Trump narrowly ahead

US political news site Real Clear Politics says that the average support rate in various opinion polls conducted across the US as of Sunday is 48.5 percent for Trump and 48.4 percent for Harris.

In the state of Georgia, where the difference in rates was the largest among the seven swing states, Trump received 49.2 percent of the votes and Harris received 46.9 percent. The difference increased by 2.3 points compared to a week ago.

In five states (North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan) the margin is less than one point, indicating that Harris and Trump are in fierce competition.

Candidates returned to some battleground states Monday to make another push.

Harris visited a factory in Saginaw County, Michigan, that produces silicon for computer chips. He said he would support manufacturing jobs and reevaluate federal jobs requirements if elected. He told workers they were presented with a “serious choice”. “My opponent spends all his time talking about diminishing who we are and belittling people,” Harris said.

Trump met with religious leaders at the National Faith Advisory Board’s summit held in Powder Springs, Georgia. He claimed Democrats were trying to persecute them. “You’re next because they’re all next in this group,” he said. “I think it will be the most important election in the history of our country.”

More than 43 million people voted early

A research group at the University of Florida that analyzes early voting in the United States says that as of Monday, more than 43 million people had cast their votes by mail or directly at the polls.

A total of 40 percent were registered Democrats, 36.2 percent were registered Republicans, and 23.8 percent were voters whose registrations were listed as “absent or underage.”

In the early voting in the 2020 elections, Democrats received 44.8 percent of the votes and Republicans 30.5 percent. This shows that the voting rate of Republicans in this election has increased compared to the previous election.

Trump’s call for early voting may have affected the increase. He had opposed voting by mail in previous elections, saying it would lead to fraud.

Here’s a look at early voting in this election’s swing states.

In Pennsylvania, 59.4 percent of early voters were registered Democrats; that rate was nearly twice that of registered Republicans, at 30.4 percent.

Meanwhile, in Arizona, 41.9 percent of early voters were registered Republicans, while the rate of registered Democrats was 35.1 percent. Nevada and North Carolina also have high rates of Republican registered voters.

Election ballot boxes were set on fire

The burning of ballot boxes has increased tensions ahead of next Tuesday’s tight race.

Hundreds of early voting ballots were set on fire in northwestern Washington state, and smoke was detected from a ballot box in the city of Vancouver on Monday morning, local media reported. Images captured by ABC news show police officers examining a smoldering ballot box.

A similar phenomenon was observed just a few hours ago in Portland, Oregon. Investigators say an incendiary device detonated inside the box, causing the fire. Police are continuing their arson investigation into both incidents.

Last week, a curbside mail collection box was set on fire in Phoenix, Arizona. A 35-year-old man was arrested for arson of a freestanding mailbox. The man admitted to committing arson but said his action was not politically motivated.

WaPo and LA Times surprisingly disapprove

Some major US newspapers are refraining from supporting a presidential candidate in this election, breaking with tradition and sparking controversy.

The Washington Post recently announced that it will not be supporting this election or any future election. CEO William Lewis issued a memo saying the newspaper was “going back to its roots” in not endorsing a candidate in the presidential election. The newspaper began endorsements in 1976.

That same day, The Washington Post revealed in an article that a draft endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris was prepared by the Post’s editorial page staff but was not published. The article says the decision to no longer publish presidential endorsements was made by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who owns the Post.

According to US media outlet NPR, more than 200,000 people had canceled their digital subscriptions to The Washington Post by midday Monday as criticism of the newspaper’s decision spread.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times also told readers it would not offer suggestions in the 2024 presidential race.

Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong said he feared choosing a single candidate would worsen already deep divisions in the United States.

Critics say the newspapers’ decision not to pick a side deprives many undecided voters of much-needed advice.

Expert: Vote counting may extend beyond January

Keio University Professor Watanabe Yasushi, an expert on US politics, said both parties are expected to “get about 45 percent of the vote, which will turn into a race on the remaining 10 percent.”

Watanabe said the election results may not be finalized as planned and, depending on the situation, vote counting could extend into January before deciding who won.