The Herald’s coverage will keep you fully up-to-date in every way. For the first time, the nzherald.co.nz website on desktop and mobile will feature video playing on your homepage screen as NewstalkZB’s Ryan Bridge hosts an election special from 4pm, featuring our own experts and invited guests.
Bridge will talk to former Minister of Trade and NZ ambassador to the United States Tim Groser, former National Party leader and self-confessed US political junkie Todd Muller and experienced political commentators Trish Sherson and Josie Pagani.
Our business experts Liam Dann and Madison Reidy will join them to discuss what the result could mean for the New Zealand economy.
Herald political deputy editor Thomas Coughlan and columnist Shane Te Pou will report from Washington DC, supported by a live AFP video feed from the Trump and Harris campaign headquarters.
Our reporters will be out and about with Kiwis and ex-pat Americans celebrating (or commiserating) as results come in, from the US Embassy in Wellington to Michael Morrah at the American Chamber of Commerce election party in central Auckland.
The Herald’s results coverage on video and live blog uses the latest data from Reuters, displayed on an interactive map, so you can see with a single click who is winning in the vital swing states.
At the last election this interactive map proved hugely popular, recording more than 2 million page views as results teetered in the balance in states such Pennsylvania and Georgia.
We’ll have more thought-provoking interpretation online and in print from Thursday morning, including special columns from our regular political specialists Simon Wilson and Matthew Hooton.
Join us for the complete package on US election day - live video on your phone, latest state-by-state results with a touch on your screen and the best background and analysis from our talented team of journalists and experts.
When to watch
The US election is held on Tuesday November 5 (US time), meaning the results come in on the afternoon of Wednesday November 6 in New Zealand. Based on previous elections, it may take a long time to know who has won and legal challenges are expected. Some observers expect the result to take days, as most polls have Harris and Trump in a virtual dead heat. However the American election system means small shifts in a few key states can result in a heavy victory for either side.
How it works
The US president is not elected directly by voters. Each state is worth a certain number of votes to an Electoral College, which formally elects the president. The Electoral College is made up of 538 votes, meaning each candidate needs 270 votes to win. As most states are solidly Democrat or Republican, the contest comes down to a few key swing states, which could go either way. Most commentators believe the most likely swing states this election are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Americans are also voting for lawmakers in Congress and the Senate, another key part of the US checks and balances political system, as any president has to work with both.
