WorldPhotos

Masks, social distancing and patience: U.S. voters experience their 1st pandemic presidential election

With record high early and mail-in voting, millions of U.S. voters still turned out to vote in person Tuesday, with few of the problems that had been feared materializing on election day and protective measures against the spread of COVID-19 in place at polling stations across the country.

With COVID-19 cases rising across the U.S., pandemic safety measures were in evidence at polling stations

CBC News Posted: Nov 03, 2020 8:00 PM EST | Last Updated: November 4, 2020

(Aaron Flaum /Record-Journal/The Associated Press)

With record high early and mail-in voting, millions of U.S. voters still turned out to vote in person Tuesday, with few of the disruptions and problems that had been feared materializing on election day.

We take a look athow voting unfolded across the country:

Pennsylvania is one of the most closely watchedstates tonight and is considered one of the must-win swing states forDonald Trump. Here, an election worker inWest Chester, Pa.,checks mail-in and absentee ballots.

A worker inHarrisburg, Pa., counts a mail-in ballot. Under Pennsylvania's rules, mail-in ballots could not start to be counted until 7 a.m. ET election day.

North Carolina is another state that election observers will be watching closely. Polling in the state was neck-and-neck between Trump and Joe Biden in the last days before the vote, and while Trump won the state by more than 170,000 in 2016, it was considered as a possible pickup for Biden.

Diana Villatoro shows off her voting sticker in Winston-Salem, N.C. 'I voted because there are many voices that can't be heard, and luckily, I'm a voice that can be heard,' said Villatoro, a certified medical assistant. (Skip Foreman/The Associated Press)

Interactive
Get all of the U.S. election results

Biden addresses U.S. election results as ballot counting continued in key states

This year's presidential campaign energized many U.S. voters, with more 100 million of them voting in advance of election day,73 per centof the total vote in the 2016 presidential election. That energy was on display Tuesday at the polls, with volunteers and voters out in force and enthusiasm for the vote palpable.

Former WNBA player Tamika Catchings assists a voter as she works as a clerk during voting at a poling place n Indianapolis. Indiana was one of the first states to be called Tuesday night. It went to Trump. (Michael Conroy/The Associated Press)

The changing demographics of Texas had given some Democrats hope that they could turn this red state blue, but most observers still consider that a long shot in this election.

A Trump supporter gives the thumbs-up outside a polling station in Houston, Texas. (Carly Thomas/CBC)

A Houston voter shows off her 'I voted' sticker outside a polling station. (Carly Thomas/CBC)

The election will be nearly impossible for Trump to win without Florida. Its first results are expected to be in fairly soon after polls close at 7 p.m. ET.

A polling station in Miami-Dade County, Fla. (Marie Morrissey/CBC)

Much of the expected disruption and long lines did not come to fruition Tuesday. This polling station in Miami-Dade County had plenty of room for voters. (Marie Morrissey/CBC)

First lady Melania Trump arrives to vote at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center in Palm Beach, Fla. (Jim Rassol/The Associated Press)

Analysis
These are the likely scenarios for how election night will play out in the U.S.

Analysis
Biden's path to victory gives him more margin for error than Trump's and Hillary Clinton's

While some polling places experienced long lines, much of the anticipated voting day disruption did not come to fruition.

Voters wait in line before the polls open at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Okla. (Stephen Pingry/Tulsa World/The Associated Press)

How mail-in voting could delay results in the U.S. election for days or weeks

Interactive
Will Biden or Trump be the U.S. president? These states will decide

Although in Georgia, a burst pipe at a facility where absentee ballots were being counted delayed counting for four hours, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported.

A poll worker talks to a voter before they vote on a paper ballot on election day in Atlanta. (Brynn Anderson/The Associated Press)

People came prepared with masks and PPE and kept physically distanced in line, such as these voters in Biloxi, Miss.

Voting in a time of social distancing and the coronavirus brings a new look to the polling place at the Donal Snyder Center in Biloxi, Miss., early Tuesday. (Lukas Flippo/The Sun Herald)

Other measuresallowed voters to minimize interaction with surfaces and people when voting.

A Democrat volunteer shows off a scannable QR code allowing voters to load sample ballots on their smart devices, minimizing touching surfaces during the pandemic at Woodlands HH Poole Middle School in Garrisonville, Va. (Raffy Boudjikanian/CBC)

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News

Corrections and clarifications|Submit a news tip|

Masks, social distancing and patience: U.S. voters experience their 1st pandemic presidential election

With COVID-19 cases rising across the U.S., pandemic safety measures were in evidence at polling stations

Related Stories