US election result too close to call

Record numbers of Americans have used their votes in the country’s presidential election. The race, between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, is too close for anyone to say who has won.

Because of coronavirus, millions voted early or by post. President Trump was unhappy about this. His lawyers have tried to stop officials counting postal votes.

Biden: "We knew because of the unprecedented early vote, and the mail-in vote, that it was going to take a while. We're going to have to be patient until we, the hard work of tallying the votes is finished. And it ain't over till every vote is counted, every ballot is counted."

Trump told reporters that he had won. But many states hadn’t finished counting. Trump said these votes were illegal. His lawyers asked judges to stop votes being counted.

Trump: "We were winning everything and all of a sudden it was just called off. The results tonight have been phenomenal and we are getting ready, I mean literally, we were just all set to get outside and just celebrate something that was so beautiful, so good. Such a vote, such a success."

Mr Biden said Trump’s behaviour was unacceptable. He said voters would decide.

Biden: "As I've said all along, it's not my place or Donald Trump's place to declare who's won this election. That's the decision of the American people. But I'm optimistic about this outcome."

The US president doesn’t need the most votes. They have to win in enough states to become the winner. Biden has won a record number of votes. But because of the election system, it is still possible for him to lose. View Less