US presidential elections: Nominees who could shake up Trump-Harris race

Washington: By Monday morning, more than 78 million American voters had already cast their ballots. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, the two leading candidates, spent their final hours campaigning in seven battleground states, making their closing appeals to voters.

Other candidates who could influence the outcome

While Harris and Trump dominate the race, several other candidates remain in the contest, though none are expected to win. These third-party and independent hopefuls could still affect the final results by drawing votes away from the major party candidates.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 70, a prominent figure and nephew of President John F. Kennedy, started as a Democratic challenger to President Joe Biden. He later switched to an independent bid. Although Kennedy suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump, his name remains on ballots in some states, and he could still impact the race by attracting votes that may go to Trump.

Cornel West, 71, a progressive academic running as an independent, and Jill Stein, 74, of the Green Party, are also in the race. Both candidates are expected to appeal to more liberal, progressive voters, many of whom would typically lean Democratic. Stein's past candidacy in 2016 has been blamed for syphoning votes from Hillary Clinton in key battleground states.

Chase Olivier, 39, representing the Libertarian Party, could also pull votes away from Republicans, particularly from libertarian-minded voters who might otherwise support Trump.

Historic race between Harris and Trump

The U.S. presidential race is largely seen as a showdown between Harris, 60, of the Democratic Party, and Trump, 78, of the Republican Party. Both candidates have the potential to make history if they win.

Kamala Harris could become the first woman elected President, as well as the first African-American, Asian-American, and Indian-American to hold the office.

Donald Trump, if victorious, would become only the second former President to lose a re-election bid and then return to win on a third try, a feat previously accomplished by Grover Cleveland.

Final pushes across key states

With so many candidates still on the ballot, both major party contenders have focused on energising their bases in the critical battleground states, where every vote counts.

Agency