Hillary Clinton Votes in New York, Trump to Vote in Manhattan

By Zacheaus Somorin in Washington DC

Hillary Clinton has cast her vote near her home in New York state, as America chooses whether to make her its first woman president or elect the populist Donald Trump.

Chanting “Madam President”, about 150 supporters turned out to cheer on the Democratic nominee who voted with husband Bill Clinton at an elementary school near their home in Chappaqua.

“I’m so happy, I’m just incredibly happy,” said a smiling Clinton as she emerged from the polling station, shaking hands, mingling and chatting with the crowd. “All my friends and my neighbours, it makes me so happy.”

Clinton told reporters after casting her ballot that it was “the most humbling feeling” to vote for herself for the nation’s highest office. “I know how much responsibility goes with this and so many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country,” she added.

Trump is expected to vote later today in his precinct in Manhattan. Clinton has enjoyed a bounce in her poll standing in recent days and leads her Republican rival by 3.3 points nationally in the rolling RealClearPolitics poll average.

Later today, the former secretary of state heads to the Javits Convention Center in New York, where her team holds its final election gathering. As millions of Americans today vote at polling booths opening across, many have already have cast their ballots in early voting, which is offered in 34 states and in Washington.

At midnight local time on Tuesday, the residents of tiny Dixville Notch in New Hampshire cast their traditional first-in-the-nation ballots with a total of eight votes — four going to Clinton and two to Trump.