The US election will be held today and most states will begin polling at 6.00 am EST (4:30 pm IST November 3).

Americans have voted in large numbers, already casting a record 93 million ballots. Around 239 million people are eligible to vote this year.

The mail-in ballots could take days or weeks to be counted in some states - meaning a winner might not be declared in the hours after polls close on Tuesday. The figure of 93 million includes 33 million in-person votes and 58 million mail-in ballots.

Foreign media reports state that one day before the U.S. presidential election, according to opinion polls, Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden is 9 percent ahead of President Donald Trump. 

Joe Biden has been ahead of Donald Trump in most national polls since the start of the year. He has hovered around 50% in recent months and has had a 10-point lead on occasions

Accordingly Joe Biden leads Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

While Iowa, Ohio and Texas are in favour of the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

In the last presidential election presidential candidate Donald Trump defied the pre election numbers to win the election.

US elections are not determined by the national popular vote, but rather in the 538-member Electoral College, with each candidate needing a majority of 270 to win the presidency. In the electoral college system the US uses to elect its president, each state is given a number of votes based on how many members it sends to Congress - House and Senate. A total of 538 electoral college votes are up for grabs, so a candidate needs to hit 270 to win.