After four days of waiting on vote returns, thousands of Americans spilled into the streets Saturday to celebrate the news that Joe Biden is now the president-elect. Dancing, screaming, singing and cheering crowds gathered from coast to coast for impromptu celebrations and champagne toasts. In many places the parties were met by protests from Trump supporters, who like the president himself, aren’t accepting the outcome of the election. Mr. Trump is promising a legal fight, alleging voter fraud without presenting any evidence so far.

– Joe Biden delivered a prime time address to a divided nation Saturday, calling for unity and healing after being elected the 46th President of the United States. A nation united, a nation strengthened, a nation healed. There has never been anything we’ve tried we’ve not been able to do,” President-elect Biden said. “Those of you who voted for President Trump, I understand the disappointment tonight. Meanwhile, a defiant President Trump issued a statement saying in part “this election is far from over,” and the Trump campaign is filing multiple lawsuits alleging voter fraud.

ROANOKE, Va. – When NBC News determined Joe Biden would win the presidential election Saturday morning, it was the moment Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea had waited four years to experience. “I was following this all week, even in the midst of my own election,” said Lea, who was elected for a second term as Roanoke’s mayor this week. Roanoke teenagers Jasmine Rosser and Morgan Fletchall said this was the first election they have ever voted in. Although Biden won the election, Virginia Tech politics professor Karen Hult said Republicans still have a lot to celebrate. Lea said he is looking forward to how the next four years will be under President-elect Biden.

President Donald Trump shared a statement regarding Joe Biden’s projected win to become America’s next president. Here is Trump’s full statement:“We all know why Joe Biden is rushing to falsely pose as the winner, and why his media allies are trying so hard to help him: they don’t want the truth to be exposed. The American People are entitled to an honest election: that means counting all legal ballots, and not counting any illegal ballots. It remains shocking that the Biden campaign refuses to agree with this basic principle and wants ballots counted even if they are fraudulent, manufactured, or cast by ineligible or deceased voters. I will not rest until the American People have the honest vote count they deserve and that Democracy demands.”- President Donald J. Trump

Trump’s campaign lawyers to hold news conference in Philadelphia This news conference comes after a tweet from the president regarding a “big press conference." Posted by WSLS 10 / WSLS.com on Saturday, November 7, 2020PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Donald Trump’s lawyers spoke in Philadelphia Saturday morning. Big press conference today in Philadelphia at Four Seasons Total Landscaping — 11:30am! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2020This news conference comes after a tweet from the president regarding a “big press conference." His lawyers were set to speak at 11:30 p.m.

(Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) (2020 Getty Images)Trump supporters gather for a demonstration outside the TCF Center on Nov. 6, 2020 in Detroit. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) (2020 Getty Images)Trump supporters gather for a demonstration outside the TCF Center on Nov. 6, 2020 in Detroit. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) (2020 Getty Images)Supporters of President Trump hold signs and chant slogans during a protest outside the Philadelphia Convention Center. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) (2020 Getty Images)Supporters of President Trump yell at a counter protester at the Maricopa County Elections Department office on Nov. 6, 2020 in Phoenix. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images) (2020 Getty Images)

It’s been exhausting waiting for the results of the 2020 election to come in, but there has been one good thing that has come out of all this: The memes. Specifically, the memes about Nevada. So without further ado, here are the best memes floating around the internet -- that will surely give you a much-needed laugh. Nevada: pic.twitter.com/XldmGVrex6 — 🧞‍♂️ (@JafarTheGenie_) November 5, 2020This is how Nevada counts ballots pic.twitter.com/JQFy83B2WV — Max Burns (@themaxburns) November 5, 2020Live footage of Nevada working on those ballots pic.twitter.com/14RrZ2Ce8w — Miss Cuffy, Unstable Genius🥃🔥 (@MissGFYCuffy) November 5, 2020Nevada after counting 113 ballots in one day. pic.twitter.com/JAkgsBNT2p — Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) November 5, 2020And finally...

Officials from Georgia’s Secretary of State office provided an update on voting as results remain too close to call on Friday. This is the third press conference since Thursday. Going by the Associated Press tally, if Biden wins Georgia, he would secure the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House. Officials said there will likely be a recount. To see live results of the presidential election, click here.

ROANOKE, Va – The uncertainty of the election has caused the spread of misinformation on social to spread at an alarming rate. It can be overwhelming to log onto social media at a time like this. 10 News verification expert Fergus Bell monitors elections across the world and says the spread of misinformation is not uncommon. Bell says social media giants like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have taken measures to stop the rumors in their tracks, even from the president. “In the last few days related to the election, Twitter especially has put warnings on tweets it has hidden them and it has prevented them from being shared,” Bell said.

FINCASTLE, Va. – Some Virginia voters doubted if their votes had been counted on Election Day after a viral, but misleading, social media post. The post claimed some votes were ignored by the Commonwealth based on a section of the Virginia Department of Elections' voter information page. “Different offices across the state are different sizes and have different numbers of staff, which means they move at different paces.”The Virginia Department of Elections also used social media to counter the claims about the ballots. Clark hopes voters understand there is no need to worry about a ballot once it is in the system. “We’ve probably been working anywhere from 10 to 16 hour days at the election office," Clark said.

A handful of pivotal states remained in play Thursday in the tightly contested U.S. presidential race. But there are outstanding ballots left to be counted in the coming days. North CarolinaThe situationWith ballots left to count, the race is too early to call. As long as those ballots are postmarked by Nov. 3, state election officials have until Nov. 12 to count them. And when it comes to mail ballots, Biden was outperforming Trump.

We found the following 11 photos from Getty Images, and we thought they were worth a share. (Getty Images)Pierre, a 5-year-old basset hound, apparently is a loyal fan of then-President Johnson -- and was happy to pose with a campaign button. (Getty Images)A dog wears a campaign sticker for Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden during a campaign stop at the Buttercup diner on March 3, 2020 in Oakland, California. This photo was taken in front of the White House as the pups wore campaign buttons for Lyndon B. Johnson for President. (Getty Images)In Honolulu, Hawaiian women are seen casting their votes during a presidential election -- and even a dog doesn't dare peek.

There’s no doubt that Election Day this year was one for the books. After record-setting early voting, people still showed up in droves on Election Day to cast their ballot. Below are 10 photos -- all from Getty Images -- that give an indication of how different this Election Day looked. (2020 Getty Images)Protesters march through the streets around Black Lives Matter Plaza on Nov. 3 in Washington DC. (2020 Getty Images)Did you feel things were different this year?

While most Americans continued awaiting the presidential election results, history was silently being made in Delaware. Sarah McBride, 30, made history on election night by becoming the first openly transgender person to be elected to the state Senate in U.S. history. “I hope tonight shows an LGBTQ kid that our democracy is big enough for them, too,” McBride tweeted Tuesday night after the election was called. McBride is a former spokesperson for the LGBTQ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign and also became the first trans person to speak at a major political convention. McBride will represent parts of Bellefonte, Claymont and Wilmington, the state’s largest city.

The world is watching as millions of Americans cast their ballots for the next president on Tuesday. “In the American system, the last vote counts, and maybe the last vote changes the result," Borrell told Spanish National Television. "The battle over the legitimacy of the result — whatever it will look like — has now begun,” said the German defense minister, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. “Africa used to learn American democracy, America is now learning African democracy,” tweeted Nigerian Sen. Shehu Sani, reflecting a common view from some on a continent long used to troubled elections and U.S. criticism of them. ___AP journalists around the world contributed to this story.

Celebrities -- they’re just like us. Well, not really, but they definitely vote, and they definitely post selfies on Election Day with their “I Voted” sticker. Here are a few celebs who have let social media know they are exercising their constitutional right to have their voice heard. Laura DernSnoop DoggJessica AlbaNatalie PortmanJennifer LopezCharlize TheronBlake Lively and Ryan ReynoldsDemi LovatoDrew BarrymoreLizzoMariah CareyKerry WashingtonAshlee Simpson RossReese WitherspoonHalle BerryNick JonasSelena GomezBrittany SnowJimmy FallonJoe Jonas

The former vice president is competitive in all the battleground states Trump carried in 2016, and has put a handful of traditional Republican states, including Georgia and Arizona, in play. Grab the binoculars and focus on these 10 states as election returns start rolling in:Florida: 29 electoral votesAll eyes are on Florida, a swing state known for razor-thin election tallies. If Trump doesn’t win Florida, he’s going to have a rough time capturing enough states to stay in office. As early voting began in the state, Biden expanded his ad buys into every corner of Ohio. Trump won Arizona in 2016, but it is no longer an ironclad GOP stalwart.

Among the few shared views in the two camps of voters: Trump has changed the way things work in Washington. Most Trump voters say he has changed Washington for the better; most Biden voters say he's changed it for the worse. And Biden voters overwhelmingly said the federal government should prioritize limiting the spread of the virus — even if that damages the economy. About half of Trump voters called the economy and jobs the top issue facing the nation, while only 1 in 10 Biden voters named it most important. Trump voters remain adamant that the economy is in good shape: About three-quarters call national economic conditions excellent or good.

Political teams across Graham Media Group are watching “battleground” races in Texas, Florida, Michigan and Virginia. TEXASThe entire state of Texas itself is something of a battleground with Democrats holding onto a longshot hope of turning the long-red state blue. Here’s a report from KPRC2 in Houston and KSAT in San Antonio on competitive districts in the Lone Star state:Follow all Texas results on Click2Houston and KSAT.com. Follow all Florida results on News4Jax, ClickOrlando and Local 10 (Miami). Follow Virginia results on WSLS.com.

Here’s what voting across the nation looks like today -- one of the most historic election days in recent history. (2020 Getty Images)Would-be voters learn they are not registered at their precinct at the O.P. (2020 Getty Images)Voters cast their ballot at The Orpheum Theater on Nov. 3 in Madison, Wisconsin. (2020 Getty Images)Voters stand in ballot boxes at the Kentucky Exposition Center on Nov. 3 in Louisville, Kentucky. (2020 Getty Images)

Some people think that celebrities should stay out of politics, but that hasn’t stopped these famous people from throwing their support behind Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden or current President Donald Trump. Celebs supporting Trump:Kirstie AlleyThe outspoken actress tweeted a couple weeks ago that she was supporting the incumbent president in the upcoming election. Celebrities supporting Biden:Taylor SwiftAfter staying silent about who she was voting for in the 2016 election, Swift has made it very known that she is supporting Biden in this year’s race. Chris EvansCaptain America himself has been working around the clock, it seems, to get people motivated to get out the vote this election. He has critiqued the current administration on Twitter and thrown his support behind Biden.

It doesn’t matter who or what you’re voting for in the 2020 election, if anything is clear, it’s that Americans are STRESSED about the results.

As Election Day finally arrives it is going to be easy to feel overwhelmed by the volume of information being aimed at every single voter in the country. As polls open here are five things to watch for on Election Day 2020:Many, many reports, photos, and videos of long lines. You can also share what you are seeing with the Trust Index team and we’ll get to work on it. Use the Trust Index form to send it to trained fact-checkers for review and possible debunking on a newscast or online. The Trust Index team fact checks questionable information circulating on social media and in our communities.

We understand documenting that you’ve voted is important to a lot of people — especially when you get that “I Voted” sticker. You should be proud of yourself for casting your vote. While there are strict rules in some places when it comes to taking pictures at polling places, Virginia has some of the more lenient rules. Voters should always practice courtesy and common sense, and you can always ask a poll worker to specify what the rules are. When in doubt, just wait until you’re back in your car to snap that “I Voted” sticker selfie.

We’ve heard of people out in droves who voted early or sent a mail-in ballot. Lines at early-voting precincts have had some crowds waiting hours -- but to cast a ballot, many find the time well-spent. Pflughoeft was fascinated with politics and determined to vote in the 2020 General Election, so she mailed in her ballot early. All the other states have various stipulations as to whether they will allow the ballot of a deceased person to count, such as when the person died and when the death is learned. However, if past elections are any indication, votes from people who pass away before Election Day generally don’t have an impact on the results, according USA Today.

ROANOKE, Va. – Sen. Mark Warner continued his “Get Out the Vote” campaign and the Star City was one of his several stops on Saturday morning for his final push to garner support. Roanoke’s mayoral candidates also talked with voters and while they differ on their top priorities, both agreed that making your voice heard is important“This is a big election. “People should be very confident of the early voting here in roanoke. The early voting has gone very well,” said David Bowers. Mayor Lea says his focus is helping the city get through the coronavirus pandemic while former Mayor Bowers says he wants to address Roanoke’s gun violence.

Here’s what’s happening Sunday in Election 2020, two days until Election Day:ON THE TRAIL: President Donald Trump will visit the battleground states of Iowa, Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina and Florida. HOW TO VOTE: AP’s state-by-state interactive has details on how to vote in this election. TODAY’S TOP STORIES:TRUMP HOPES RALLIES MEAN VOTES: Trump is counting on his ability to turn out big crowds to translate into votes as he wraps up the final days of the campaign with a blitz of rallies. The sprint comes after Trump hosted four rallies in the pivotal state of Pennsylvania on Saturday and with plans by the Trump campaign for seven more rallies on Monday. ICYMI:After year of disruption, America set to choose a path ahead‘We need you’: GOP hunts for new voters in Trump territoryObama criticizes Trump in scathing, personal terms

Early voting in Virginia ended on Saturday, and last-minute voters made their picks at the polls. Meanwhile, Sen. Tim Kaine and Democratic congressional candidate Cameron Webb made campaign stops across southside Virginia. “The eyes of the country are on this race,” said Webb, who is facing Republican Bob Good in Virginia’s 5th congressional district. Last-minute early voters in Danville said they were excited to cast their vote in the congressional race. “2020 has been a tough year, but I’m ready to get this vote out of the way,” said Albert Brandon, who voted for Webb.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – As voters head to the polls, they’ll be voting on more than candidates. Amendment One asks voters to decide whether Virginia should establish a redistricting commission. The group ‘Fair Maps VA’ has been pushing for Amendment One to make the ballot for years. “When there’s gerrymandering, there’s very little competition for reelection because they’ve already picked their voters. Instead of the voters picking the voters, the politicians have already picked the voters,” she said.

Is there a racial divide when it comes to voting wait times at precincts? In 2016, white voters waited an average of 10 minutes, according to a survey of voters conducted by the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In comparison, Black voters waited an average of 16 minutes and Latino voters were in line an average of 13 minutes, according to the survey. During the 2018 election, Black voters waited an average of 11.5 minutes, Latino voters an average of 11.7 minutes and white voters an average of 8.8 minutes, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. In precincts with 90% or more non-white voters, the average wait time was 32.4 minutes and the median was 13.3 minutes.

Whether you are a supporter of President Donald Trump, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden or someone else, there’s no doubt the two main candidates have led quite different lives. We see pictures nearly every day of the nominees on the road, aiming to gain more votes through rallies and small gatherings. However, we thought it might be interesting to take a peek into what their lives looked like in earlier years. All photos below are copyright Getty Images.

In Virginia, the state primarily uses optical ballot scanning machines, according to this elections website. Here’s how it works: An optical ballot scanning machine counts marks made on paper by the voter. For people with disabilities who wish to vote privately and independently, a Ballot Marking Device and System would be used. Want to know more about these optical ballot scanning machines that we do use in Virginia? A polling place typically only needs one machine, with certain exceptions: For example, in a presidential election, a precinct with more than 4,000 registered voters will be required to have two ballot scanning machines.

That is going to produce results coming in at very different times -- perhaps days or even weeks after Election Day. Processing early ballotsIn some places, election officials can begin processing ballots weeks before Election Day. So on Nov. 3, Election Day, officials will have to run an in-person election while also working through the unprecedented number of mail-in votes. Republicans, including Trump's campaign, have been filing lawsuits to stop election officials from counting ballots that are delivered after Election Day. Also, Pennsylvania doesn’t allow early processing of mail-in ballots, further complicating matters.

Since the Electoral College was established as the means of electing a president, it hasn’t been often when a president won the election without winning the popular vote. Despite the fact that Jackson had more electoral votes and won the popular vote, the House voted Adams as President. Cleveland ended up winning the popular vote by more than 90,000 votes, but Harrison won the electoral vote, 233-168. That gave Bush a 271-266 win in the electoral vote, even though Gore won the popular vote by roughly 500,000 more votes. But the electoral vote was a completely different matter, with Trump earning 304 votes to Clinton’s 227.

Advocacy groups say that is more difficult for some with a rise in voter suppression efforts since 2008. “Your voting right is one of the most important things that you have,” said Dr. Brenda Hale, president of the Roanoke branch of the NAACP. Hale said the NAACP works to register eligible voters, educate them and get them to the polls. She said the organization is also on the lookout for instances of voter suppression. Voter suppression is defined as strategies, legal or illegal, to prevent eligible voters from voting or registering to vote.

Use the survey below to predict the outcome of the U.S. Presidential election, plus the race for Senate and House. As results come in, we’ll report back on the wisdom of the crowd and share your insights on the election. After we learn the outcome, we’ll search back through the predictions and shout out the prognosticators who got things right. You can also see some early results on how people feel the election will turnout. One small reminder: We’re looking for predictions, not how you want the election to go.

We don’t need to tell you that 2020 has been an epic election year. If you’ve kept an eye on social media to stay up to date on all the election happenings, you’ve likely been watching the feeds of President Donald Trump and Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden. They both address issues, as well as, at times, take jabs at one another. Regardless, it’s one of the best ways to stay up to date on what’s happening with both nominees. If you want to keep an eye on the latest tweets from both Trump and Biden, we’ve got them for you right here.

ROANOKE, VA. – It’s less than two weeks until Election Day and more than 100 local volunteers have stepped up to help keep you safe at the polls. Health professionals with the Medical Reserve Corps will be at polling places as an extra set of eyes to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. More than 50 localities across the state have asked for help at more than 1,000 precincts. That includes about 50 volunteers in the Roanoke Valley and another 50 in the New River Valley. VDH said voters should wear a face covering, avoid handshakes and try to maintain social distancing when they cast their ballot this year.

With less than two weeks before one of the biggest Election Days in history, Republican incumbent nominee, President Donald Trump, and Democratic nominee and former vice president Joe Biden met at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, for the second and final presidential debate. The debate, which appeared to be a little more constructive than the last, was moderated by Kristen Welker of NBC News. What did you think of responses and ideas presented by Biden and Trump? Let us know your reaction by clicking on an emoji below each statement that was made.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Voters in the 5th district this year will choose a new representative no matter who wins. They’ll be choosing between conservative Republican Bob Good and Democrat Cameron Webb. Based in Charlottesville, Webb has been seeing patients — including COVID-19 patients — while balancing time for the campaign. And it didn’t get coverage for everybody and it didn’t bring down the cost,” Webb said. It’s not a matter of tension between blacks and whites it’s a matter of attention in our country about ensuring that promise of opportunity to everybody,” Webb said.

ROANOKE, Va. – The 2020 election is fewer than two weeks away, but thousands of Roanoke voters have already made their decision by mail. Roanoke City Election Director Andrew Cochran says his office has received nearly 7,000 completed mail-in ballots so far, with more than 4,000 ballots still waiting to be returned. Cochran said the early voting numbers are unprecedented; according to him, only about 5,000 Roanokers voted early throughout the 2016 election. I figured this would be easier.”However, Romeo decided to drop off his ballot at the Roanoke election office instead of using the mail. Romeo said he has no regrets about his decision to use a mail-in ballot and hopes others utilize the option.

Jenny from the Block is voting for Joe Biden in this upcoming election. Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in a video released on Friday. As Jennifer said: The Latino community has the power to determine the outcome of this election. Vote: https://t.co/eoxT07d7QB pic.twitter.com/Nf08ln8XVj — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 16, 2020The couple, along with Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden, discussed the importance of voting and encouraged Latinos to vote in the upcoming election. Biden is trying to increase his lead in the Latino community before the election.

And if you look at those, people, they really are wearing masks. I’ll tell you, I looked last night in Iowa — there were many, many people wearing masks. But then you see CDC comes out with a statement that 85% of the people wearing masks catch it.” — Fox Business interview. Most studies have shown that wearing masks reduces the transmission of the virus by blocking respiratory droplets. “Jill and I send our thoughts to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for a swift recovery,” Biden wrote.

Instead of taking part in a virtual debate, the two presidential candidates will be holding dueling town halls Thursday night. President Trump will be participating in a town hall in Miami which will air on NBC while Joe Biden holds a town hall in Philadelphia which airs on ABC. The president will be at the Pérez Art Museum in Miami with “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie as the host for thehour-long town hall. Meanwhile, Biden will be at the National Constitution Center with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos as the host for the 90-minute town hall. Originally, the two presidential candidates were supposed to have their second of three debates; however, after the president contracted the coronavirus, the debate was going to go virtual, but the president announced he would not partake in a virtual debate.

America’s two presidential candidates are gearing up for their dueling town halls Thursday night. Long lines greeted voters in North Carolina Thursday as early voting opened in the states. Joe Biden, meanwhile, is in Pennsylvania for an ABC News town hall tonight, airing at the same time Mr. Trump will field voters' questions in an NBC News town hall in Miami. The dueling forums replaced a traditional face-to-face debate scrapped in the wake of the president’s COVID-19 diagnosis. The final presidential debate is scheduled for next Thursday, Oct. 22.

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va – A Christiansburg man has spent the better part of the last year working toward becoming a United States citizen so he can vote in the upcoming November election. Leonel Rosales, better known as Leo by his friends, fell in love with an American more than three decades ago. “I am originally from Guatemala and I met my wife in Guatemala, she is originally from Michigan,” explained Rosales. Earlier this year, Leo decided he was finally going to go through the naturalization process to vote as an American citizen for the very first time in the November election. “I tell everybody they should go and vote, took a little time for me to have that privilege,” Rosales said.

Carts line up before a parade of over 300 golf carts supporting Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden caravanned to the Sumter County Elections office drop off their ballots Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020, in The Villages, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)THE VILLAGES, Fla. – Aides say President Donald Trump’s campaign has seen an alarming drop in support among older adults in its internal research. The campaign’s worries are supported by some public polls suggesting that Joe Biden could perform better among older people than Hillary Clinton did four years ago. The shift appears to be driven largely by Trump’s handling of the coronavirus, which affects these voters more acutely than others. Nowhere is the battle for the 2020 election more evident than in The Villages, the nation’s largest retirement community, located in the all-important swing state of Florida.

Trump will address the group, expected to be at least several hundred supporters, from the White House balcony, according to an official. Announcement of the event came as Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, cautioned the White House again to avoid large-scale gatherings of people without masks. The president’s White House doctor, Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley, said that means Trump, who has been surrounded by minimal staffing as he works out of the White House residence and the Oval Office, could return to holding events on Saturday. In the interview with Limbaugh, Trump again credited the experimental antibody drug he received last week with speeding his recovery.

Have you ever wondered why is it that one candidate can win the popular vote but another wins the electoral vote, and thus, the presidency? Four candidates in history have won a majority of the popular vote only to be denied the presidency by the Electoral College. That includes Hillary Clinton, who had the largest popular vote margin of any losing presidential candidate in U.S. history. Graphic shows scenario in which a presidential candidate can win the popular vote but lose the election. It would take a constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College -- an unlikely move because of how difficult it is to pass and ratify constitutional changes.

Wednesday night’s vice presidential debate between current Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris was quite different than the debate we saw between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden. We watched Pence and Harris take on some major issues, and really, we just want to know from you: What’s your take? How do you think it went? We’d love to hear your answer to the following questions.

ROANOKE, Va. – All eyes will be on Salt Lake City Wednesday night for the vice presidential debate between current Vice President Mike Pence and Kamala Harris. He believes it will be more subdued than the first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden, but Pence and Harris will not avoid conflict. "Mike Pence will try to keep the conversation on Kamala Harris.”Lynch parallels Pence to then-Vice President George H.W. Bush in the 1984 vice presidential debate. “It really got the Reagan campaign back on track, and I think Mike Pence has the chance to do that," Lynch said.

In Roanoke City, there are four teams of people processing hundreds of mail-in ballots every day. The votes are recorded once put into the scanner, but won’t be tabulated until polls close on election night. “That helps us because on election night, we will be able to produce official results very quickly. If we had to process 20,000 ballots Election Day, that would take us days,” said Andrew Cochran, Roanoke’s director of elections and general registrar. Roanoke City has sent out about 10,500 mail-in ballots and has already received 2,500 back.

ROANOKE, Va. – Time is running out to choose between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. 10 News political analyst Ed Lynch believes the number of undecided voters is dwindling every day. “It’s not a question now of changing undecided voters' minds," Lynch said. He said President Trump had his full support far before the 2016 election, and his enthusiasm has only increased with time. “This is probably the most important election of our lifetimes, so it’s critical to get out and vote," Clement said.

ROANOKE, Va. – The world’s attention is on President Donald Trump’s health as he deals with COVID-19, but two political voices in Virginia have unique perspectives on the situation. Rep. Morgan Griffith, who represents southwest Virginia in Congress, was diagnosed with COVID-19 in July. He said he survived the virus without any lasting damage and is optimistic President Trump will also recover in full. “President Trump is just going to have to ride this thing through. “I think you’ll see in about 48 hours, President Trump will be back up and running," Griffith said.

ROANOKE, Va. – The 2020 presidential campaign took another unexpected turn on Friday with President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis. Lynch equates Trump’s diagnosis to when Richard Nixon became ill during his 1960 presidential campaign. “It’s taken them off of the campaign trail in the short term, and it puts a lot of pressure on Biden to respect that,” Lynch said. Additionally, Lynch expects most Democrats will avoid using Trump’s illness as a talking point during the next few days. “Both campaigns are just trying to motivate the voters they have already identified as their voters,” Lynch said.

Joe Biden’s campaign is taking down its attack ads in the wake of President Donald Trump’s coronavirus infection. That’s according to a Biden campaign official who spoke on the condition of anonymity on Friday to discuss internal planning. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 2, 2020The Democrat’s campaign is removing all its negative ads, although in some cases, it may take days for ads already in circulation to stop running. The official says Biden made the decision before news surfaced that Trump was being transferred to a military hospital for a “few days” of treatment. At least so far, Trump’s campaign has not begun removing any of its attack ads against Biden.

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – The right to vote is especially important in 2020, but election directors are preparing for situations where that right could be threatened. Roanoke County Election Director Anna Cloeter said it’s important for voters to brave any possible threats at polling places, but it’s just as important to call for help when needed. “We don’t want anybody to feel like they’re in danger of exercising their fundamental right to vote," Cloeter said. Election boards are responsible for any incidents within 40 feet of a polling place, where campaigning is not allowed under any circumstance. However, Cloeter encourages voters to have their cellphones ready for any instances outside of the 40-foot zone.

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – Tuesday night’s presidential debate remained a hot topic the day after, but some people took their thoughts straight to the polls. Hundreds of voters lined up in Roanoke County on Wednesday to cast their votes early. Many had strong opinions on the first clash between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Trump supporter Gloria Bailey hoped the candidates would focus more on the issues and less on insults. I didn’t see that.”The election is nearly a month away, and Roanoke County Election Director Anna Cloeter expects voter turnout to remain high going into November.

ROANOKE, Va. – The first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden was unlike anything America has seen before. 10 News Political Analyst Dr. Ed Lynch said the debate was defined by negativity and missed opportunities. “Both candidates missed opportunities last night. Trump missed opportunities to confront Biden with some of his flip-flops over a 40 plus year career," said Lynch. Of those two missed opportunities, Biden missed the bigger opportunity.”The next presidential debate is scheduled for Oct. 15. and Lynch predicts we’ll see different debate styles from both candidates then.

NEW YORK – The presidential debate commission says it will soon adopt changes to its format to avoid a repeat of the disjointed first meeting between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden. The next presidential debate is a town hall format scheduled for Oct. 15 in Miami. For much of the opening presidential debate, moderator Chris Wallace looked like a man trying to stop a runaway train with his bare hands. The contest between President Donald Trump and Vice President Joe Biden was chaotic from start to finish. It was not a presidential debate.

Show us your taxes.”The reaction from the mask-wearing crowd was inaudible on television as Trump frequently talked over Biden. Earlier this year, the building had been transformed into a temporary, 1,000-bed surge hospital, named Hope Hospital, for expected coronavirus patients. The atrium, with its skylighted roof, was turned into a makeshift debate hall with a stage, red carpeting and elevated platforms for cameras. Each candidate’s campaign was given 20 tickets to hand out to guests, said White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. As the crowd filed in before the start of the debate, nearly all were abiding by the social distancing and mask wearing rules.

ROANOKE, Va. – President Trump and Joe Biden are facing off in their first debate Tuesday night in Cleveland. [WATCH LIVE: President Donald Trump, Joe Biden have their first presidential debate]On the flip side, Trump said he’s not drilling down on policies or briefing books, but being quizzed by reporters in the White House Briefing Room. “Certainly the Supreme Court nomination is going to come up, the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare is going to come up. I think what will be most interesting is the extent to which Donald Trump can take whatever comes up and turn it into a discussion of the economy,” Lynch said. The 90-minute debate will be divided into 15-minute topical segments opened with a question from the moderator.

In the 1992 presidential election, independent candidate Ross Perot had what at the time was deemed an unusual selection for his running mate, retired Navy Admiral James Stockdale. Bush, who served as Reagan’s vice president, easily won the 1988 presidential election over Michael Dukakis. “I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy,” Bentsen said.

And just like every election year, it’s of the utmost importance that citizens cast their ballot in this year’s election. If you’ve registered but are already concerned about how you will make it to a polling station, the ride-sharing company Uber wants to step in and lend a hand. As Election Day approaches, and as part of its “Get Out the Vote” campaign, the company aims to help people find their polling location, as well as offer discounted rides to and from the poll during early voting. “As we look ahead to this year’s election, we are committed to doing our part to make sure every citizen has access to vote,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said. Uber officials said as Election Day nears, people will begin to have access to important information in the app.

Really -- did you realize, in some areas, early voting begins in the next week? Some areas have opted out of in-person voting altogether -- Connecticut, Mississippi and South Carolina, to name a few -- but many are still encouraging early voting. People are opting to vote early — where they’re able — due to factors including coronavirus fears and doubts about the reliability of voting by mail. As more people are interested in voting by mail, only about 30% say they are “very confident” their mail-in vote will be counted accurately, according to the poll. Below is a breakdown of how voting is being handled in each state across the U.S.Scroll over the map below to see which states are opening early voting.

Women wearing masks pose behind a voter registration table in Union Square as the city continues Phase 4 of re-opening following restrictions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus on August 09, 2020 in New York City. Photo by Alexi RosenfeldAug. 18 marked the 100-year anniversary of the 19th Amendment being ratified, which changed elections forever. The 19th Amendment prohibits the state and federal government from denying the right of citizens to vote based on sex -- meaning, women became eligible to vote after previous years of discrimination at the polls. Since 1980, more women have voted in each presidential election than men, according to Statista. So, how much of a gap has there been between women and men voters in each presidential election of the century?

ROANOKE, Va. – 2020 is the year of the mail-in ballot, according to Roanoke City election director Andrew Cochran. “We have already received 5,000 absentee applications, and most of those came by mail,” Cochran said. However, the optional switch to mailed ballots has confused some voters in both Roanoke City and Roanoke County. “So many people say, ‘Why don’t I have my ballot?’” said Roanoke County election director Anna Cloeter. “‘I know who I want to vote for, why can’t I vote?’”The ballots don’t technically exist yet.

ROANOKE, Va. A nonprofit groups effort to register Roanoke absentee voters by mail backfired because of a massive mix-up. The Center for Voter Information sent vote-by-mail forms to every registered voter in Virginia. However, the return envelopes for Roanoke City voters were marked for Roanoke County, and vice versa. Thats not right.It also caught Roanoke City Registrar Andrew Cochran by surprise. I wish they had checked in with us to confirm the accuracy of the information they sent voters, Cochran said.

AP As Joe Biden nears the announcement of his vice presidential choice, the top contenders and their advocates are making final appeals. The campaign hasnt finalized a date for naming a running mate, but three people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the plans said a public announcement likely wouldnt happen before the week of Aug. 10. Thats one week before Democrats will hold their convention to officially nominate Biden as their presidential nominee. Biden said in May that he hoped to name his pick around Aug. 1 and told reporters this week that he would have a choice in the first week of August. He notably stopped short of saying when he would announce that choice.

Kanye West said Saturday he is running for president in the 2020 US election, an apparent challenge to go head-to-head with President Donald Trump. We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future, West tweeted. I am running for president of the United States! I am running for president of the United States ! So far, it doesn't appear West has any intention of actually running for president.

Even if one candidate has more delegates than the other, that’s only a “plurality,” not a majority, per party rules. Candidates who earned delegates, but have since dropped out of the race, can try to push their delegates onto another candidate. A candidate needs to earn 2,375 delegates on subsequent ballots to win the nomination. However, having a contested convention is something the Democratic National Committee will do its best to avoid in the coming months. The last time a contested convention occurred was in 1952.

Copyright 2020 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved. If you need help with the Public File, call 540-512-1554.

Copyright 2020 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved. If you need help with the Public File, call 540-512-1554.

Copyright 2020 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved. If you need help with the Public File, call 540-512-1554.

Copyright 2020 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved. If you need help with the Public File, call 540-512-1554.

Copyright 2020 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved. If you need help with the Public File, call 540-512-1554.

Copyright 2020 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved. If you need help with the Public File, call 540-512-1554.

Copyright 2020 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved. If you need help with the Public File, call 540-512-1554.

Copyright 2020 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved. If you need help with the Public File, call 540-512-1554.

Click or tap here for deadlines in each state to register for the primary election and the general election in November. This is where you really want to start familiarizing yourself with your state’s Secretary of State or Department of State website. People can be eligible to vote by mail if they are:Going to be away from their county on Election Day and during early voting. Absentee/mail-in ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots from voters overseas must be received by the fifth day after Election Day, while ballots from members of the armed forced must be received by the sixth day after Election Day.

These are the types of voting ballots and equipment used throughout the country, according to Ballotpedia:• Optical Scan Paper Ballot Systems: Voters mark their votes by filling in an oval, box, or similar shape on a paper ballot. Paper ballots are later scanned either at the polling place or at a central location. • Ballot Marking Devices and Systems: These systems are designed to help disabled voters who might be unable to vote using other methods. Rather than recording the vote into the computer’s memory, the ballot is instead marked on paper and later tabulated manually. • Punch Card Voting Systems: These devices employ a paper card and a small clipboard device.

No matter what happens in this year’s election, President Donald Trump has already made history in one way. While Trump is the third president ever to be impeached by the House of Representatives, he likely will be the first impeached president in history to be nominated by a political party to run for re-election. In short, the ability of Trump — or any president who gets impeached, for that matter — to seek re-election while impeached is entirely up to the Senate. This was never a scenario for the previous two presidents to be impeached by the House, Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. Clinton was impeached in 1999 during his second term and wasn’t allowed to run for president again due to term limits.

Did you know there are instances in which a single number of votes were the deciding factor? Singer John Legend has founded a campaign called #FREETHEVOTE, which documents the visceral experiences of those who have had their right to vote taken away because of the current criminal justice system. Regardless, by using your voice to cast a vote in elections, you can speak for yourself and those who aren’t able to speak for themselves. And you never know when your single vote could be the one that sways an election. Click here to register to vote and to learn about requirements on Election Day.