Your quick guide to the US Presidential Elections 2016

With just hours to go before America goes to the polls to elect its 45th President, the race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton becomes a tightly contested affair.

Washington, Nov 8: These are definitely anxious moments for all of us as we closely watch the outcome of the US Presidential Elections 2016, slated on November 8.

With just hours to go before America goes to the polls to elect its 45th President, the race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton becomes a tightly contested affair.

Here we bring you a quick guide about the polls:

Number of voters

Around 120 million Americans will elect their next POTUS.

When will America vote?

The citizens of the world's most powerful nation will be voting on Tuesday (which runs into Wednesday, Indian time).

When will the results be announced?

November 9, 2016. Most likely the winner will be declared by 4 am GMT (9:30 am IST), when the polling will close in all states.

How does the voting work?

This is the most complex part of understanding the US elections, especially for any Indian. So read carefully.

The next US president will be voted in depending on how many "electoral votes" they can get. Each of the 50 American states is allocated a number of electoral votes depending on their population, with a total of 538 electors in the Electoral College.

What are the Swing States?

They are also known as the "battleground" states. These are the states that "swing" between the two major parties, and generally aren't loyal to either.

According to the American media, the main swing states include Florida, Ohio and North Carolina. Others include Pennsylvania and Michigan.

What are the polls predicting?

In a recent poll conducted by CBS News, Clinton is leading her Republican rival Trump by four percentage points. Clinton has the support of 45 per cent of likely voters as against 41 per cent for Trump, according to the poll.

When will the next President take oath of office?

To witness the momentous occasion, you've to wait till 20 January, 2017.

The new President, who will also assume the role of commander-in-chief of the US military, will step into the White House on January 20, 2017.

The 45th US President will take Oath of Office at noon on inauguration day.

OneIndia News