Biden edges closer to victory, but Trump seeks win through the courts
WASHINGTON: The US presidential election remains on a knife's edge but is edging closer to a potential result later today as the remaining battleground states complete their vote counts.
Democrat challenger Joe Biden has racked up 264 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win if Arizona is included, which Republican President Donald Trump's team contends could still swing in his favour.
Without Arizona, however, Mr Biden may well fall short of the magic 270.
He has only one state left in his favour - Nevada and its six electoral votes, which are precious only if he holds Arizona.
His lead in Nevada has risen to nearly 12,000 votes from less than 8,000 over the course of yesterday, with 14 per cent left to tally.
He is leading in Arizona by about 69,000 votes with 12 per cent yet to be counted.
Though some news outlets, including the Associated Press and Fox News, have called Arizona for Mr Biden, he has not claimed victory.
Mr Biden's campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon said yesterday that it may take time to see full voting results in Arizona and that the margin in the state may tighten.
Mr Trump has only 214 electoral votes, but he could still make a fight of it as he is leading in the other four states yet to be decided - Pennsylvania (20 electoral votes), Georgia (16), North Carolina (15) and Alaska (3).
But for him to win now, he has to pull off a substantial swing to wrest either Arizona or Nevada from Mr Biden.
So he is hedging his bets by seeking a win through the courts, having filed lawsuits in three states - Michigan, Georgia and Pennsylvania, where a judge has ruled in his favour by ordering that the poll watchers must be allowed within six feet of the counting of votes. - WIRE AGENCIES
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