stops by phone bank with Dem. Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks

Former President Barack Obama joined Angela Alsobrooks, the Democratic candidate for Maryland’s Senate seat, at a phone banking session on Thursday, according to the Alsobrooks campaign.

The visit comes just days before the general election, and on the last day of early voting in Maryland, where Alsobrooks’ Republican opponent is the state’s former governor Larry Hogan.

While the race has been seen as competitive even in relatively blue Maryland, Alsobrooks has held a lead in polling.

“President Obama knows what is at stake in this election,” Alsobrooks said in a press release. “And I am so grateful he’s joined our phonebank today to urge voters to get out and vote to defend our Democratic Senate Majority in order to protect our freedoms, fight for our futures, and ensure our families can thrive.”

Voting organization must stop threatening to expose Maryland’s non-voters, AG says

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Voter Information/Voter Participation Center, alleging that it has been threatening to publicly expose registered voters who don’t vote in this year’s election.

Brown has requested that the organization refrain from publishing voter information or attempting to embarrass non-voters.

In the cease-and-desist letter, he wrote, “Voting is among the most important rights that Marylanders have. Any action that intimidates prospective voters, especially on the eve of such a consequential election, will not be tolerated.”

“These unnerving letters are unacceptable, and Maryland voters should know that their decision to vote this Election Day is entirely theirs to make,” he continued.

The organization mass-mailed letters to Maryland residents that stated, “We’re sending this mailing to you and to your neighbors to share who does and does not vote in an effort to promote election participation. While we have hidden the name and street number of your neighbors to protect privacy, these are true voting records.”

“We will be reviewing these records after the election to determine whether or not you joined our neighbors in voting,” the organization’s letters said.

Indiana GOP blocks expanded early vote hours in largest county

As Indiana surpasses 1 million early voters this election, state Republicans have blocked the expansion of early voting in one of the state’s biggest counties.

The Marion County Election Board blocked a motion Thursday to keep early voting locations open two hours longer on Friday, Saturday and Sunday due to long lines throughout the county.

Marion County, the state’s most populous county, is home to Indiana’s capital.

With long lines across the state, Indiana Democrats told ABC News they had hoped voters would have more time to vote this weekend.

“Republicans in Indiana are becoming experts at disenfranchising voters,” Indiana Democratic Party Chair Mike Schmuhl said. “We’ve seen long lines in Indianapolis and across the state because Hoosiers are excited to vote in this election.”

“This is something voters want. They do not want to wait in lines, or can’t afford to, even in the best weather,” he added.

-ABC News’ Beatrice Peterson

Walz speaks at Puerto Rican restaurant in Pennsylvania

Gov. Tim Walz made a campaign stop at Vilma’s Kitchen, a local Puerto Rican restaurant in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Thursday and brought up the controversial joke about the island from Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally.

Walz said the comedian’s insult was “incredibly hurtful” and “dangerous.”

“We saw what happened in New York City and Madison Square Garden, as another attempt to divide us,” he said.

Walz also told the group that the country needs a “specific Puerto Rico strategy.”

“I say this as a teacher, we’ve got to educate our fellow Americans about our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico, why it’s important [and] why we’re investing there, and then understanding how much the Puerto Rican community contributes to all of our states across here,” he said.

Walz also spent time meeting with members of the Bharatiya Temple in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, as they celebrated Diwali.

Walz thanked the Indian and South Asian community for their contribution to “all aspects of civil, political, educational” life, in addition to their input ”across the arts and entrepreneurship and business.”

“To see the political voice rise itself up, [and] to see us elect folks that look like the community, we get a more perfect union that way,” he said.

-ABC News’ Isabella Murray

Possible ranked choice recount could delay Maine election results: Source

Maine is one of two states in the country that uses a ranked choice voting (RCV) method to determine its federal elections and that method could lead to a delay in getting the results from the state, a source with knowledge of proceedings told ABC News.

If neither Trump nor Harris get 50% in the state’s 2nd Congressional District, “it’s going to be chaos,” as the recount and retabulation process could last well into the next week, the source said.

In 2018, Rep. Jared Golden wasn’t declared the winner in the 2nd Congressional District race until Nov. 15, 11 days after Election Day.

Ballots from every town in Maine will have to be driven to the state capital, requiring involvement from local law enforcement. Ballots will be fed into a machine in Augusta as an Election Day precaution as security is heightened, according to the source.

-ABC News’ Beatrice Peterson

Trump slams ‘insecure’ Cuban in Truth Social post

Trump lashed out against Mark Cuban in a Truth Social post on Thursday, hours after the billionaire Harris surrogate said on “The View” that Trump is never seen “around strong, intelligent women.”

Trump called Cuban a “really dumb guy” and claimed Trump surrounds himself with “the strongest of women.” The former president added, “ALL women are great, whether strong or not strong.”

Calling Cuban a “fool,” Trump claimed Cuban called him “incessantly,” and at one point he told him, “Look Mark, I’ve got a lot of things to do, I just can’t be taking so many pointless calls from you.”

Trump claimed that’s why Cuban is attacking him, calling him an “insecure” man.

-ABC News’ Soo Rin Kim, Kelsey Walsh and Lalee Ibssa

Philly DA requests Musk case to be sent to state court

The ongoing court battle between Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and billionaire Trump surrogate Elon Musk over his controversial $1 million voter giveaway has taken another turn.

On Wednesday, Musk filed a motion to move Krasner’s lawsuit to federal court, claiming the DA’s allegations “turn principally on the allegation that Defendants are somehow unlawfully interfering with a federal election.”

Krasner filed an emergency motion in federal court Thursday asking the judge to “immediately” send the case back to state court — asking them to do so by the end of day “if at all possible” so it can continue in state court.

In the filing, the DA’s team said Musk’s claims are “meritless” and reiterated that their lawsuit makes “only state law claims,” therefore making it not subject to federal removal.

The DA said Musk’s last-minute effort is “a stunt to obtain a procedural advantage to avoid a ruling … and run the clock until election day.”

Judge Gerald J. Pappert ordered Musk to respond to the DA’s filing by 10 a.m. Friday, meaning the case will remain halted until then.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Supreme Court denies Cornel West’s request for PA polling site signs

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito denied Thursday third-party presidential candidate Cornel West’s request for Pennsylvania election officials.

West sought to put up signs at all polling places that say he is a candidate for president and can be written in.

Alito did not refer the request to the full court and did not explain the decision.

-ABC News’ Devin Dwyer

Harris attacks Trump as ‘unstable, obsessed with revenge’

Harris told a Phoenix crowd Thursday that they should picture the difference between her and Trump occupying the Oval Office, describing him as “unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed with grievance, and out for unchecked power.”

Harris sought to capitalize on recent comments from Trump himself, on reproductive rights, and from House Speaker Mike Johnson, on health care.

“He does not believe women should have the agency and authority to make decisions about their own bodies. This is the same man who said women should be punished for their choices,” Harris added.

The vice president was interrupted by pro-Palestinian supporters during her speech. She sought to describe to them the work she would put in to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of hostages.

“Hey guys, you know what? Here’s the thing. Let’s talk for a moment about Gaza. We all want this war to end and get the hostages out. And I will work on it full time when I am elected president, as I’ve been,” she said.

-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Fritz Farrow

Vance pushes anti-vax, anti-trans messages during Joe Rogan interview

Sen. JD Vance appeared on the “Joe Rogan Experience” Thursday and discussed a wide range of topics regarding his experience and the campaign.

During the three-hour conversation, Vance talked about his skepticism about the COVID-19 vaccine to Rogan, who has pushed false claims about vaccines on his show.

The COVID-19 vaccines have been proven effective in preventing serious illnesses and death from the virus. Some side effects of the vaccine include “pain, redness or swelling at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea,” and typically resolve themselves in a few days, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Vance claimed on the show he was “red pilled” after he had side effects following taking an unidentified COVID-19 vaccine.

“We’re not even allowed to talk about the fact that I was as sick as I’ve ever been for two days, and the worst COVID experience I had was like a sinus infection. I’m not really willing to trade that,” Vance claimed.

Vance also said he’s worried that there may be a “conflict” in 30 to 40 years with developing countries because they have a negative perception of westerners for “giving them health care that isn’t actually health care,” referring to vaccines.

The senator also claimed that people become trans or gender nonbinary to reject their white privilege and participate in DEI programs to get into Ivy League colleges.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

LeBron James endorses Harris

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, among the most well-known basketball players in the world, endorsed Harris in a social media post on Thursday.

A video accompanying the post opens with a clip of comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s much-criticized jokes about Black people at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, and intersperses scenes of Trump speaking with footage from social justice marches in the past, as well as protests in 2020.

James does not appear in the video but wrote in the post, “What are we even talking about here?? When I think about my kids and my family and how they will grow up, the choice is clear to me. VOTE KAMALA HARRIS!!!”

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim

Trump campaigns in New Mexico, which he falsely claims he won twice

With just five days until Election Day, Trump kicked off his western swing at an unlikely stop in Albuquerque, where he spewed false and baseless claims about past election results as he claimed New Mexico is in play for him.

Trump claimed he won New Mexico in both of his previous presidential runs and that votes from New Mexico were “rigged” — despite Hillary Clinton winning by more than 8 points in 2016 and President Joe Biden winning the state by more than 10 points in 2020.

“I’m only here for one reason. They all said, ‘Don’t come.’ I said, ‘Why?’ ‘You can’t win.’ I said, ‘Look, your votes are rigged.’ We can win New Mexico. We can win New Mexico,” Trump said.

Trump claimed he can win states like New Mexico and California if his supporters can “keep the votes honest” and “keep the votes on us.”

“So, you know, we almost won it twice. And let me tell you, I believe we won it twice. Okay?” he said. “You want to know the truth? And if you can watch your vote counter – if we could bring God down from heaven, he could be the vote counter, we would win this,” Trump said.

-ABC News’ Soorin Kim, Lalee Ibssa, Kelsey Walsh

Mark Cuban responds to Trump team’s attack over ‘strong, intelligent women’

Harris surrogate Mark Cuban responded on X Thursday to criticism he received from Trump’s campaign over his remarks he made earlier in the day on “The View.”

Cuban expanded on his statement in which he said “Donald Trump, you never see him around strong, intelligent women. Ever. It’s just that simple. They’re intimidating to him. He doesn’t like to be challenged by them.”

Several Trump allies bashed the Dallas Mavericks owner for his comments.

In his X post, Cuban said, “I’m happy to clarify that

1. I know many strong, intelligent women voting for Trump. Including in my extended family. I’m certainly not saying female voters are not smart , strong and intelligent.

2. I know he has worked with strong intelligent women, like Elaine Chao, Kelly Anne [Conway], Ivanka [Trump] and many others

I stand by my opinion that he does not like being challenged publicly.”

Mike Bloomberg endorses Harris ‘without hesitation’

Former New York City mayor and billionaire Michael Bloomberg revealed Thursday that he voted for Harris.

Bloomberg, who ran a failed presidential campaign during the 2020 Democratic primary, said in an X post that he voted for Harris “without hesitation.”

“When it comes to policy and personal integrity, the contrast could not be clearer, and I hope undecided voters with a history of supporting candidates in both parties join me,” Bloomberg, an independent voter and former Republican, said.

Mark Cuban says Trump isn’t surrounded by ‘strong’ women. His allies push back

On ABC’s “The View,” Mark Cuban — a Harris surrogate — was asked what he made of Nikki Haley not campaigning with Trump.

“Donald Trump, you never see him around strong, intelligent women. Ever. It’s just that simple. They’re intimidating to him,” the “Shark Tank” investor said.

“He doesn’t like to be challenged by them and, you know, Nikki Haley will call him on his nonsense with reproductive rights and how he sees and treats and talks about women. I mean, he just can’t have her around. It wouldn’t work,” Cuban added.

Now, a host of Trump’s allies from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to Lara Trump to Sage Steele are all attacking Cuban and trying to tie his words to the Harris campaign.

Trump’s national press secretary Karoline Leavitt called Cuban’s words “extremely insulting to the thousands of women who work for President Trump, and the tens of millions of women who are voting for him.”

It comes as Trump’s campaign, for much of this election, has had missteps when it comes to courting women — facing a myriad of questions about reproductive rights and attempting to convince Trump to lay off the personal attacks as he attacked Haley’s intelligence during the primaries, and now continues to degrade Harris.

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa

Nebraska county drafts poll workers into service

Finding poll workers can be tough for election officials, particularly in the heightened threat environment targeting election workers. But one Nebraska county has found a novel way of ensuring polling places are properly staffed on Election Day: a draft.

Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse told ABC News about 45% of the county’s 3,000 election workers were drafted into service.

Douglas County is the most populous county in the state and one of two counties that uses an election draft. All voters registered in the county are eligible and may receive a letter in the mail letting them know they are required to participate — a system akin to jury duty. The system has been in place for about 25 years, but Kruse says some people aren’t familiar with it and are surprised when they get the notice. “Their first reaction is, ‘Is this real?.’ We field lots of those questions after we send letters out, but most people are good sports about it.”

Some of the benefits of using a draft, according to Kruse, are lowering the average age of poll workers, creating balance among parties, and helping people gain a better understanding of how the election process works.

“A lot of people who would have never volunteered or been part of the process now come in and find out what all it takes to do it and how safe and secure it is and so they become great ambassadors for our office and many of them continue to be volunteers after their four turns are up,” Kruse said.

Volunteers who are drafted are required to complete an online training course and serve during four elections. The election office will work with anyone to postpone their duty who has a trip planned, a medical issue or a spouse or family member who is a candidate, but the only way to be completely exempt from the draft is to be over 70 years old.

Douglas County also has new security measures in place for ballot drop boxes. Over the summer they county added a dry fire suppression system to all 13 of them. Kruse said there were no specific threats or concerns that led to the addition.

“The election commissioner in Hall County said she was looking into it, and she had done it and once she got a little more information then we decided it was reasonable,” Kruse said.

There are also cameras monitoring the drop boxes that have been in place for at least two years.

-ABC News’ Tonya Simpson

Harris using Trump’s words to shore up Arab-American support in Michigan

Harris and her allies in battleground Michigan are launching a new turnout campaign to assertively shore up support among Arab Americans, sending out mailers using Trump’s own words about reimplementing a Muslim ban.

“Just last month, Donald Trump said he would ban Muslims from traveling here, and also ban refugees from Gaza,” one of the mailers obtained by ABC News reads. Further down, the mailer says the former president “is no friend to Arab Americans,” with one of their examples being his comment that he would let Israel “finish the job” in Gaza.

Another is a full-page black-and-white photo of Trump with “FINISH THE JOB” written above him. “That’s what Trump said he would let Israel do in Gaza.” The mailers, which come on the heels of a six-figure digital ad push, also points to the Arab American group Emgage Action’s endorsement of Harris. (A number of other Arab leaders have backed Harris.)

Michigan, a state that was narrowly won in 2016 and 2020, is a target of both Harris and Trump’s campaigns and has the largest Arab-American population among the states that will help decide the election. And Trump is making a play for them, too. Over the weekend, in Novi, Michigan, Trump invited Muslim leaders to the stage who are backing him, including Hamtramck, Michigan, Mayor Amer Ghalib.

Pro-Palestinian protestors who take issue with the U.S. response have demonstrated at Harris’ rallies, including on Tuesday night as she delivered her “closing argument” speech outside the White House and Wednesday at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

“Look, I’ll repeat: We are fighting for our democracy. We love our democracy. It can be complicated at times, but it is the best system in the world,” Harris said after several interruptions from demonstrators.

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow

Harris, Trump swipe at each other over the Affordable Care Act

Harris, at a news conference on Thursday, swiped at House Speaker Mike Johnson’s comments about making “massive reform” to gut the Affordable Care Act.

“I’ve been saying throughout this campaign, be very clear that among the stakes in this election are whether we continue with the Affordable Care Act or not,” she said. “It has been a part of Donald Trump’s agenda for a very long time. He has made dozens of attempts to get rid of the Affordable Care Act, and now we have further validation of that agenda from his supporter, the speaker of the House.”

“What that would mean for the American people is that pharma — that insurance companies could go back to a time when they would deny you coverage for health insurance based on pre-existing conditions, pre-existing conditions such as being a survivor of breast cancer, asthma, diabetes,” she added.

The Trump campaign is trying to distance itself from Johnson’s comments, telling The New York Times they are “not President Trump’s policy position.”

Trump is also seeking to separate himself from the remarks, despite saying numerous times this campaign that he would replace the ACA without offering a clear alternative.

Trump called Harris a “liar” and said her comments were a “desperate” attempt.

More than 59 million Americans have voted early

As of 5:45 a.m. on Thursday, more than 59 million Americans have voted early, according to the Election Lab at the University of Florida.

Of the total number of early votes, 31,018,125 were cast in person and 27,952,363 were returned by mail.

Harris pushes inclusivity in final days of campaign

Harris, while speaking to reports before departing Wisconsin, said she found Trump’s comments about women “offensive to everybody” and that, in contrast, her campaign is about unifying people.

“You’ve been following me and you will see that in the tens of thousands of people who attend our rallies … there are men, women, young people, people of every race, every background,” she said.

Harris said her campaign is “about bringing people together, people of very different and diverse backgrounds, around a common theme that is about love of country, defending the Constitution of the United States, investing in our future and rejecting the notion that we are divided.”

Harris rips Trump over his comments about women

Harris, speaking with reporters before departing Wisconsin, continued to slam Trump for his comments that he will protect women “whether they like it or not.”

“It actually is, I think, very offensive to women in terms of not understanding their agency, their authority, their right and their ability to make decisions about their own lives, including their own bodies,” Harris said.

“He does not prioritize the freedom of women and the intelligence of women to make decisions about their own lives and bodies and health care for all Americans is on the line in this election,” she added.

Elon Musk not in attendance at hearing on his controversial giveaway

Musk is a no show in court in Pennsylvania for a hearing over the legality of his $1 million a day giveaway.

The hearing has been derailed after Musk late Wednesday sought to remove the civil case to federal court. While discussions in court are ongoing, all parties essentially agree the hearing can’t go forward until federal court decides on the issue.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Philadelphia hearing today on Elon Musk’s $1 million voter giveaway

Elon Musk in a filing late Wednesday sought to have the civil lawsuit against his $1 million giveaway moved into federal court, arguing the claims “turn principally on the allegation that Defendants are somehow unlawfully interfering with a federal election.”

Though District Attorney Larry Krasner has accused Musk and his political action committee of running an illegal lottery and violating state consumer protection laws, Musk’s court filing notes the repeated references to the upcoming presidential election in the lawsuit.

The filing comes before a 10 a.m. ET hearing scheduled in Philadelphia on the issue.

Read more about Krasner’s lawsuit here.

-ABC News’ Lucien Bruggeman and Olivia Rubin

Where the candidates are campaigning 5 days out from Election Day

Vice President Harris will hold events at 4:20 p.m. ET in Phoenix, Arizona, and at 8:25 p.m. ET in Reno, Nevada.

Her final event of the day in Las Vegas will include remarks by Jennifer Lopez and a performance by Maná.

Trump is holding a 2:00 p.m. ET rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and a 6:30 p.m. ET rally in Henderson, Nevada, before joining Tucker Carlson for a hurricane relief benefit in Arizona.

Elon Musk not in attendance at hearing on his controversial giveaway

Musk is a no show in court in Pennsylvania for a hearing over the legality of his $1 million a day giveaway.

The hearing has been derailed after Musk late Wednesday sought to remove the case to federal court. While discussions in court are ongoing, all parties essentially agree the hearing can’t go forward until federal court decides on the issue.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Philadelphia hearing today on Elon Musk’s $1 million voter giveaway

Elon Musk in a filing late Wednesday sought to have the lawsuit against his $1 million giveaway moved into federal court, arguing the claims “turn principally on the allegation that Defendants are somehow unlawfully interfering with a federal election.”

Though District Attorney Larry Krasner has accused Musk and his political action committee of running an illegal lottery and violating state consumer protection laws, Musk’s court filing notes the repeated references to the upcoming presidential election in the lawsuit.

The filing comes before a 10 a.m. ET hearing scheduled in Philadelphia on the issue.

Read more about Krasner’s lawsuit here.

Harris seizes on Trump’s comment about protecting women ‘whether the women like it not’

Harris seized an opportunity to criticize Trump on abortion after for his comments at his rally Wednesday night in which he said he would protect women “whether the women like it or not.”

“Donald Trump thinks he should get to make decisions about what you do with your body,” Harris posted on X. “Whether you like it or not.”

Harris’ campaign clipped Trump’s comments and edited it into a loop with a split screen of headlines about Trump saying “he could prosecute women for abortions,” “might monitor pregnancies,” and other abortion-related headlines.

Musk asks for $1 million lottery case to be moved to federal court

In a filing late Wednesday evening, Elon Musk sought to have the lawsuit against his $1 million giveaway moved into federal court, arguing the claims “turn principally on the allegation that defendants are somehow unlawfully interfering with a federal election.”

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has accused Musk and his America PAC of running an illegal lottery and violating state consumer protection laws.

The filing specifically states “this is not a case” about whether or not Musk violated state or federal laws that prohibit vote buying.

But Musk’s Wednesday filing notes the lawsuit’s repeated references to the upcoming presidential election. That includes Krasner’s claim that Musk and his PAC “hatched their illegal lottery scheme to influence voters in that election.”

“The complaint, in truth, has little to do with state-law claims of nuisance and consumer protection,” Musk’s attorney wrote in his filing.

“Rather, although disguised as state law claims, the complaint’s focus is to prevent defendants’ purported ‘interference’ with the forthcoming federal presidential election by any means.”

The filing argues any order in the case would “require judicial intervention into the progress of an ongoing federal election” — a move they say is not allowed.

The filing comes before a Thursday morning hearing in Philadelphia on the issue.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Harris responds to Trump’s comments on protecting women

Vice President Kamala Harris seized an opportunity to criticize former President Donald Trump on abortion after the Republican presidential nominee told a rally Wednesday night that he would protect women “whether the women like it or not.”

“Donald Trump thinks he should get to make decisions about what you do with your body,” Harris wrote on X. “Whether you like it or not.”

Harris’s campaign clipped Trump’s comments and edited it into a loop with a split screen of headlines about Trump saying “he could prosecute women for abortions,” “might monitor pregnancies” and other abortion-related headlines.

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Will McDuffie

Harris slams Trump after reports he promised RFK Jr. public health role

Vice President Kamala Harris commented late Wednesday night on the promises former President Donald Trump has allegedly made to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“Putting an anti-abortion conspiracy theorist in charge of our public health agencies says everything you need to know about how Donald Trump would govern,” Harris wrote on X.

“He is more unhinged than ever, and if he wins, he’ll have no one to hold him back.”

Trump said Sunday of RFK Jr.: “I’m going to let him go wild on health, I’m going to let him go wild on the food, I’m going to let him go wild on medicines.”

In response, Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said, “No formal decisions about cabinet and personnel have been made, however, President Trump has said he will work alongside passionate voices like RFK Jr. to make America healthy again.”

-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Kelsey Walsh, Soo Rin Kim and Lalee Ibssa

Harris woos 1st-time voters during Wisconsin concert series

Vice President Kamala Harris held another get-out-the-vote rally in Madison, Wisconsin, Wednesday, joined by musical stars including Mumford and Sons, The National’s Matt Berninger, Gracie Abrams and Remi Wolf.

Harris applauded the audience — many of whom were young first-time voters — for using their “power.”

“You grew up with active shooter drills, are fighting to keep our schools safe,” Harris said. “You will now know fewer rights than your mothers and grandmothers,” the vice president added.

“What I know about you is these issues are not theoretical,” Harris continued. “This is not political for you. This is your lived experience. And I see you and I see your power. I see your power, and I am so proud of you.”

Harris largely stuck to her usual stump speech, contrasting herself to former President Donald Trump by pledging that as president she won’t be looking to “score political points,” but to “make progress.”

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie

‘Whether the women like it or not, I’m going to protect them,’ Trump says during rally

Following his press conference in a garbage truck, former President Donald Trump held a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin – still opting to sport his new orange safety vest.

He stuck to his stump speech heavily focused on immigration and the economy, he also made an appeal to women repeating he will be their “protector.”

Trump suggested that his campaign advised him to not say he’ll protect women, but he disagreed.

“We think it’s very inappropriate for you to say,” Trump said his campaign told him.

“I said, ‘Why, I’m president. I want to protect the women of our country.’ They said, ‘Sir, I just think it’s inappropriate for you to say,'” Trump explained.

“Well, I’m going to do it. Whether the women like it or not, I’m going to protect them,” Trump told the crowd. “I’m going to protect them from migrants coming in. I’m going to protect them from foreign countries that want to hit it, hit us with missiles and lots of other things.”

“I’m going to defend and I’m going to protect women. I’m not going to let people go up to the suburbs or go into places where they live, whether it’s suburbs or cities or farms. We’re going to protect our women, at the border, we’re going to protect our women, and also we’re going to protect our men and our children. We’re going to protect everybody.”

Trump then asked the crowd: “Is there any woman in this giant stadium who would like not to be protected? Is there any woman in this stadium that wants to be protected by the president?”

The moment was met with a large applause.

‘We all want the war in Gaza to end,’ Harris responds to ‘cease-fire now’ chants

A few chants of “cease-fire now” broke out as Vice President Kamala Harris took the stage during a rally at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Wednesday night.

“Listen, we all want the war in Gaza to end and get the hostages out as soon as possible,” Harris said in response to the chanting. “And I will do everything in my power to make it heard and known.”

As the chants continued, she said, “And everyone has a right to be heard. But right now I am speaking.” The remark garnered loud cheers.

The event was billed as a “Get Out the Vote” rally and took place at the University of Wisconsin-Madison featuring performances by Gracie Abrams and Mumford & Sons.

With less than a week before Election Day, Harris is taking her “closing argument” to voters on the road after a big speech at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night. (Pro-Palestinian protesters were also escorted out of that speech)

Harris’ remarks in Wisconsin lasted about 25 minutes. In them, she did not address President Joe Biden’s controversial comments Tuesday that seemed to refer to Trump supporters as “garbage.”

Trump’s final campaign stop ahead of Election Day scheduled to take place in Grand Rapids: Sources

Former President Donald Trump’s final campaign stop of the 2024 election is scheduled to take place in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Monday, Nov. 4, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

Grand Rapids was where Trump concluded his 2020 campaign and 2016 campaign as well.

In addition to Grand Rapids, he’s expected to make multiple campaign stops in battleground states on the eve of the Election Day, including in Pennsylvania.

-ABC News’ Soo Rin Kim, Kelsey Walsh and Lalee Ibssa

Trump rides to WI campaign stop in garbage truck

Days after a comedian labeled Puerto Rico a “pile of garbage” at Donald Trump’s MSG rally, the former president rode to a Green Bay, Wisconsin, rally in a Trump-marked garbage truck Wednesday.

Trump continued to bash President Joe Biden’s response to the controversial moment from the MSG rally in which he said that Trump’s supporters were garbage.

Biden clarified his comments and Vice President Kalama Harris told reporters, “I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for.”

Trump, however, told reporters while riding in the garbage truck that “250 million people are not garbage.”

“I can tell you who the real garbage is but I will not say that,” he continued.

Trump falsely claimed there was corruption in Pennsylvania.

Later pressed if he would accept election results if there’s no evidence of fraud, Trump reiterated claims about Pennsylvania, and then said, “If they find no evidence of cheating anywhere, I’ll accept it.”

Pressed on a potential role Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could play in his administration, Trump vaguely said he would work with him but while not confirming that he’d be given the top Health and Human Services job.

“We’ll work with him, and he’s a very talented guy. He wants women’s health. He wants health for people, and we’re going to work with him. He’s a very, very talented guy,” Trump said.

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Kelsey Walsh and Soo Rin Kim

Philly hearing on Musk lawsuit moved up to Thursday

The judge overseeing the lawsuit against Elon Musk and his $1 million dollar giveaway to registered voters who sign a petition supporting the First and Second amendments has moved up a hearing in the case to Thursday at 10 a.m., bumping it up from Friday, according to a new order.

The order from Judge Angelo Foglietta states that “all parties must be present.”

Earlier Wednesday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner asked the court to “enhance its security” for the hearing.

Krasner said Musk’s post about the case on X has “triggered an avalanche of posts.” including “antisemitic attacks” against the prosecutor.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Thank you cookies to NC election workers prompts hazmat response

A thank you present of pineapple-shaped cookies delivered to the Wake County Board of Elections in North Carolina prompted a hazmat response on Tuesday after election workers raised concerns about a suspicious package mailed from Hawaii.

“We are just on high alert with these things automatically,” said Wake County elections specialist Danner McCulloh, who cited recent incidents of suspicious packages containing powder sent to election offices across the country.

The Raleigh Police and Fire Departments quickly responded to the incident and bomb technicians x-rayed the package, according to Lt. Jason Borneo of the Raleigh Police Department.

After the package was deemed to not be a threat, emergency responders opened the package to learn it was full of cookies shipped from the Honolulu Cookie Company. The operations at Wake County Board of Elections were not impacted during the incident, a county spokesperson said.

According to McCulloh, a person who heard a radio story about Wake County decided to send the cookies unannounced to thank election workers.

“It was a kind gesture,” McCulloh said, though he recommended against others sending cookies to his office.

-ABC News’ Peter Charalambous
 

Harris brings her closing argument to Pennsylvania: ‘Turn the page’

Harris brought her “closing argument” to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, highlighting what she said is a clear contrast between her and Trump, and encouraging voters to cast their ballots in the election’s final days.

“We know we have an opportunity in this election to turn the page on a decade of Donald Trump trying to keep us divided and afraid of each other. That is who he is. But Pennsylvania, that is not who we are,” Harris said, swapping out “America” for “Pennsylvania” from her speech at the Ellipse the night before.

Harris was interrupted several times by pro-Palestinian protesters.

“We are six days out of an election. We are six days away from an election. And ours is about a fight for democracy. And your right to be heard. That is what is on the line in this election. That is what is on the line in this election,” Harris said as she was being jeered by a protestor holding up a large Palestinian flag.

“Look, everybody has a right to be heard. But right now, I am speaking. And one of the biggest issues that folks around the country want to talk about and hear is about how we are going to bring down the price of living for working people,” she said.

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Will McDuffie

Voters, Dems ask Supreme Court to reject RNC appeal of Pennsylvania ballot case

Two Pennsylvania voters and the state’s Democratic Party asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to reject a Republican request to block counting of provisional in-person ballots cast by people whose mail-in ballots were not put into a required security envelope.

The Democrats argued the Pennsylvania Supreme Court delivered a “straightforward” decision that state law permits voters whose mail ballots were not counted to “exercise their statutory right to vote provisionally rather than be disenfranchised altogether.”

The party contends that the RNC has no standing to bring a challenge in the case because it involves two ballots from the 2024 Democratic primary in which the Republican Party could not have been “injured.”

They also argued that the so-called Purcell principle — of nonintervention by courts close to a voting period — does not apply to state courts.

The Democrats also said the Republicans’ request for segregation and non-counting of provisional ballots would be a “sweeping” intervention and imposition on county boards of election which are not even parties to the case.

-ABC News’ Devin Dwyer‘It’s invaded our home,’ PA nuns swept up in misinformation campaign

‘It’s invaded our home,’ PA nuns swept up in misinformation campaign

A nun in Pennsylvania who was swept up in a misinformation campaign boosted by a Republican activist said she’s praying to be left alone.

Cliff Maloney, who runs a door-knocking organization, claimed in an X post one of his staffers visited an address in Erie, Pennsylvania, last week and was told none of the 53 registered voters who used that address actually lived there.

However, the address is home to 55 resident nuns of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie. All but two of the nuns are registered to vote.

“It’s invaded our home, if you want to describe it that way,” Sister Stephanie Schmidt, the prioress, told ABC News.

Maloney also posted the names and political affiliations of each nun on his X account, something Schmidt said made her empathize with countless other Americans caught up in misinformation on social media.

“It was very concerning, because this was a blatant lie, putting out to the public information that was just wrong,” she said.

“This campaign is filled with so much deceit, so much misinformation, and we have to wake people up, which is another reason why we’re going public with this, to alert people to not believe everything you read,” Schmidt added.

Maloney has not responded to repeated requests to answer questions from ABC News.

He later posted an update claiming his team was “analyzing” the new information about the nuns’ residence and said, “Once we have proof, we will be content.”

Schmidt says one of the things she’s praying for most is for this misinformation to leave them alone.

-ABC News’ Jay O’Brien

Trump slams Biden over ‘garbage’ comments, calls opponents ‘lowlifes’

Trump again responded to President Joe Biden’s Tuesday comments in which he appeared to refer to Trump supporters as “garbage.”

During his rally in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, on Wednesday, the former president claimed, “Joe Biden finally said what he and Kamala really think of our supporters. He called them ‘garbage.’ And they mean it.”

“Frankly, they’ve treated you like garbage,” Trump added.

Although Biden later clarified his comments, in which he was responding to the derogatory comments about Puerto Rico made during Trump’s New York rally on Sunday, Trump labeled his opponents as “lowlifes” and claimed the current administration has “virtually destroyed” America.

“Kamala Harris, a low-IQ individual, is running a campaign of hate, anger and retribution. See, I’m very nice to them. They’re not nice,” he said.

Trump responded to a supporter who shouted, “She’s an idiot!” referring to Harris, sarcastically saying, “I didn’t say it. I didn’t say it. In fact, I’d like to admonish you, sir. You should not say that, please.”

Although Trump disavowed the supporter, his body language told a different story as he stood on stage laughing.

-ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh, Lalee Ibssa and Soorin Kim
 

Michigan authorities charge ‘non-US citizen’ with illegal voting

Authorities in Michigan charged an unidentified non-U.S. citizen with allegedly illegally registering to vote and casting a ballot.

More specific details about the case, which took place in Ann Arbor on Sunday, were not immediately available.

The case was referred to law enforcement by a clerk, according to Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit.

“We are grateful for the swift action of the clerk in this case, who took the appropriate steps and referred the case to law enforcement. We are also grateful to law enforcement for swiftly and thoroughly investigating this case,” they said in a joint statement.

“Noncitizen voting is an extremely isolated and rare event. Investigations in multiple states and nationwide have found no evidence of large numbers of noncitizens registering to vote. Even less common is a noncitizen actually casting a ballot,” they added.

-ABC News’ Mike Levine

Nicky Jam walks back Trump endorsement following MSG rally

Last month, Reggaeton music artist Nicky Jam, who is half Puerto Rican, stood on stage with a MAGA hat and endorsed Trump in Las Vegas.

On Wednesday, he announced he was rescinding that endorsement, citing the offensive comments about Puerto Rico made at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally.

In an Instagram video to his 43 million fans, Nicky Jam told his fans in Spanish he couldn’t overlook the inflammatory language in recent days.

“The reason why I supported Donald Trump was because I thought it was the best thing for the economy in the United States, where many Latinos live … I thought it was the best move. Never in my life did I think that a month later a comedian was going to come to criticize my country and talk bad about my country and therefore, I renounce any support to Donald Trump and I throw my sides to any political situation,” he said.

During the Vegas rally, Trump thought Nicky Jam was a woman and said, “She’s hot,” before bringing him on stage.

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim and Kelsey Walsh

Judge grants Trump campaign request to extend early voting deadline for PA county

A Pennsylvania judge swiftly granted a request from the Trump campaign to extend the in-person mail-in-ballot deadline in Bucks County by three days — extending it to the end of the day on Friday.

The campaign had asked for one-day extension.

In his one-page order, Judge Jeffrey Trauger wrote that the county violated the Pennsylvania Election Code after “turning away voters who sought to apply for a mail-in ballot and receive one in person before the deadline.”

He ordered the county to allow anyone who wishes to “apply for, receive, vote, and return a mail-in ballot” to be able to do so before the close of business on Friday.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Philly DA asks for more security for Elon Musk hearing

The Philadelphia district attorney who is bringing a lawsuit to stop Elon Musk’s $1 million voter giveaway asked the judge overseeing the case Wednesday to “enhance its security” for an upcoming hearing in the matter.

DA Larry Krasner said in a new court filing Musk’s post about the case on X has “triggered an avalanche of posts.” including “antisemitic attacks” against the prosecutor.

One account was “inviting political violence” and posted Krasner’s home address, according to the filing.

“These posts, which unquestionable are criminal…. and remain posted on Musk’s X website today,” the filing states.

Another post read “Krasner loves visitors. Mask up and leave all cellphones at home,” according to the filing.

“The directives to ‘mask up’ and to ‘leave all cellphones at home’ are to prevent identification of illegal actors by video, by eyewitnesses, and by cellphone geolocation,” the filing states.

Representatives for Musk did not immediately respond to ABC News for comment.

The hearing in the case is set for Friday at 10am.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Harris stresses unity in Raleigh speech

Vice President Kamala Harris held her first of three Wednesday rallies in Raleigh, hammering a message of unity.

Harris encouraged North Carolinians to take advantage of early voting, which ends Saturday in the state.

“We have just six days left in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime, and we have work to do,” she said.

“It is time for a new chapter where we stop … pointing fingers at each other and instead let us lock arms with one another, knowing we have so much more in common than what separates us,” she said.

When a protestor began shouting, Harris spoke about bringing people with opposing views into her tent.

“Unlike Donald Trump, I don’t believe people who disagree with me are the enemy. He wants to put them in jail. I’ll give them a seat at the table, and I pledge to be a president for all Americans and to always put Americans before myself,” she said.

Harris also gave a shoutout to Gen-Z supporters.

“I see the promise of America in all the young leaders who are voting for the first time,” she said.

-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Cheyenne Haslett, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Fritz Farrow

Trump campaign sues Pennsylvania county

The Trump campaign sued Pennsylvania’s Bucks County Board of Elections and others Tuesday night over claims the county “turned away voters,” according to a filing in the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas.

The campaign filed a writ of summons, which contained no allegations or specific claims.

A spokesperson for Bucks County told ABC News in a statement Tuesday evening that the county “has been made aware that litigation may be filed tomorrow. We have no comment at this time.”

Lawyers for the county entered an appearance on Wednesday, according to the docket.

The county was previously accused of “suppressive and intimidating” tactics, including claiming voters were turned away and lines were closed early.

However, the county pushed back on any suggestion that what occurred in Bucks County amounts to intentional voter suppression.

“Contrary to what is being depicted on social media, if you are in line by 5 p.m. for an on-demand mail-in ballot application, you will have the opportunity to submit your application for a mail-in ballot,” the county said in a statement.

The county did acknowledge that there was indeed some “miscommunication” from officials on site.

Those in line applying for on-demand ballots were “briefly told they could not be accommodated,” the county said, but added that those individuals were ultimately allowed to submit their applications, according to officials.

In a post on X, the secretary of state’s office echoed that sentiment, asking for voters to “be patient.”

“Earlier today, we spoke with Bucks County election officials who assured us that every registered voter who goes to their county election office by 5 p.m. today will be provided an opportunity to apply for their mail ballot,” the post said. “Please be patient with all county election office staff as they work hard to ensure every registered voter is able to vote in this election,” he said.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Supreme Court allows Virginia to purge 1,600 voters

The U.S. Supreme Court is allowing Virginia to move forward with its purge of 1,600 alleged noncitizens from the voter rolls ahead of Election Day.

The conservative majority’s decision — which was not explained — reverses rulings by a federal district court judge and a unanimous appeals court panel.

Both had said that Virginia’s purge, initiated by an executive order from Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, violated federal law prohibiting the “systematic” removal of voters from registration lists within 90-days of an election.

The Supreme Court’s decision suggests that the justices acted either under the Purcell principle — to keep federal courts from intervening in state election administration too close to voting — or under the belief that Virginia had compellingly argued that the federal law’s “quiet period” didn’t apply here.

The state advanced the idea that noncitizens — who were never “eligible” to vote in the first place — can be removed at any time. It also emphasized in court briefs that anyone erroneously removed as an alleged noncitizen is given two opportunities to correct his or her registration status.

The three liberal justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson — indicated they would have kept the purge on hold.

Noncitizen voters are already prohibited from registering to vote for federal and state elections.

The Virginia voters who were purged, however, can still have a chance to vote if they use Virginia’s same-day registration option at the polls.

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares tweeted on Wednesday “I am pleased to announce that the US Supreme Court granted Virginia’s emergency stay to keep noncitizens off our voter rolls.”

Damon Hewitt, the president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law which led the efforts in Virginia, blasted the decision.

“None of this activity is random. It’s all highly orchestrated, but it’s also orchestrated with a purpose,” he said in a statement,

-ABC News’ Devin Dwyer and Beatrice Peterson

Arnold Schwarzenegger, former GOP governor, endorses Harris

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Wednesday that he was going to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.

“The Terminator” actor and longtime Republican said in lengthy X post that he didn’t like either party now given the divisions and lack of progress from leaders in Washington, D.C.

However, Schwarzenegger said he was “furious” over Trump’s refusal to accept the 2020 election, anti-immigrant rhetoric, economic policies and actions on Jan. 6.

“We need to close the door on this chapter of American history, and I know that former President Trump won’t do that. He will divide, he will insult, he will find new ways to be more un-American than he already has been, and we, the people, will get nothing but more anger,” he said.

“That’s enough reason for me to share my vote with all of you. I want to move forward as a country, and even though I have plenty of disagreements with their platform, I think the only way to do that is with Harris and Walz,” he said.

Will Nikki Haley campaign for Trump?

Nikki Haley recently said she is ready to campaign for Trump, despite not talking to him since June.

Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, when asked about whether Haley will make an appearance, said Tuesday he would “love” to see her on the trail, but said it was up to her schedule.

Haley was Trump’s last major challenger in the Republican primary. Despite hitting him hard in the final weeks of her campaign, she later endorsed him at the Republican National Convention.

And she’s continued some criticism of his campaign strategy. During an appearance on Fox News, she said the racist remark about Puerto Rico by a comedian at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally was “harmful” and that the campaign “need[s] to go and tell Puerto Ricans how much, you know, they do value them.”

She also said the Trump team had to improve its messaging to women.

“I mean, that this bromance and this masculinity stuff,” she said. “I mean, it borders on edgy to the point that it’s going to make women uncomfortable. You know, you’ve got affiliated PACs that are doing commercials about calling Kamala the ‘C-word,’ or you had speakers at Madison Square Garden, you know, referring to her and her pimps.”

“That is not the way to win women. That is not the way to win people who are concerned about Trump style,” Haley added.

Trump escalates baseless rhetoric on Pennsylvania’s election system

It’s a state that could tip the result of the 2024 election.

And Trump is ramping up rhetoric sowing doubt on the state’s voting process.

In a post on his social media site on Wednesday morning, Trump claimed there’s “cheating” happening at “large scale levels.” He did not elaborate or provide evidence for his claims.

Some isolated incidents have emerged, including approximately 2,500 potentially fraudulent voter registration applications being investigated in Lancaster County, though officials stressed the system worked and that voters can be confident in the election.

-ABC News’ Soorin Kim and Olivia Rubin

Harris hits the road with her closing pitch

Harris will take her closing argument to voters on the road after a big speech at the Ellipse in Washington on Tuesday night. She holds a 12:30 p.m. ET rally in North Carolina, a 4:35 ET event in Pennsylvania and a 9:30 p.m. ET rally in Wisconsin.

Trump will also be in North Carolina for a 1 p.m. ET rally before a 7 p.m. ET rally in Wisconsin.

Looming large over the campaign trail are President Joe Biden’s comments from a Vote Latino campaign call Tuesday night. His wording angered Republicans, who saw him as referring to the supporters of Trump as “garbage.” The White House and Biden himself, seeking to clarify the remark, argued he was referring to the racist rhetoric made by a speaker at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday.

 

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — As Election Day nears, tens of millions of voters have already cast their ballots throughout the country.

Whether through mail-in ballots or early in-person polling stations, more than 68 million Americans, roughly 43% of the 2020 turnout, had voted against standing in line on Election Day as of Friday afternoon, according to data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab.

Academic experts, reporters and pundits have been going through basic and limited data gleaned from the early voting numbers, trying to get clues about next week’s outcome.

That picture, however, is not exactly black and white, according to Charles Stewart, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s election data science lab.

“It’s like talking about the weather,” he said. “The candidates, the press, etcetera — really are trying to draw conclusions just on the face value of the data, but there really isn’t a lot there to say who is winning.”

That said, Stewart said the early voting data does provide some insights when it comes to this year’s voting patterns and overall turnout — indicators that could help explain how the election turns out.

A flip in the ways people early vote

Voting trends have shown that more people have been choosing to cast their ballots before Election Day, and this has increased in numbers over the last 30 years, but 2020 turned out to be a major outlier, according to Stewart.

In the last presidential election, 69% of the 158 million total votes were cast before Election Day either through the mail, which included mail ballots dropped off in person, or at early voting poll sites, according to data from MIT.

Some 43% of the 2020 early votes came from mail ballots, according to the data.

Stewart said the COVID-19 pandemic forced many voters, who were already heavily engaged and wanted to be safe, to opt into using mail ballots or smaller voting lines if available.

“There was a speculation of what would happen with the shift once the pandemic was over,” he said.

However, in this year’s early voting there’s been a drop in voters choosing mail-in voting, Stewart said.

“The main trend I’m seeing is that the interest of voting by mail has shifted to voting in-person,” Stewart said.

He noted that shift is apparent in Georgia, which has seen record early voting numbers, with over 3.8 million ballots cast as of Friday. Roughly 92% of those were cast at in-person polling places and the rest via mail, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office.

Stewart said some states, including swing states Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Arizona, only offer early voting through in-person absentee options. Under this option, a voter must request an absentee ballot, fill it out, and then deposit it in either a ballot box or at a designated location, and they are counted as a mail ballot voter.

Some voters may not have the time or energy to go through those extra steps to cast their ballots early, and are likely going to vote in-person Stewart said.

“If you have to vote early in person you have to figure out where that precinct is but you have to find out which is closer to your house or errands. With voting by mail, you have to take the effort to apply, to fill it out and return it and hope that the mail is delivered on time,” he said. “With Election Day voting you likely have a polling site that is much closer to you.”

Early-voting method preference hasn’t the only thing that’s seen a flip, according to Stewart.

Partisan numbers do not give any indication of outcome

Stewart said historical trends show that the majority of early voters made their decisions a long time ago and are likely politically active.

This year’s data shows that to be the case, he said, bit noted a major change in partisan turnout in several battleground states, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab.

Registered Republicans have seen a higher early voting turnout in battlegrounds Arizona, Nevada and North Carolina in this election compared to 2024 as of Friday, according to the data.

Typically, Democrats have had an advantage in early voting. However, Trump has pushed his supporters to cast their vote earlier and that appears to have an impact, Stewart said.

While Republican officials have been touting these higher numbers as a sign of growing support, Stewart warned there is more nuance to the data.

He noted it shows, so far, that a large number of the registered Republicans who cast their votes eary came from people who voted on Election Day in 2020 and were not new voters.

Stewart said this would mean there would be fewer Republican voters casting their ballots on Election Day and thus their votes may not be reported until much later on election night or even for days afterward.

In 2020, many swing states saw their Democratic tallies rise throughout the election night and into the week, creating a “red mirage” effect on the outcome.

That mirage and “blue wave” could be muted this time around, Stewart said.

“Whatever the blue shift is, there will probably be less of a steep slope to it,” he said.

What do gender, race say about the early vote

Democrats have been touting the gender gap as a factor in their favor in the early voting numbers, as over 54% of women have cast their vote as of Friday, according to the University of Florida data.

Stewart said that assumption is not noteworthy.

Women have always been the majority of the electorate in presidential elections, going as far back as 1980, according to the Center for Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

Stewart said this is also true of early voters.

“It’s not always obvious to the public that there’s always been a gender gap,” he said.In 2020, many swing states saw their Democratic tallies rise throughout the election night and into the week, creating a “red mirage” effect on the outcome.

That mirage and “blue wave” could be muted this time around, Stewart said.

“Whatever the blue shift is, there will probably be less of a steep slope to it,” he said.

What do gender, race say about the early vote

Democrats have been touting the gender gap as a factor in their favor in the early voting numbers, as over 54% of women have cast their vote as of Friday, according to the University of Florida data.

Stewart said that assumption is not noteworthy.

Women have always been the majority of the electorate in presidential elections, going as far back as 1980, according to the Center for Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

Stewart said this is also true of early voters.

“It’s not always obvious to the public that there’s always been a gender gap,” he said.

When it comes to race, white voters are more likely to cast their votes by mail than Black voters, according to the MIT data.

Stewart said this stems from traditions going back to the civil rights movement.

“African Americans fought and sometimes died for being able to march into the voting booth. That’s been instilled in the community,” he said.

This practice is one factor in large numbers of Black voters heading to in-person early voting poll sites in states such as Georgia and South Carolina, where that option is available.

Churches, civil rights groups and other organizations with ties to the Black community have been pushing voters to head to the early voting polls, using campaigns such as “souls to the polls” so that they can avoid any complications on Election Day.

Groups in Georgia in particular have stressed voting early to circumvent some of the restrictive voting laws that have been put in place since the 2020 election.

As of Friday evening, more than 1 million Black voters have cast their ballots, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office.

“The mobilization efforts have clearly proven effective,” Stewart said.

Signs point to high turnout

Stewart said the one definite conclusion that can be drawn from the early voting data is that this year’s overall turnout will be “on par” with 2020’s, which was the highest voter turnout by percentage in over 100 years.

“It could be the high 160 (million),” he estimated.

Stewart said that the early-voting trends have shown that voters under 25 have not yet voted and they will typically line up on Election Day.

“Those populations are really heavily represented on Election Day,” he said.

Stewart reiterated that with the pandemic over, a good number of the 2020 early voters will likely shift back to Election Day voting, especially if it presents itself as the easier option for their locations and schedules.

As for the future, Steward predicted that the rise in Republican voters voting early will continue in future cycles along with the overall trend of the electorate opting for early voting.

“The data is showing this organic increase in early voting even after the pandemic,” he said. “Voters want more options, and they will seriously consider voting if they have more choices.”

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — As Election Day nears, tens of millions of voters have already cast their ballots throughout the country.

Whether through mail-in ballots or early in-person polling stations, more than 68 million Americans, roughly 43% of the 2020 turnout, had voted against standing in line on Election Day as of Friday afternoon, according to data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab.

Academic experts, reporters and pundits have been going through basic and limited data gleaned from the early voting numbers, trying to get clues about next week’s outcome.

That picture, however, is not exactly black and white, according to Charles Stewart, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s election data science lab.

“It’s like talking about the weather,” he said. “The candidates, the press, etcetera — really are trying to draw conclusions just on the face value of the data, but there really isn’t a lot there to say who is winning.”

That said, Stewart said the early voting data does provide some insights when it comes to this year’s voting patterns and overall turnout — indicators that could help explain how the election turns out.

A flip in the ways people early vote

Voting trends have shown that more people have been choosing to cast their ballots before Election Day, and this has increased in numbers over the last 30 years, but 2020 turned out to be a major outlier, according to Stewart.

In the last presidential election, 69% of the 158 million total votes were cast before Election Day either through the mail, which included mail ballots dropped off in person, or at early voting poll sites, according to data from MIT.

Some 43% of the 2020 early votes came from mail ballots, according to the data.

Stewart said the COVID-19 pandemic forced many voters, who were already heavily engaged and wanted to be safe, to opt into using mail ballots or smaller voting lines if available.

“There was a speculation of what would happen with the shift once the pandemic was over,” he said.

However, in this year’s early voting there’s been a drop in voters choosing mail-in voting, Stewart said.

“The main trend I’m seeing is that the interest of voting by mail has shifted to voting in-person,” Stewart said.

He noted that shift is apparent in Georgia, which has seen record early voting numbers, with over 3.8 million ballots cast as of Friday. Roughly 92% of those were cast at in-person polling places and the rest via mail, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office.

Stewart said some states, including swing states Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Arizona, only offer early voting through in-person absentee options. Under this option, a voter must request an absentee ballot, fill it out, and then deposit it in either a ballot box or at a designated location, and they are counted as a mail ballot voter.

Some voters may not have the time or energy to go through those extra steps to cast their ballots early, and are likely going to vote in-person Stewart said.

“If you have to vote early in person you have to figure out where that precinct is but you have to find out which is closer to your house or errands. With voting by mail, you have to take the effort to apply, to fill it out and return it and hope that the mail is delivered on time,” he said. “With Election Day voting you likely have a polling site that is much closer to you.”

Early-voting method preference hasn’t the only thing that’s seen a flip, according to Stewart.

Partisan numbers do not give any indication of outcome

Stewart said historical trends show that the majority of early voters made their decisions a long time ago and are likely politically active.

This year’s data shows that to be the case, he said, bit noted a major change in partisan turnout in several battleground states, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab.

Registered Republicans have seen a higher early voting turnout in battlegrounds Arizona, Nevada and North Carolina in this election compared to 2024 as of Friday, according to the data.

Typically, Democrats have had an advantage in early voting. However, Trump has pushed his supporters to cast their vote earlier and that appears to have an impact, Stewart said.

While Republican officials have been touting these higher numbers as a sign of growing support, Stewart warned there is more nuance to the data.

He noted it shows, so far, that a large number of the registered Republicans who cast their votes eary came from people who voted on Election Day in 2020 and were not new voters.

Stewart said this would mean there would be fewer Republican voters casting their ballots on Election Day and thus their votes may not be reported until much later on election night or even for days afterward.

In 2020, many swing states saw their Democratic tallies rise throughout the election night and into the week, creating a “red mirage” effect on the outcome.

That mirage and “blue wave” could be muted this time around, Stewart said.

“Whatever the blue shift is, there will probably be less of a steep slope to it,” he said.

What do gender, race say about the early vote

Democrats have been touting the gender gap as a factor in their favor in the early voting numbers, as over 54% of women have cast their vote as of Friday, according to the University of Florida data.

Stewart said that assumption is not noteworthy.

Women have always been the majority of the electorate in presidential elections, going as far back as 1980, according to the Center for Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

Stewart said this is also true of early voters.

“It’s not always obvious to the public that there’s always been a gender gap,” he said.In 2020, many swing states saw their Democratic tallies rise throughout the election night and into the week, creating a “red mirage” effect on the outcome.

That mirage and “blue wave” could be muted this time around, Stewart said.

“Whatever the blue shift is, there will probably be less of a steep slope to it,” he said.

What do gender, race say about the early vote

Democrats have been touting the gender gap as a factor in their favor in the early voting numbers, as over 54% of women have cast their vote as of Friday, according to the University of Florida data.

Stewart said that assumption is not noteworthy.

Women have always been the majority of the electorate in presidential elections, going as far back as 1980, according to the Center for Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

Stewart said this is also true of early voters.

“It’s not always obvious to the public that there’s always been a gender gap,” he said.

When it comes to race, white voters are more likely to cast their votes by mail than Black voters, according to the MIT data.

Stewart said this stems from traditions going back to the civil rights movement.

“African Americans fought and sometimes died for being able to march into the voting booth. That’s been instilled in the community,” he said.

This practice is one factor in large numbers of Black voters heading to in-person early voting poll sites in states such as Georgia and South Carolina, where that option is available.

Churches, civil rights groups and other organizations with ties to the Black community have been pushing voters to head to the early voting polls, using campaigns such as “souls to the polls” so that they can avoid any complications on Election Day.

Groups in Georgia in particular have stressed voting early to circumvent some of the restrictive voting laws that have been put in place since the 2020 election.

As of Friday evening, more than 1 million Black voters have cast their ballots, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office.

“The mobilization efforts have clearly proven effective,” Stewart said.

Signs point to high turnout

Stewart said the one definite conclusion that can be drawn from the early voting data is that this year’s overall turnout will be “on par” with 2020’s, which was the highest voter turnout by percentage in over 100 years.

“It could be the high 160 (million),” he estimated.

Stewart said that the early-voting trends have shown that voters under 25 have not yet voted and they will typically line up on Election Day.

“Those populations are really heavily represented on Election Day,” he said.

Stewart reiterated that with the pandemic over, a good number of the 2020 early voters will likely shift back to Election Day voting, especially if it presents itself as the easier option for their locations and schedules.

As for the future, Steward predicted that the rise in Republican voters voting early will continue in future cycles along with the overall trend of the electorate opting for early voting.

“The data is showing this organic increase in early voting even after the pandemic,” he said. “Voters want more options, and they will seriously consider voting if they have more choices.”

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — With four days until Election Day, Kamala Harris is attacking Donald Trump for saying Wednesday night in Wisconsin that, against his advisers’ advice, he is going to keep saying he will “protect the women” “whether the women like it or not.”

Both candidates continue their whirlwind campaigns in the West.

More than 68 million Americans have voted early

As of 4 p.m. ET on Friday, more than 68 million Americans have voted early, according to the Election Lab at the University of Florida.

Of the total number of early votes, 36,397,988 were cast in person and 31,941,931 were returned by mail.

Trump spins his Cheney comments

Trump is offering a similar spin as his campaign on his criticism of Liz Cheney’s position on U.S. military entrance into foreign countries.

“All I’m saying about Liz Cheney is that she is a War Hawk, and a dumb one at that, but she wouldn’t have ‘the guts’ to fight herself,” Trump wrote on his social media platform.

“It’s easy for her to talk, sitting far from where the death scenes take place, but put a gun in her hand, and let her go fight, and she’ll say, ‘No thanks!'” Trump wrote.

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soorin Kim and Kelsey Walsh

Harris says Trump’s violent rhetoric ‘must be disqualifying’

Speaking to reporters ahead of an afternoon of campaigning in Wisconsin, Harris slammed Trump for his recent comments attacking Liz Cheney and other political opponents.

“This must be disqualifying,” Harris said. “Anyone who wants to be president of the United States, who uses that kind of violent rhetoric, is clearly disqualified and unqualified to be president.”

“Representative Cheney is a true patriot who has shown extraordinary courage in putting country above party,” she added. “Trump is increasingly, however, someone who considers his political opponents the enemy, is permanently out for revenge and is increasingly unstable and unhinged.”

US Capitol Police Union urges force to be prepared for Election Day and beyond

The U.S. Capitol Police Union is urging the U.S. Capitol Police to be prepared to tackle any issue that arises on or after Election Day.

“The Department must communicate and work with rank-and-file officers as we prepare for this election, the certification and Inauguration — we cannot repeat the failures of four years ago,” U.S. Capitol Police Chief Union chairman Gus Papathanasiou said in a statement released on Friday.

On Jan. 6, 2021, over 140 Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan Police officers were injured. One officer died the next day and several others took their lives in the days after the attack, according to the union.

“Our officers will be out in force to protect the Capitol Complex, Members of Congress and their staffs,” Papathanasiou said. “We trust our fellow Americans to support law enforcement by supporting and respecting our officers by allowing every vote to be counted in a safe, secure election process. There is no place for violence in our elections.”

-ABC News’ Luke Barr

 

Trump campaign attempts to spin Cheney comments

Trump’s campaign is attempting to spin Trump’s violent rhetoric against former Rep. Liz Cheney.

Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s spokesperson, claimed on Friday morning that his remarks were being taken out of context.

“President Trump was CLEARLY explaining that warmongers like Liz Cheney are very quick to start wars and send other Americans to fight them, rather than go into combat themselves,” Leavitt wrote on X.

She also shared a clip of Trump’s talk with Tucker Carlson when Trump said: “Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK, let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face. You know, they’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying, ‘Oh, gee, well, let’s send a — let’s send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy.'”

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa

Cheney responds: ‘This is how dictators destroy free nations’

Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney responded to Trump’s comments in a post on X.

“This is how dictators destroy free nations,” she wrote. “They threaten those who speak against them with death. We cannot entrust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.”

She also included the hashtag #VoteKamala in the post.

Trump escalates violent rhetoric in attack on Liz Cheney

Sitting down with Tucker Carlson in Arizona late Thursday, Trump unleashed on former Rep. Liz Cheney.

“She’s a radical war hawk,” Trump said as he accused her and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, of leading the United States into the war in the Middle East.

“Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her,” Trump said, invoking violence on his opponents as he implied that she sends people to war without having any war experience of her own.

“Okay, let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face. You know, they’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying, ‘Oh, gee, Will, let’s send a, let’s send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy,'” Trump continued.

He also repeatedly called Cheney a “stupid” and “bad” person.

-ABC News’ Soorin Kim, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh

Trump repeats ‘enemy within’ comments, points to example of Rep. Adam Schiff

Appearing at Tucker Carlson’s fireside chat style interview for his final stop of the Western swing in Arizona, former President Donald Trump suggested that there is an “enemy within” and if there is a “smart president” in office, the country will be fine.

“We do have an enemy from within. We have some very bad people, and those people are also very dangerous. They would like to take down our country. They’d like to have our country be a nice communist country or a fascist in any way they can. And we have to be careful of that,” Trump said.

“They’re the threat to democracy. You know, the amazing thing — the amazing thing is where they say, ‘He wants to become elected, and he wants to put people in jail.’ How terrible. That’s what they’ve been trying to do to me for four years,” Trump said, reminding his followers of the legal battles he’s gone through.

Trump repeatedly threw personal attacks on Rep. Adam Schiff, attacking his appearance and suggesting he’s an example of a Democrat who “hates the country” because he led the efforts of Russian intelligence in the 2016 election.

“Schiff, he’s a sleazebag, and he’s probably going to be a senator, if you can believe it,” Trump said, pointing to an example of Democrats who he alleges “hate the country.”

“He’s unattractive both inside and out,” Trump said. “But this is a really bad guy. This is a dishonest guy, not a dumb guy at all.”

Harris leans into prosecutor past in Nevada, doubles down on Trump’s remarks about women

Vice President Kamala Harris vowed that “nothing in the world” will prevent her from fighting for Americans while speaking in Reno, Nevada, on Tuesday.

She referenced her time as a prosecutor in the neighboring state of California, saying, “A lot of folks here know I’m not afraid of tough fights.”

“And it is my pledge to you that if you give me the chance to fight on your behalf as president, there is nothing in the world that will stand in my way of fighting for you,” Harris added. “For the people.”

During her first general election rally in the northern part of Nevada, she also criticized former President Donald Trump’s comments on protecting women.

“He said, on the issue of freedom of choice, reproductive freedom, he said that he will do what he wants because, quote, he — this is his perspective — he will do it ‘whether the women like it or not,’ ‘whether the women like it or not,’” Harris said. “Can you imagine?”

“He does not believe women should have authority or agency over their own bodies. This is the same person who said that women should be punished for their choices,” she said, echoing remarks that she’d made at campaign stops throughout the day. “This is someone who simply does not respect the freedom of women, or the intelligence of women to make decisions about their own lives.”

She closed out the rally with a phrase she’s employed over the past several days, telling those in the crowd that “in less than 90 days, either he or I will be sitting in the Oval Office,” explaining that while Trump will walk into that room with an enemies list, she is prepared to walk in with a to-do list.

Although Harris’ remarks were interrupted a few times by protestors, she addressed them saying, “We’re here because we’re fighting for a democracy.”

She said it was “okay” and “all right” for them to protest at the event, because “we’re fighting for the right to be heard and not be jailed for speaking their mind.”

“We know what’s at stake,” Harris assured.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie

Trump delivers low-energy remarks at second campaign stop in Nevada

At his second campaign stop of the day, former President Donald Trump was set to make his final pitch to voters from the populous Las Vegas metropolitan area just five days ahead of Election Day.

But Trump seemed noticeably low energy Thursday evening as his speech gradually strayed from his key campaign messaging to ramble about topics like his social media company.

Despite this, Trump repeatedly bashed Vice President Kamala Harris for appearing tired, while touting that he has been campaigning for 62 days in a row.

“Five days — I can’t wait. You know what? I’ve worked for 62 days in a row. I haven’t taken a day off,” Trump said at the rally. “I looked at her today. She was trying to justify the fact that they called us all garbage. And I watch her do news coverage. She’s exhausted. She’s finished,” he said of Harris.

-ABC News’ Soorin Kim, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh

Georgia’s top election official warns of fake online video: ‘Likely foreign interference’

With just days until the election, Georgia’s top election official warned Thursday that a fake video circulating online claiming to show voter fraud in the state is “likely foreign interference attempting to show discord and chaos on the eve of the election.”

The video circulating on social media, according to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, purports to show a Haitian immigrant claiming to have voted multiple times with multiple state IDs.

“This is false,” Raffensperger said of the video, calling it “targeted disinformation.”

Raffensperger’s statement said law enforcement is investigating, and added it is “likely” a product of Russian troll farms. Raffensperger called on social media companies to take the video down — and specifically called out Elon Musk by name.

“As Americans, we can’t let our enemies use lies to divide us and undermine our faith in our institutions — or each other,” he said.

Obama stops by phone bank with Dem. Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks

Former President Barack Obama joined Angela Alsobrooks, the Democratic candidate for Maryland’s Senate seat, at a phone banking session on Thursday, according to the Alsobrooks campaign.

The visit comes just days before the general election, and on the last day of early voting in Maryland, where Alsobrooks’ Republican opponent is the state’s former governor Larry Hogan.

While the race has been seen as competitive even in relatively blue Maryland, Alsobrooks has held a lead in polling.

“President Obama knows what is at stake in this election,” Alsobrooks said in a press release. “And I am so grateful he’s joined our phonebank today to urge voters to get out and vote to defend our Democratic Senate Majority in order to protect our freedoms, fight for our futures, and ensure our families can thrive.”

Voting organization must stop threatening to expose Maryland’s non-voters, AG says

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Voter Information/Voter Participation Center, alleging that it has been threatening to publicly expose registered voters who don’t vote in this year’s election.

Brown has requested that the organization refrain from publishing voter information or attempting to embarrass non-voters.

In the cease-and-desist letter, he wrote, “Voting is among the most important rights that Marylanders have. Any action that intimidates prospective voters, especially on the eve of such a consequential election, will not be tolerated.”

“These unnerving letters are unacceptable, and Maryland voters should know that their decision to vote this Election Day is entirely theirs to make,” he continued.

The organization mass-mailed letters to Maryland residents that stated, “We’re sending this mailing to you and to your neighbors to share who does and does not vote in an effort to promote election participation. While we have hidden the name and street number of your neighbors to protect privacy, these are true voting records.”

“We will be reviewing these records after the election to determine whether or not you joined our neighbors in voting,” the organization’s letters said.

Indiana GOP blocks expanded early vote hours in largest county

As Indiana surpasses 1 million early voters this election, state Republicans have blocked the expansion of early voting in one of the state’s biggest counties.

The Marion County Election Board blocked a motion Thursday to keep early voting locations open two hours longer on Friday, Saturday and Sunday due to long lines throughout the county.

Marion County, the state’s most populous county, is home to Indiana’s capital.

With long lines across the state, Indiana Democrats told ABC News they had hoped voters would have more time to vote this weekend.

“Republicans in Indiana are becoming experts at disenfranchising voters,” Indiana Democratic Party Chair Mike Schmuhl said. “We’ve seen long lines in Indianapolis and across the state because Hoosiers are excited to vote in this election.”

“This is something voters want. They do not want to wait in lines, or can’t afford to, even in the best weather,” he added.

-ABC News’ Beatrice Peterson

Walz speaks at Puerto Rican restaurant in Pennsylvania

Gov. Tim Walz made a campaign stop at Vilma’s Kitchen, a local Puerto Rican restaurant in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Thursday and brought up the controversial joke about the island from Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally.

Walz said the comedian’s insult was “incredibly hurtful” and “dangerous.”

“We saw what happened in New York City and Madison Square Garden, as another attempt to divide us,” he said.

Walz also told the group that the country needs a “specific Puerto Rico strategy.”

“I say this as a teacher, we’ve got to educate our fellow Americans about our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico, why it’s important [and] why we’re investing there, and then understanding how much the Puerto Rican community contributes to all of our states across here,” he said.

Walz also spent time meeting with members of the Bharatiya Temple in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, as they celebrated Diwali.

Walz thanked the Indian and South Asian community for their contribution to “all aspects of civil, political, educational” life, in addition to their input ”across the arts and entrepreneurship and business.”

“To see the political voice rise itself up, [and] to see us elect folks that look like the community, we get a more perfect union that way,” he said.

-ABC News’ Isabella Murray

Possible ranked choice recount could delay Maine election results: Source

Maine is one of two states in the country that uses a ranked choice voting (RCV) method to determine its federal elections and that method could lead to a delay in getting the results from the state, a source with knowledge of proceedings told ABC News.

If neither Trump nor Harris get 50% in the state’s 2nd Congressional District, “it’s going to be chaos,” as the recount and retabulation process could last well into the next week, the source said.

In 2018, Rep. Jared Golden wasn’t declared the winner in the 2nd Congressional District race until Nov. 15, 11 days after Election Day.

Ballots from every town in Maine will have to be driven to the state capital, requiring involvement from local law enforcement. Ballots will be fed into a machine in Augusta as an Election Day precaution as security is heightened, according to the source.

-ABC News’ Beatrice Peterson

Trump slams ‘insecure’ Cuban in Truth Social post

Trump lashed out against Mark Cuban in a Truth Social post on Thursday, hours after the billionaire Harris surrogate said on “The View” that Trump is never seen “around strong, intelligent women.”

Trump called Cuban a “really dumb guy” and claimed Trump surrounds himself with “the strongest of women.” The former president added, “ALL women are great, whether strong or not strong.”

Calling Cuban a “fool,” Trump claimed Cuban called him “incessantly,” and at one point he told him, “Look Mark, I’ve got a lot of things to do, I just can’t be taking so many pointless calls from you.”

Trump claimed that’s why Cuban is attacking him, calling him an “insecure” man.

-ABC News’ Soo Rin Kim, Kelsey Walsh and Lalee Ibssa

Philly DA requests Musk case to be sent to state court

The ongoing court battle between Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and billionaire Trump surrogate Elon Musk over his controversial $1 million voter giveaway has taken another turn.

On Wednesday, Musk filed a motion to move Krasner’s lawsuit to federal court, claiming the DA’s allegations “turn principally on the allegation that Defendants are somehow unlawfully interfering with a federal election.”

Krasner filed an emergency motion in federal court Thursday asking the judge to “immediately” send the case back to state court — asking them to do so by the end of day “if at all possible” so it can continue in state court.

In the filing, the DA’s team said Musk’s claims are “meritless” and reiterated that their lawsuit makes “only state law claims,” therefore making it not subject to federal removal.

The DA said Musk’s last-minute effort is “a stunt to obtain a procedural advantage to avoid a ruling … and run the clock until election day.”

Judge Gerald J. Pappert ordered Musk to respond to the DA’s filing by 10 a.m. Friday, meaning the case will remain halted until then.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Supreme Court denies Cornel West’s request for PA polling site signs

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito denied Thursday third-party presidential candidate Cornel West’s request for Pennsylvania election officials.

West sought to put up signs at all polling places that say he is a candidate for president and can be written in.

Alito did not refer the request to the full court and did not explain the decision.

-ABC News’ Devin Dwyer

Harris attacks Trump as ‘unstable, obsessed with revenge’

Harris told a Phoenix crowd Thursday that they should picture the difference between her and Trump occupying the Oval Office, describing him as “unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed with grievance, and out for unchecked power.”

Harris sought to capitalize on recent comments from Trump himself, on reproductive rights, and from House Speaker Mike Johnson, on health care.

“He does not believe women should have the agency and authority to make decisions about their own bodies. This is the same man who said women should be punished for their choices,” Harris added.

The vice president was interrupted by pro-Palestinian supporters during her speech. She sought to describe to them the work she would put in to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of hostages.

“Hey guys, you know what? Here’s the thing. Let’s talk for a moment about Gaza. We all want this war to end and get the hostages out. And I will work on it full time when I am elected president, as I’ve been,” she said.

-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Fritz Farrow

Vance pushes anti-vax, anti-trans messages during Joe Rogan interview

Sen. JD Vance appeared on the “Joe Rogan Experience” Thursday and discussed a wide range of topics regarding his experience and the campaign.

During the three-hour conversation, Vance talked about his skepticism about the COVID-19 vaccine to Rogan, who has pushed false claims about vaccines on his show.

The COVID-19 vaccines have been proven effective in preventing serious illnesses and death from the virus. Some side effects of the vaccine include “pain, redness or swelling at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea,” and typically resolve themselves in a few days, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Vance claimed on the show he was “red pilled” after he had side effects following taking an unidentified COVID-19 vaccine.

“We’re not even allowed to talk about the fact that I was as sick as I’ve ever been for two days, and the worst COVID experience I had was like a sinus infection. I’m not really willing to trade that,” Vance claimed.

Vance also said he’s worried that there may be a “conflict” in 30 to 40 years with developing countries because they have a negative perception of westerners for “giving them health care that isn’t actually health care,” referring to vaccines.

The senator also claimed that people become trans or gender nonbinary to reject their white privilege and participate in DEI programs to get into Ivy League colleges.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

LeBron James endorses Harris

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, among the most well-known basketball players in the world, endorsed Harris in a social media post on Thursday.

A video accompanying the post opens with a clip of comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s much-criticized jokes about Black people at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, and intersperses scenes of Trump speaking with footage from social justice marches in the past, as well as protests in 2020.

James does not appear in the video but wrote in the post, “What are we even talking about here?? When I think about my kids and my family and how they will grow up, the choice is clear to me. VOTE KAMALA HARRIS!!!”

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim

Trump campaigns in New Mexico, which he falsely claims he won twice

With just five days until Election Day, Trump kicked off his western swing at an unlikely stop in Albuquerque, where he spewed false and baseless claims about past election results as he claimed New Mexico is in play for him.

Trump claimed he won New Mexico in both of his previous presidential runs and that votes from New Mexico were “rigged” — despite Hillary Clinton winning by more than 8 points in 2016 and President Joe Biden winning the state by more than 10 points in 2020.

“I’m only here for one reason. They all said, ‘Don’t come.’ I said, ‘Why?’ ‘You can’t win.’ I said, ‘Look, your votes are rigged.’ We can win New Mexico. We can win New Mexico,” Trump said.

Trump claimed he can win states like New Mexico and California if his supporters can “keep the votes honest” and “keep the votes on us.”

“So, you know, we almost won it twice. And let me tell you, I believe we won it twice. Okay?” he said. “You want to know the truth? And if you can watch your vote counter – if we could bring God down from heaven, he could be the vote counter, we would win this,” Trump said.

-ABC News’ Soorin Kim, Lalee Ibssa, Kelsey Walsh

Mark Cuban responds to Trump team’s attack over ‘strong, intelligent women’

Harris surrogate Mark Cuban responded on X Thursday to criticism he received from Trump’s campaign over his remarks he made earlier in the day on “The View.”

Cuban expanded on his statement in which he said “Donald Trump, you never see him around strong, intelligent women. Ever. It’s just that simple. They’re intimidating to him. He doesn’t like to be challenged by them.”

Several Trump allies bashed the Dallas Mavericks owner for his comments.

In his X post, Cuban said, “I’m happy to clarify that

1. I know many strong, intelligent women voting for Trump. Including in my extended family. I’m certainly not saying female voters are not smart , strong and intelligent.

2. I know he has worked with strong intelligent women, like Elaine Chao, Kelly Anne [Conway], Ivanka [Trump] and many others

I stand by my opinion that he does not like being challenged publicly.”

Mike Bloomberg endorses Harris ‘without hesitation’

Former New York City mayor and billionaire Michael Bloomberg revealed Thursday that he voted for Harris.

Bloomberg, who ran a failed presidential campaign during the 2020 Democratic primary, said in an X post that he voted for Harris “without hesitation.”

“When it comes to policy and personal integrity, the contrast could not be clearer, and I hope undecided voters with a history of supporting candidates in both parties join me,” Bloomberg, an independent voter and former Republican, said.

Mark Cuban says Trump isn’t surrounded by ‘strong’ women. His allies push back

On ABC’s “The View,” Mark Cuban — a Harris surrogate — was asked what he made of Nikki Haley not campaigning with Trump.

“Donald Trump, you never see him around strong, intelligent women. Ever. It’s just that simple. They’re intimidating to him,” the “Shark Tank” investor said.

“He doesn’t like to be challenged by them and, you know, Nikki Haley will call him on his nonsense with reproductive rights and how he sees and treats and talks about women. I mean, he just can’t have her around. It wouldn’t work,” Cuban added.

Now, a host of Trump’s allies from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to Lara Trump to Sage Steele are all attacking Cuban and trying to tie his words to the Harris campaign.

Trump’s national press secretary Karoline Leavitt called Cuban’s words “extremely insulting to the thousands of women who work for President Trump, and the tens of millions of women who are voting for him.”

It comes as Trump’s campaign, for much of this election, has had missteps when it comes to courting women — facing a myriad of questions about reproductive rights and attempting to convince Trump to lay off the personal attacks as he attacked Haley’s intelligence during the primaries, and now continues to degrade Harris.

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa

Nebraska county drafts poll workers into service

Finding poll workers can be tough for election officials, particularly in the heightened threat environment targeting election workers. But one Nebraska county has found a novel way of ensuring polling places are properly staffed on Election Day: a draft.

Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse told ABC News about 45% of the county’s 3,000 election workers were drafted into service.

Douglas County is the most populous county in the state and one of two counties that uses an election draft. All voters registered in the county are eligible and may receive a letter in the mail letting them know they are required to participate — a system akin to jury duty. The system has been in place for about 25 years, but Kruse says some people aren’t familiar with it and are surprised when they get the notice. “Their first reaction is, ‘Is this real?.’ We field lots of those questions after we send letters out, but most people are good sports about it.”

Some of the benefits of using a draft, according to Kruse, are lowering the average age of poll workers, creating balance among parties, and helping people gain a better understanding of how the election process works.

“A lot of people who would have never volunteered or been part of the process now come in and find out what all it takes to do it and how safe and secure it is and so they become great ambassadors for our office and many of them continue to be volunteers after their four turns are up,” Kruse said.

Volunteers who are drafted are required to complete an online training course and serve during four elections. The election office will work with anyone to postpone their duty who has a trip planned, a medical issue or a spouse or family member who is a candidate, but the only way to be completely exempt from the draft is to be over 70 years old.

Douglas County also has new security measures in place for ballot drop boxes. Over the summer they county added a dry fire suppression system to all 13 of them. Kruse said there were no specific threats or concerns that led to the addition.

“The election commissioner in Hall County said she was looking into it, and she had done it and once she got a little more information then we decided it was reasonable,” Kruse said.

There are also cameras monitoring the drop boxes that have been in place for at least two years.

-ABC News’ Tonya Simpson

Harris using Trump’s words to shore up Arab-American support in Michigan

Harris and her allies in battleground Michigan are launching a new turnout campaign to assertively shore up support among Arab Americans, sending out mailers using Trump’s own words about reimplementing a Muslim ban.

“Just last month, Donald Trump said he would ban Muslims from traveling here, and also ban refugees from Gaza,” one of the mailers obtained by ABC News reads. Further down, the mailer says the former president “is no friend to Arab Americans,” with one of their examples being his comment that he would let Israel “finish the job” in Gaza.

Another is a full-page black-and-white photo of Trump with “FINISH THE JOB” written above him. “That’s what Trump said he would let Israel do in Gaza.” The mailers, which come on the heels of a six-figure digital ad push, also points to the Arab American group Emgage Action’s endorsement of Harris. (A number of other Arab leaders have backed Harris.)

Michigan, a state that was narrowly won in 2016 and 2020, is a target of both Harris and Trump’s campaigns and has the largest Arab-American population among the states that will help decide the election. And Trump is making a play for them, too. Over the weekend, in Novi, Michigan, Trump invited Muslim leaders to the stage who are backing him, including Hamtramck, Michigan, Mayor Amer Ghalib.

Pro-Palestinian protestors who take issue with the U.S. response have demonstrated at Harris’ rallies, including on Tuesday night as she delivered her “closing argument” speech outside the White House and Wednesday at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

“Look, I’ll repeat: We are fighting for our democracy. We love our democracy. It can be complicated at times, but it is the best system in the world,” Harris said after several interruptions from demonstrators.

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow

Harris, Trump swipe at each other over the Affordable Care Act

Harris, at a news conference on Thursday, swiped at House Speaker Mike Johnson’s comments about making “massive reform” to gut the Affordable Care Act.

“I’ve been saying throughout this campaign, be very clear that among the stakes in this election are whether we continue with the Affordable Care Act or not,” she said. “It has been a part of Donald Trump’s agenda for a very long time. He has made dozens of attempts to get rid of the Affordable Care Act, and now we have further validation of that agenda from his supporter, the speaker of the House.”

“What that would mean for the American people is that pharma — that insurance companies could go back to a time when they would deny you coverage for health insurance based on pre-existing conditions, pre-existing conditions such as being a survivor of breast cancer, asthma, diabetes,” she added.

The Trump campaign is trying to distance itself from Johnson’s comments, telling The New York Times they are “not President Trump’s policy position.”

Trump is also seeking to separate himself from the remarks, despite saying numerous times this campaign that he would replace the ACA without offering a clear alternative.

Trump called Harris a “liar” and said her comments were a “desperate” attempt.

More than 59 million Americans have voted early

As of 5:45 a.m. on Thursday, more than 59 million Americans have voted early, according to the Election Lab at the University of Florida.

Of the total number of early votes, 31,018,125 were cast in person and 27,952,363 were returned by mail.

Harris pushes inclusivity in final days of campaign

Harris, while speaking to reports before departing Wisconsin, said she found Trump’s comments about women “offensive to everybody” and that, in contrast, her campaign is about unifying people.

“You’ve been following me and you will see that in the tens of thousands of people who attend our rallies … there are men, women, young people, people of every race, every background,” she said.

Harris said her campaign is “about bringing people together, people of very different and diverse backgrounds, around a common theme that is about love of country, defending the Constitution of the United States, investing in our future and rejecting the notion that we are divided.”

Harris rips Trump over his comments about women

Harris, speaking with reporters before departing Wisconsin, continued to slam Trump for his comments that he will protect women “whether they like it or not.”

“It actually is, I think, very offensive to women in terms of not understanding their agency, their authority, their right and their ability to make decisions about their own lives, including their own bodies,” Harris said.

“He does not prioritize the freedom of women and the intelligence of women to make decisions about their own lives and bodies and health care for all Americans is on the line in this election,” she added.

Elon Musk not in attendance at hearing on his controversial giveaway

Musk is a no show in court in Pennsylvania for a hearing over the legality of his $1 million a day giveaway.

The hearing has been derailed after Musk late Wednesday sought to remove the civil case to federal court. While discussions in court are ongoing, all parties essentially agree the hearing can’t go forward until federal court decides on the issue.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Philadelphia hearing today on Elon Musk’s $1 million voter giveaway

Elon Musk in a filing late Wednesday sought to have the civil lawsuit against his $1 million giveaway moved into federal court, arguing the claims “turn principally on the allegation that Defendants are somehow unlawfully interfering with a federal election.”

Though District Attorney Larry Krasner has accused Musk and his political action committee of running an illegal lottery and violating state consumer protection laws, Musk’s court filing notes the repeated references to the upcoming presidential election in the lawsuit.

The filing comes before a 10 a.m. ET hearing scheduled in Philadelphia on the issue.

Read more about Krasner’s lawsuit here.

-ABC News’ Lucien Bruggeman and Olivia Rubin

Where the candidates are campaigning 5 days out from Election Day

Vice President Harris will hold events at 4:20 p.m. ET in Phoenix, Arizona, and at 8:25 p.m. ET in Reno, Nevada.

Her final event of the day in Las Vegas will include remarks by Jennifer Lopez and a performance by Maná.

Trump is holding a 2:00 p.m. ET rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and a 6:30 p.m. ET rally in Henderson, Nevada, before joining Tucker Carlson for a hurricane relief benefit in Arizona.

Elon Musk not in attendance at hearing on his controversial giveaway

Musk is a no show in court in Pennsylvania for a hearing over the legality of his $1 million a day giveaway.

The hearing has been derailed after Musk late Wednesday sought to remove the case to federal court. While discussions in court are ongoing, all parties essentially agree the hearing can’t go forward until federal court decides on the issue.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Philadelphia hearing today on Elon Musk’s $1 million voter giveaway

Elon Musk in a filing late Wednesday sought to have the lawsuit against his $1 million giveaway moved into federal court, arguing the claims “turn principally on the allegation that Defendants are somehow unlawfully interfering with a federal election.”

Though District Attorney Larry Krasner has accused Musk and his political action committee of running an illegal lottery and violating state consumer protection laws, Musk’s court filing notes the repeated references to the upcoming presidential election in the lawsuit.

The filing comes before a 10 a.m. ET hearing scheduled in Philadelphia on the issue.

Read more about Krasner’s lawsuit here.

Harris seizes on Trump’s comment about protecting women ‘whether the women like it not’

Harris seized an opportunity to criticize Trump on abortion after for his comments at his rally Wednesday night in which he said he would protect women “whether the women like it or not.”

“Donald Trump thinks he should get to make decisions about what you do with your body,” Harris posted on X. “Whether you like it or not.”

Harris’ campaign clipped Trump’s comments and edited it into a loop with a split screen of headlines about Trump saying “he could prosecute women for abortions,” “might monitor pregnancies,” and other abortion-related headlines.

Musk asks for $1 million lottery case to be moved to federal court

In a filing late Wednesday evening, Elon Musk sought to have the lawsuit against his $1 million giveaway moved into federal court, arguing the claims “turn principally on the allegation that defendants are somehow unlawfully interfering with a federal election.”

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has accused Musk and his America PAC of running an illegal lottery and violating state consumer protection laws.

The filing specifically states “this is not a case” about whether or not Musk violated state or federal laws that prohibit vote buying.

But Musk’s Wednesday filing notes the lawsuit’s repeated references to the upcoming presidential election. That includes Krasner’s claim that Musk and his PAC “hatched their illegal lottery scheme to influence voters in that election.”

“The complaint, in truth, has little to do with state-law claims of nuisance and consumer protection,” Musk’s attorney wrote in his filing.

“Rather, although disguised as state law claims, the complaint’s focus is to prevent defendants’ purported ‘interference’ with the forthcoming federal presidential election by any means.”

The filing argues any order in the case would “require judicial intervention into the progress of an ongoing federal election” — a move they say is not allowed.

The filing comes before a Thursday morning hearing in Philadelphia on the issue.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Harris responds to Trump’s comments on protecting women

Vice President Kamala Harris seized an opportunity to criticize former President Donald Trump on abortion after the Republican presidential nominee told a rally Wednesday night that he would protect women “whether the women like it or not.”

“Donald Trump thinks he should get to make decisions about what you do with your body,” Harris wrote on X. “Whether you like it or not.”

Harris’s campaign clipped Trump’s comments and edited it into a loop with a split screen of headlines about Trump saying “he could prosecute women for abortions,” “might monitor pregnancies” and other abortion-related headlines.

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Will McDuffie

Harris slams Trump after reports he promised RFK Jr. public health role

Vice President Kamala Harris commented late Wednesday night on the promises former President Donald Trump has allegedly made to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“Putting an anti-abortion conspiracy theorist in charge of our public health agencies says everything you need to know about how Donald Trump would govern,” Harris wrote on X.

“He is more unhinged than ever, and if he wins, he’ll have no one to hold him back.”

Trump said Sunday of RFK Jr.: “I’m going to let him go wild on health, I’m going to let him go wild on the food, I’m going to let him go wild on medicines.”

In response, Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said, “No formal decisions about cabinet and personnel have been made, however, President Trump has said he will work alongside passionate voices like RFK Jr. to make America healthy again.”

-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Kelsey Walsh, Soo Rin Kim and Lalee Ibssa

Harris woos 1st-time voters during Wisconsin concert series

Vice President Kamala Harris held another get-out-the-vote rally in Madison, Wisconsin, Wednesday, joined by musical stars including Mumford and Sons, The National’s Matt Berninger, Gracie Abrams and Remi Wolf.

Harris applauded the audience — many of whom were young first-time voters — for using their “power.”

“You grew up with active shooter drills, are fighting to keep our schools safe,” Harris said. “You will now know fewer rights than your mothers and grandmothers,” the vice president added.

“What I know about you is these issues are not theoretical,” Harris continued. “This is not political for you. This is your lived experience. And I see you and I see your power. I see your power, and I am so proud of you.”

Harris largely stuck to her usual stump speech, contrasting herself to former President Donald Trump by pledging that as president she won’t be looking to “score political points,” but to “make progress.”

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie

‘Whether the women like it or not, I’m going to protect them,’ Trump says during rally

Following his press conference in a garbage truck, former President Donald Trump held a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin – still opting to sport his new orange safety vest.

He stuck to his stump speech heavily focused on immigration and the economy, he also made an appeal to women repeating he will be their “protector.”

Trump suggested that his campaign advised him to not say he’ll protect women, but he disagreed.

“We think it’s very inappropriate for you to say,” Trump said his campaign told him.

“I said, ‘Why, I’m president. I want to protect the women of our country.’ They said, ‘Sir, I just think it’s inappropriate for you to say,'” Trump explained.

“Well, I’m going to do it. Whether the women like it or not, I’m going to protect them,” Trump told the crowd. “I’m going to protect them from migrants coming in. I’m going to protect them from foreign countries that want to hit it, hit us with missiles and lots of other things.”

“I’m going to defend and I’m going to protect women. I’m not going to let people go up to the suburbs or go into places where they live, whether it’s suburbs or cities or farms. We’re going to protect our women, at the border, we’re going to protect our women, and also we’re going to protect our men and our children. We’re going to protect everybody.”

Trump then asked the crowd: “Is there any woman in this giant stadium who would like not to be protected? Is there any woman in this stadium that wants to be protected by the president?”

The moment was met with a large applause.

‘We all want the war in Gaza to end,’ Harris responds to ‘cease-fire now’ chants

A few chants of “cease-fire now” broke out as Vice President Kamala Harris took the stage during a rally at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Wednesday night.

“Listen, we all want the war in Gaza to end and get the hostages out as soon as possible,” Harris said in response to the chanting. “And I will do everything in my power to make it heard and known.”

As the chants continued, she said, “And everyone has a right to be heard. But right now I am speaking.” The remark garnered loud cheers.

The event was billed as a “Get Out the Vote” rally and took place at the University of Wisconsin-Madison featuring performances by Gracie Abrams and Mumford & Sons.

With less than a week before Election Day, Harris is taking her “closing argument” to voters on the road after a big speech at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night. (Pro-Palestinian protesters were also escorted out of that speech)

Harris’ remarks in Wisconsin lasted about 25 minutes. In them, she did not address President Joe Biden’s controversial comments Tuesday that seemed to refer to Trump supporters as “garbage.”

Trump’s final campaign stop ahead of Election Day scheduled to take place in Grand Rapids: Sources

Former President Donald Trump’s final campaign stop of the 2024 election is scheduled to take place in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Monday, Nov. 4, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

Grand Rapids was where Trump concluded his 2020 campaign and 2016 campaign as well.

In addition to Grand Rapids, he’s expected to make multiple campaign stops in battleground states on the eve of the Election Day, including in Pennsylvania.

-ABC News’ Soo Rin Kim, Kelsey Walsh and Lalee Ibssa

Trump rides to WI campaign stop in garbage truck

Days after a comedian labeled Puerto Rico a “pile of garbage” at Donald Trump’s MSG rally, the former president rode to a Green Bay, Wisconsin, rally in a Trump-marked garbage truck Wednesday.

Trump continued to bash President Joe Biden’s response to the controversial moment from the MSG rally in which he said that Trump’s supporters were garbage.

Biden clarified his comments and Vice President Kalama Harris told reporters, “I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for.”

Trump, however, told reporters while riding in the garbage truck that “250 million people are not garbage.”

“I can tell you who the real garbage is but I will not say that,” he continued.

Trump falsely claimed there was corruption in Pennsylvania.

Later pressed if he would accept election results if there’s no evidence of fraud, Trump reiterated claims about Pennsylvania, and then said, “If they find no evidence of cheating anywhere, I’ll accept it.”

Pressed on a potential role Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could play in his administration, Trump vaguely said he would work with him but while not confirming that he’d be given the top Health and Human Services job.

“We’ll work with him, and he’s a very talented guy. He wants women’s health. He wants health for people, and we’re going to work with him. He’s a very, very talented guy,” Trump said.

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Kelsey Walsh and Soo Rin Kim

Philly hearing on Musk lawsuit moved up to Thursday

The judge overseeing the lawsuit against Elon Musk and his $1 million dollar giveaway to registered voters who sign a petition supporting the First and Second amendments has moved up a hearing in the case to Thursday at 10 a.m., bumping it up from Friday, according to a new order.

The order from Judge Angelo Foglietta states that “all parties must be present.”

Earlier Wednesday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner asked the court to “enhance its security” for the hearing.

Krasner said Musk’s post about the case on X has “triggered an avalanche of posts.” including “antisemitic attacks” against the prosecutor.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Thank you cookies to NC election workers prompts hazmat response

A thank you present of pineapple-shaped cookies delivered to the Wake County Board of Elections in North Carolina prompted a hazmat response on Tuesday after election workers raised concerns about a suspicious package mailed from Hawaii.

“We are just on high alert with these things automatically,” said Wake County elections specialist Danner McCulloh, who cited recent incidents of suspicious packages containing powder sent to election offices across the country.

The Raleigh Police and Fire Departments quickly responded to the incident and bomb technicians x-rayed the package, according to Lt. Jason Borneo of the Raleigh Police Department.

After the package was deemed to not be a threat, emergency responders opened the package to learn it was full of cookies shipped from the Honolulu Cookie Company. The operations at Wake County Board of Elections were not impacted during the incident, a county spokesperson said.

According to McCulloh, a person who heard a radio story about Wake County decided to send the cookies unannounced to thank election workers.

“It was a kind gesture,” McCulloh said, though he recommended against others sending cookies to his office.

-ABC News’ Peter Charalambous
 

Harris brings her closing argument to Pennsylvania: ‘Turn the page’

Harris brought her “closing argument” to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, highlighting what she said is a clear contrast between her and Trump, and encouraging voters to cast their ballots in the election’s final days.

“We know we have an opportunity in this election to turn the page on a decade of Donald Trump trying to keep us divided and afraid of each other. That is who he is. But Pennsylvania, that is not who we are,” Harris said, swapping out “America” for “Pennsylvania” from her speech at the Ellipse the night before.

Harris was interrupted several times by pro-Palestinian protesters.

“We are six days out of an election. We are six days away from an election. And ours is about a fight for democracy. And your right to be heard. That is what is on the line in this election. That is what is on the line in this election,” Harris said as she was being jeered by a protestor holding up a large Palestinian flag.

“Look, everybody has a right to be heard. But right now, I am speaking. And one of the biggest issues that folks around the country want to talk about and hear is about how we are going to bring down the price of living for working people,” she said.

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Will McDuffie

Voters, Dems ask Supreme Court to reject RNC appeal of Pennsylvania ballot case

Two Pennsylvania voters and the state’s Democratic Party asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to reject a Republican request to block counting of provisional in-person ballots cast by people whose mail-in ballots were not put into a required security envelope.

The Democrats argued the Pennsylvania Supreme Court delivered a “straightforward” decision that state law permits voters whose mail ballots were not counted to “exercise their statutory right to vote provisionally rather than be disenfranchised altogether.”

The party contends that the RNC has no standing to bring a challenge in the case because it involves two ballots from the 2024 Democratic primary in which the Republican Party could not have been “injured.”

They also argued that the so-called Purcell principle — of nonintervention by courts close to a voting period — does not apply to state courts.

The Democrats also said the Republicans’ request for segregation and non-counting of provisional ballots would be a “sweeping” intervention and imposition on county boards of election which are not even parties to the case.

-ABC News’ Devin Dwyer‘It’s invaded our home,’ PA nuns swept up in misinformation campaign

‘It’s invaded our home,’ PA nuns swept up in misinformation campaign

A nun in Pennsylvania who was swept up in a misinformation campaign boosted by a Republican activist said she’s praying to be left alone.

Cliff Maloney, who runs a door-knocking organization, claimed in an X post one of his staffers visited an address in Erie, Pennsylvania, last week and was told none of the 53 registered voters who used that address actually lived there.

However, the address is home to 55 resident nuns of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie. All but two of the nuns are registered to vote.

“It’s invaded our home, if you want to describe it that way,” Sister Stephanie Schmidt, the prioress, told ABC News.

Maloney also posted the names and political affiliations of each nun on his X account, something Schmidt said made her empathize with countless other Americans caught up in misinformation on social media.

“It was very concerning, because this was a blatant lie, putting out to the public information that was just wrong,” she said.

“This campaign is filled with so much deceit, so much misinformation, and we have to wake people up, which is another reason why we’re going public with this, to alert people to not believe everything you read,” Schmidt added.

Maloney has not responded to repeated requests to answer questions from ABC News.

He later posted an update claiming his team was “analyzing” the new information about the nuns’ residence and said, “Once we have proof, we will be content.”

Schmidt says one of the things she’s praying for most is for this misinformation to leave them alone.

-ABC News’ Jay O’Brien

Trump slams Biden over ‘garbage’ comments, calls opponents ‘lowlifes’

Trump again responded to President Joe Biden’s Tuesday comments in which he appeared to refer to Trump supporters as “garbage.”

During his rally in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, on Wednesday, the former president claimed, “Joe Biden finally said what he and Kamala really think of our supporters. He called them ‘garbage.’ And they mean it.”

“Frankly, they’ve treated you like garbage,” Trump added.

Although Biden later clarified his comments, in which he was responding to the derogatory comments about Puerto Rico made during Trump’s New York rally on Sunday, Trump labeled his opponents as “lowlifes” and claimed the current administration has “virtually destroyed” America.

“Kamala Harris, a low-IQ individual, is running a campaign of hate, anger and retribution. See, I’m very nice to them. They’re not nice,” he said.

Trump responded to a supporter who shouted, “She’s an idiot!” referring to Harris, sarcastically saying, “I didn’t say it. I didn’t say it. In fact, I’d like to admonish you, sir. You should not say that, please.”

Although Trump disavowed the supporter, his body language told a different story as he stood on stage laughing.

-ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh, Lalee Ibssa and Soorin Kim
 

Michigan authorities charge ‘non-US citizen’ with illegal voting

Authorities in Michigan charged an unidentified non-U.S. citizen with allegedly illegally registering to vote and casting a ballot.

More specific details about the case, which took place in Ann Arbor on Sunday, were not immediately available.

The case was referred to law enforcement by a clerk, according to Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit.

“We are grateful for the swift action of the clerk in this case, who took the appropriate steps and referred the case to law enforcement. We are also grateful to law enforcement for swiftly and thoroughly investigating this case,” they said in a joint statement.

“Noncitizen voting is an extremely isolated and rare event. Investigations in multiple states and nationwide have found no evidence of large numbers of noncitizens registering to vote. Even less common is a noncitizen actually casting a ballot,” they added.

-ABC News’ Mike Levine

Nicky Jam walks back Trump endorsement following MSG rally

Last month, Reggaeton music artist Nicky Jam, who is half Puerto Rican, stood on stage with a MAGA hat and endorsed Trump in Las Vegas.

On Wednesday, he announced he was rescinding that endorsement, citing the offensive comments about Puerto Rico made at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally.

In an Instagram video to his 43 million fans, Nicky Jam told his fans in Spanish he couldn’t overlook the inflammatory language in recent days.

“The reason why I supported Donald Trump was because I thought it was the best thing for the economy in the United States, where many Latinos live … I thought it was the best move. Never in my life did I think that a month later a comedian was going to come to criticize my country and talk bad about my country and therefore, I renounce any support to Donald Trump and I throw my sides to any political situation,” he said.

During the Vegas rally, Trump thought Nicky Jam was a woman and said, “She’s hot,” before bringing him on stage.

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim and Kelsey Walsh

Judge grants Trump campaign request to extend early voting deadline for PA county

A Pennsylvania judge swiftly granted a request from the Trump campaign to extend the in-person mail-in-ballot deadline in Bucks County by three days — extending it to the end of the day on Friday.

The campaign had asked for one-day extension.

In his one-page order, Judge Jeffrey Trauger wrote that the county violated the Pennsylvania Election Code after “turning away voters who sought to apply for a mail-in ballot and receive one in person before the deadline.”

He ordered the county to allow anyone who wishes to “apply for, receive, vote, and return a mail-in ballot” to be able to do so before the close of business on Friday.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Philly DA asks for more security for Elon Musk hearing

The Philadelphia district attorney who is bringing a lawsuit to stop Elon Musk’s $1 million voter giveaway asked the judge overseeing the case Wednesday to “enhance its security” for an upcoming hearing in the matter.

DA Larry Krasner said in a new court filing Musk’s post about the case on X has “triggered an avalanche of posts.” including “antisemitic attacks” against the prosecutor.

One account was “inviting political violence” and posted Krasner’s home address, according to the filing.

“These posts, which unquestionable are criminal…. and remain posted on Musk’s X website today,” the filing states.

Another post read “Krasner loves visitors. Mask up and leave all cellphones at home,” according to the filing.

“The directives to ‘mask up’ and to ‘leave all cellphones at home’ are to prevent identification of illegal actors by video, by eyewitnesses, and by cellphone geolocation,” the filing states.

Representatives for Musk did not immediately respond to ABC News for comment.

The hearing in the case is set for Friday at 10am.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Harris stresses unity in Raleigh speech

Vice President Kamala Harris held her first of three Wednesday rallies in Raleigh, hammering a message of unity.

Harris encouraged North Carolinians to take advantage of early voting, which ends Saturday in the state.

“We have just six days left in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime, and we have work to do,” she said.

“It is time for a new chapter where we stop … pointing fingers at each other and instead let us lock arms with one another, knowing we have so much more in common than what separates us,” she said.

When a protestor began shouting, Harris spoke about bringing people with opposing views into her tent.

“Unlike Donald Trump, I don’t believe people who disagree with me are the enemy. He wants to put them in jail. I’ll give them a seat at the table, and I pledge to be a president for all Americans and to always put Americans before myself,” she said.

Harris also gave a shoutout to Gen-Z supporters.

“I see the promise of America in all the young leaders who are voting for the first time,” she said.

-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Cheyenne Haslett, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Fritz Farrow

Trump campaign sues Pennsylvania county

The Trump campaign sued Pennsylvania’s Bucks County Board of Elections and others Tuesday night over claims the county “turned away voters,” according to a filing in the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas.

The campaign filed a writ of summons, which contained no allegations or specific claims.

A spokesperson for Bucks County told ABC News in a statement Tuesday evening that the county “has been made aware that litigation may be filed tomorrow. We have no comment at this time.”

Lawyers for the county entered an appearance on Wednesday, according to the docket.

The county was previously accused of “suppressive and intimidating” tactics, including claiming voters were turned away and lines were closed early.

However, the county pushed back on any suggestion that what occurred in Bucks County amounts to intentional voter suppression.

“Contrary to what is being depicted on social media, if you are in line by 5 p.m. for an on-demand mail-in ballot application, you will have the opportunity to submit your application for a mail-in ballot,” the county said in a statement.

The county did acknowledge that there was indeed some “miscommunication” from officials on site.

Those in line applying for on-demand ballots were “briefly told they could not be accommodated,” the county said, but added that those individuals were ultimately allowed to submit their applications, according to officials.

In a post on X, the secretary of state’s office echoed that sentiment, asking for voters to “be patient.”

“Earlier today, we spoke with Bucks County election officials who assured us that every registered voter who goes to their county election office by 5 p.m. today will be provided an opportunity to apply for their mail ballot,” the post said. “Please be patient with all county election office staff as they work hard to ensure every registered voter is able to vote in this election,” he said.

-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin

Supreme Court allows Virginia to purge 1,600 voters

The U.S. Supreme Court is allowing Virginia to move forward with its purge of 1,600 alleged noncitizens from the voter rolls ahead of Election Day.

The conservative majority’s decision — which was not explained — reverses rulings by a federal district court judge and a unanimous appeals court panel.

Both had said that Virginia’s purge, initiated by an executive order from Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, violated federal law prohibiting the “systematic” removal of voters from registration lists within 90-days of an election.

The Supreme Court’s decision suggests that the justices acted either under the Purcell principle — to keep federal courts from intervening in state election administration too close to voting — or under the belief that Virginia had compellingly argued that the federal law’s “quiet period” didn’t apply here.

The state advanced the idea that noncitizens — who were never “eligible” to vote in the first place — can be removed at any time. It also emphasized in court briefs that anyone erroneously removed as an alleged noncitizen is given two opportunities to correct his or her registration status.

The three liberal justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson — indicated they would have kept the purge on hold.

Noncitizen voters are already prohibited from registering to vote for federal and state elections.

The Virginia voters who were purged, however, can still have a chance to vote if they use Virginia’s same-day registration option at the polls.

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares tweeted on Wednesday “I am pleased to announce that the US Supreme Court granted Virginia’s emergency stay to keep noncitizens off our voter rolls.”

Damon Hewitt, the president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law which led the efforts in Virginia, blasted the decision.

“None of this activity is random. It’s all highly orchestrated, but it’s also orchestrated with a purpose,” he said in a statement,

-ABC News’ Devin Dwyer and Beatrice Peterson

Arnold Schwarzenegger, former GOP governor, endorses Harris

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Wednesday that he was going to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.

“The Terminator” actor and longtime Republican said in lengthy X post that he didn’t like either party now given the divisions and lack of progress from leaders in Washington, D.C.

However, Schwarzenegger said he was “furious” over Trump’s refusal to accept the 2020 election, anti-immigrant rhetoric, economic policies and actions on Jan. 6.

“We need to close the door on this chapter of American history, and I know that former President Trump won’t do that. He will divide, he will insult, he will find new ways to be more un-American than he already has been, and we, the people, will get nothing but more anger,” he said.

“That’s enough reason for me to share my vote with all of you. I want to move forward as a country, and even though I have plenty of disagreements with their platform, I think the only way to do that is with Harris and Walz,” he said.

Will Nikki Haley campaign for Trump?

Nikki Haley recently said she is ready to campaign for Trump, despite not talking to him since June.

Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, when asked about whether Haley will make an appearance, said Tuesday he would “love” to see her on the trail, but said it was up to her schedule.

Haley was Trump’s last major challenger in the Republican primary. Despite hitting him hard in the final weeks of her campaign, she later endorsed him at the Republican National Convention.

And she’s continued some criticism of his campaign strategy. During an appearance on Fox News, she said the racist remark about Puerto Rico by a comedian at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally was “harmful” and that the campaign “need[s] to go and tell Puerto Ricans how much, you know, they do value them.”

She also said the Trump team had to improve its messaging to women.

“I mean, that this bromance and this masculinity stuff,” she said. “I mean, it borders on edgy to the point that it’s going to make women uncomfortable. You know, you’ve got affiliated PACs that are doing commercials about calling Kamala the ‘C-word,’ or you had speakers at Madison Square Garden, you know, referring to her and her pimps.”

“That is not the way to win women. That is not the way to win people who are concerned about Trump style,” Haley added.

Trump escalates baseless rhetoric on Pennsylvania’s election system

It’s a state that could tip the result of the 2024 election.

And Trump is ramping up rhetoric sowing doubt on the state’s voting process.

In a post on his social media site on Wednesday morning, Trump claimed there’s “cheating” happening at “large scale levels.” He did not elaborate or provide evidence for his claims.

Some isolated incidents have emerged, including approximately 2,500 potentially fraudulent voter registration applications being investigated in Lancaster County, though officials stressed the system worked and that voters can be confident in the election.

-ABC News’ Soorin Kim and Olivia Rubin

Harris hits the road with her closing pitch

Harris will take her closing argument to voters on the road after a big speech at the Ellipse in Washington on Tuesday night. She holds a 12:30 p.m. ET rally in North Carolina, a 4:35 ET event in Pennsylvania and a 9:30 p.m. ET rally in Wisconsin.

Trump will also be in North Carolina for a 1 p.m. ET rally before a 7 p.m. ET rally in Wisconsin.

Looming large over the campaign trail are President Joe Biden’s comments from a Vote Latino campaign call Tuesday night. His wording angered Republicans, who saw him as referring to the supporters of Trump as “garbage.” The White House and Biden himself, seeking to clarify the remark, argued he was referring to the racist rhetoric made by a speaker at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday.

 

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