2024 election updates: Trump and Harris enter the final stretch of the 2024 campaign

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Last updated: Monday, October 28, 2024 10:05PM GMT
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As we head into the final full week of campaigning before Election Day, the latest ABC News/Ipsos poll shows Kamala Harris with a slight 51-47% lead over Donald Trump among likely voters nationally -- but the polls in the battleground states remain essentially deadlocked within the margin of error.

Fallout continues over racist comments made at Trump's big rally on Sunday at Madison Square Garden and Harris is preparing for her "closing argument" Tuesday night on the Ellipse near the Capitol and White House in Washington.

ABCNews logo
Oct 28, 2024, 10:22 AM

Almost 42 million voters have cast a vote

Almost 42 million Americans have cast a vote through early voting methods, as of Sunday afternoon, according to data from the University of Florida's Election Lab.

The about 41.9 million recorded mail and early in-person votes were evenly split with about 21 million mail ballots returned nationally and about the same cast at in-person early voting polling sites across the country, the data showed.

Early voting options are now open to voters in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Many early voting periods will last until the weekend before Election Day.

ByBenjamin Siegel and Soorin Kim ABCNews logo
6:28 PM GMT

Elon Musk's America PAC posts, then deletes, video calling Harris a 'C-Word'

Elon Musk's America PAC deleted a video that called Harris a "C-Word," using a wordplay to suggest an expletive, but instead calling her a "communist."

Elon Musk and former first lady Melania Trump listen as former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York.
Elon Musk and former first lady Melania Trump listen as former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York.

The ad began with a warning: "WARNING This ad contains multiple instances of the C word. Viewer discretion is advised."

"Kamala Harris is a C word. You heard that right? A big old C word. In fact, all of the other C words think she's the biggest C word of them all," a narrator said in the video.

Then with an image of a cat in a Soviet officer's uniform and an altered image of Harris wearing a Soviet hat, the video revealed the word in question was "communist," even though the video was clearly hinting at the expletive.

"That's right. She's a tax hiking, regulation loving, gun-grabbing communist. And the worst part, she's proud of it," the narrator says.

ABC News has reached out to America PAC about the video.

ByJustin Gomez ABCNews logo
5:38 PM GMT

Biden calls Trump's rally 'embarrassing' and 'beneath any president'

President Joe Biden criticized Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden, where he and other speakers ramped up anti-immigrant rhetoric.

President Joe Biden criticized Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden, where he and other speakers ramped up anti-immigrant rhetoric.

"It's embarrassing. Just simply embarrassing. It's beneath any president, but that's what we're getting used to," Biden said. "That's why this election is so important. You know, most presidential scholars I've spoken to talk about the single most consequential thing about a president is character. Character. And -- and he puts that in question every time he opens his mouth."

With just over a week to go until Election Day, Biden was asked if he'd be on the trail with the vice president this week, but he made no mention of any joint events, which have been rare this election. Instead, he said he's been on the trail where the campaign thinks he can help the most and will be in Pennsylvania this week.

And for the first time, he spoke out on Elon Musk's $1 million giveaway to registered voters who sign a petition supporting the First and Second amendments, at first sarcastically saying, "Tell him I'm registered," before calling it "totally inappropriate."

ByOren Oppenheim ABCNews logo
5:33 PM GMT

Nearly 25% of Michigan's active registered voters have cast their ballot

More than 250,000 voters cast ballots during the first two days of in-person statewide early voting in the swing state, and over 1.5 million Michigan voters have submitted absentee ballots, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced at a press conference on Monday.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump gestures to supporters after speaking at a campaign rally, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Traverse City, Mich.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump gestures to supporters after speaking at a campaign rally, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Traverse City, Mich.

Benson said that 24% of the state's active registered voters have by now already cast their ballot.

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer watch as a beer is poured at the Trak Houz Bar & Grill in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer watch as a beer is poured at the Trak Houz Bar & Grill in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Benson also highlighted some demographic breakdowns about who has voted early in Michigan so far. Almost two-thirds of Michigan citizens who voted by mail are older than 60, but 61% of those who early voted so far are under 60, and 13.5% of early voters are under 30. Benson added that "of all the votes cast to date in Michigan's elections, 55% are from women and 44% are from men."

ByAAMER MADHANI AP logo
5:20 PM GMT

Biden casts 2024 election ballot near his Delaware home

President Joe Biden exits the voting booth after casting his early-voting ballot for the 2024 general elections, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in New Castle, Del.
President Joe Biden exits the voting booth after casting his early-voting ballot for the 2024 general elections, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in New Castle, Del.

President Joe Biden has cast an early ballot in the 2024 general election.

It's a bittersweet moment for Biden, who decided to end his reelection campaign in July because of growing concerns about his health and Democrats' worries about his chances of defeating former President Donald Trump. Biden voted on Monday at the state of Delaware Department of Elections, not far from his home outside Wilmington, Delaware at an early voting site, where voters were lined up down the street to cast ballots.

MORE | President Biden casts early ballot near his Delaware home after waiting in line with other voters

President Joe Biden departs a polling station after casting his early-voting ballot for the 2024 general elections, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in New Castle, Del.
President Joe Biden departs a polling station after casting his early-voting ballot for the 2024 general elections, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in New Castle, Del.