2024 election updates: Elon Musk not in attendance at hearing on his controversial giveaway

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Last updated: Thursday, October 31, 2024 6:28PM GMT
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With five days until Election Day, Kamala Harris is attacking Donald Trump for saying Wednesday night in Wisconsin that, against his advisers' advice, he is going to keep saying he will "protect the women" "whether the women like it or not."

Both candidates continue their whirlwind campaigns in the West.

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Oct 31, 2024, 11:10 AM

More than 59 million Americans have voted early

As of 5:45 a.m. on Thursday, more than 59 million Americans have voted early, according to the Election Lab at the University of Florida.

Of the total number of early votes, 31,018,125 were cast in person and 27,952,363 were returned by mail.

The voting line wraps around the building at Philadelphia City Hall after a Party to the Polls Purple Tour event.
The voting line wraps around the building at Philadelphia City Hall after a Party to the Polls Purple Tour event.
ByOlivia Rubin ABCNews logo
Oct 30, 2024, 4:32 PM GMT

Trump campaign sues Pennsylvania county

The Trump campaign sued Pennsylvania's Bucks County Board of Elections and others Tuesday night over claims the county "turned away voters," according to a filing in the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas.

A sign is posted in New Hope, Pa., upon entering Bucks County from New Jersey, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.
A sign is posted in New Hope, Pa., upon entering Bucks County from New Jersey, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.

The campaign filed a writ of summons, which contained no allegations or specific claims.

A spokesperson for Bucks County told ABC News in a statement Tuesday evening that the county "has been made aware that litigation may be filed tomorrow. We have no comment at this time."

Lawyers for the county entered an appearance on Wednesday, according to the docket.

The county was previously accused of "suppressive and intimidating" tactics, including claiming voters were turned away and lines were closed early.

MORE | Trump campaign sues Bucks County Board of Elections, claims they 'turned away voters'

However, the county pushed back on any suggestion that what occurred in Bucks County amounts to intentional voter suppression.

"Contrary to what is being depicted on social media, if you are in line by 5 p.m. for an on-demand mail-in ballot application, you will have the opportunity to submit your application for a mail-in ballot," the county said in a statement.

The county did acknowledge that there was indeed some "miscommunication" from officials on site.

Those in line applying for on-demand ballots were "briefly told they could not be accommodated," the county said, but added that those individuals were ultimately allowed to submit their applications, according to officials.

In a post on X, the secretary of state's office echoed that sentiment, asking for voters to "be patient."

"Earlier today, we spoke with Bucks County election officials who assured us that every registered voter who goes to their county election office by 5 p.m. today will be provided an opportunity to apply for their mail ballot," the post said. "Please be patient with all county election office staff as they work hard to ensure every registered voter is able to vote in this election," he said.

ByDevin Dwyer and Beatrice Peterson ABCNews logo
Oct 30, 2024, 4:30 PM GMT

Supreme Court allows Virginia to purge 1,600 voters

The U.S. Supreme Court is allowing Virginia to move forward with its purge of 1,600 alleged noncitizens from the voter rolls ahead of Election Day.

The conservative majority's decision -- which was not explained -- reverses rulings by a federal district court judge and a unanimous appeals court panel.

Both had said that Virginia's purge, initiated by an executive order from Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, violated federal law prohibiting the "systematic" removal of voters from registration lists within 90-days of an election.

The Supreme Court's decision suggests that the justices acted either under the Purcell principle -- to keep federal courts from intervening in state election administration too close to voting -- or under the belief that Virginia had compellingly argued that the federal law's "quiet period" didn't apply here.

The state advanced the idea that noncitizens -- who were never "eligible" to vote in the first place -- can be removed at any time. It also emphasized in court briefs that anyone erroneously removed as an alleged noncitizen is given two opportunities to correct his or her registration status.

The three liberal justices -- Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson -- indicated they would have kept the purge on hold.

Noncitizen voters are already prohibited from registering to vote for federal and state elections.

The Virginia voters who were purged, however, can still have a chance to vote if they use Virginia's same-day registration option at the polls.

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares tweeted on Wednesday "I am pleased to announce that the US Supreme Court granted Virginia's emergency stay to keep noncitizens off our voter rolls."

Damon Hewitt, the president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law which led the efforts in Virginia, blasted the decision.

"None of this activity is random. It's all highly orchestrated, but it's also orchestrated with a purpose," he said in a statement,

Oct 30, 2024, 1:53 PM GMT

Trump escalates baseless rhetoric on Pennsylvania's election system

It's a state that could tip the result of the 2024 election.

And Trump is ramping up rhetoric sowing doubt on the state's voting process.

In a post on his social media site on Wednesday morning, Trump claimed there's "cheating" happening at "large scale levels." He did not elaborate or provide evidence for his claims.

Some isolated incidents have emerged, including approximately 2,500 potentially fraudulent voter registration applications being investigated in Lancaster County, though officials stressed the system worked and that voters can be confident in the election.

-ABC News' Soorin Kim and Olivia Rubin

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Oct 30, 2024, 11:39 AM GMT

Harris, Walz and Vance visit North Carolina amid early voting

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz will return to North Carolina this week amid early voting.

As of Tuesday, October 29, more than 3.1 million people across North Carolina have cast ballots between absentee and early in-person voting.

Harris will attend a campaign event in Raleigh on Wednesday. The rally will be held at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek.

Democratic vice presidential candidate Walz will visit Charlotte, Greensboro, and Asheville in a series of events aimed at encouraging North Carolinians to vote early for the Harris/Walz ticket.

Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance will also return to North Carolina on Thursday for a town hall event.

The town hall will be hosted by Turning Point PAC and Turning Point Action at High Point University.

Turning Point says many students remain undecided voters even days before the Nov. 5 election. Turning Point said it will work to ensure the audience is "inclusive of students of a broad spectrum of cultural backgrounds and experiences as well as political affiliations."