Americans are heading to the polls to elect a new president after one of the most contentious campaigns in U.S. history.
Polling stations opened in many places on the east coast at 6 a.m., although a few tiny towns in New Hampshire have already cast their ballots.
A record number of Americans — more than 46 million — have voted early by mail or at polling stations.
Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton cast her vote early near her home in the small town of Chappaqua, not far from New York City.
“I’m so happy, I’m just incredibly happy,” Clinton said as she emerged from the polling station with her husband, former President Bill Clinton.
She added that it was “the most humbling feeling” to vote, “because so many people are counting on the outcome of this election.”
Clinton, who is seeking to become the first female president in U.S. history, headed into Election Day with most opinion polls favoring her to beat Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Results of the voting will begin to emerge after polls close on the west coast later on November 8.
The candidate who wins a majority of the 538 electors under the country’s state-based Electoral College system should succeed Barack Obama, the country’s 44th president and the first African-American to hold that post.
Clinton’s vice-presidential candidate, Senator Tim Kaine, voted with his wife in his home state of Virginia shortly after voting booths opened at 6 a.m.
“All the early vote signs are very strong in terms of people’s energy and desire to participate but I just hope that that carries through the day,” Kaine said.
U.S. states and election observers are reporting a record surge in early voting, led by unusually strong turnout among Hispanic voters, which could give an edge to Clinton.
AP reported that at least 43.2 million people had already voted by November 7.
In 2012, 46 million people voted early.
Early voting by Hispanics is reported to be surging in key states that Trump must win to gain the White House: Florida, Nevada, and Colorado.
In Florida, a record 6.4 million early ballots are already in, or more than three-fourths of the expected vote, AP said, with Democrats slightly ahead by 39.9 percent to 38.5 percent.
In North Carolina, more than two-thirds of the expected votes have been cast. Democrats lead in ballots submitted, 42 percent to 32 percent.
Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said he saw the uptick in early voting as a sign that the Democratic voter base is strong and motivated going into election day.
“We saw just eye-popping turnout in Florida over the last two days, particularly in our strongholds of southern Florida, North Carolina, and elsewhere, so we’re very encouraged, very positive,” Mook said on ABC on November 7.
In Colorado, the two parties are virtually tied at 35 percent among early voters, with more than 70 percent of the ballots in.
Trump appears to be benefiting from the early voting surge in Arizona, Iowa, and Ohio.
In Arizona, with more than two-thirds of the expected total votes cast, Republicans lead in balloting, 40 percent to 34 percent.
Trump said in a phone interview on Fox TV early on November 8 that the presidential campaign had been “an amazing process.” He also called his campaign a “movement” and added that the American people were “incredible.”
The first votes in the election were cast in three tiny villages in New Hampshire, where the voting started just after midnight local time on November 8.
In predawn voting in the hamlets of Dixville, Hart’s Location, and Millsfield, Trump took an early lead over Clinton by a 32-25 margin.
Voters are also electing all of the 435 members of the House of Representatives and 34 members of the 100-seat Senate.
The U.S. elections are being observed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which sent more than 400 short- and long-term monitors.