PHOENIX, ARIZONA (Reuters) – Polls close at 9 pm ET (0200 GMT) in Arizona, but the state was not expected to report results until roughly 10 pm.
Democrat Kamala Harris faced Republican Donald Trump on Tuesday in the US presidential election, after the two candidates vied for support having staked positions on issues including abortion, the economy and foreign policy.
At Maricopa County tabulation and election center (MCTEC) processing of ballots continued as dozens of national and international media outlets arrived to Arizona to report from the battleground state.
The MCTEC, a flashpoint in 2020 for rigged election conspiracy theories and threats against election officials, was secured by a metal fence ahead of the election and other extra security measures were put in place including CCTV cameras and enforced patrols.
County Sheriff Russ Skinner said earlier his department will be on "high alert" for threats and violence and he has instructed staff to be available for duty.
Concerned about the potential for protests or even violence, several Arizona schools and churches that served as voting centers in the past will not serve as polling stations this year, a local election official told Reuters.
Arizona's Maricopa County, home to 4.5 million people – over half of the state's population – is seen as one of the most pivotal battlegrounds across the United States, both for the presidency and the Senate.