The last hours of Campaign 2024
Nov 04, 2024
BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) — For some, election day is only a matter of hours away and it still can't come fast enough. Others are relaxing a bit, having voted ahead of Tuesday, November 5. And on this eve of the November General Election, candidates from the national to local levels are busy trying to cultivate any undecided voters that remain.
Kamala Harris will spend all of Monday in Pennsylvania, whose 19 electoral votes offer the largest prize among the states expected to determine the Electoral College outcome. The vice president and Democratic nominee will visit working-class areas including Allentown and end with a late-night Philadelphia rally that includes Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey.
Donald Trump plans four rallies in three states, beginning in Raleigh, North Carolina and stopping twice in Pennsylvania with events in Reading and Pittsburgh. The Republican nominee and former president ends his campaign the way he ended the first two, with a late Monday night event in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
About 77 million Americans already have voted early, but Harris and Trump are pushing to turn out many millions more supporters on Tuesday.
In North Dakota on the day before the election, it seems the ballot measures are "campaigning" harder than candidates for various offices.
Supporters and opponents of Measure 4, the proposal to eliminate property taxes, have poured their efforts into ads that dot streaming video services, over-the-air television, streaming radio, conventional radio and several print products.
Campaign efforts for and against Measure 2, the plan to rework the initiated measure process, is a strong second in terms of bids for your attention through media.
Measure 5, the effort to legalize marijuana in the state, is third.
Measure 1, related to changing terminology for some North Dakota institutions, and Measure 3, related to spending and transfers to and from the state Legacy Fund, appear fairly non-controversial and have not generated much public interest.
North Dakotans will choose a new governor. Republican Kelly Armstrong is running against Democrat Merrill Piepkorn and Independent Michael Coachman to replace Republican Doug Burgum, who declined to run for re-election.
North Dakotans will also choose a new U.S. House of Representatives member. Republican Julie Fedorchak is vying with Democrat Trygve Hammer to replace Kelly Armstrong, who chose to run for governor instead of re-election to Congress.
The race for the U.S. Senate between Republican incumbent Kevin Cramer and Democrat challenger Katrina Christiansen has been marked by heavy media spending and some levels of acrimony that have been stronger in the ads than in public debates between the two candidates.
In general, polls are open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time across the state, but some western counties in Mountain Time may have slightly different hours. Check with your local polling place if you have questions about the time to vote.
KX News will bring you updates on the races and measures throughout Tuesday night, and KX News Digital will also keep you posted on the latest election results as they become available.