US Elections 2016 LIVE: First polls close as Americans pick between Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump after brutal campaign

1 dead, 3 injured after reported shooting near polling site in Azusa, California

The 2016 US presidential polls has entered the final hours of voting.

Polls in the Eastern time zones of Indiana and Kentucky have closed.

A polling location in Azusa,California, is currently on lockdown after a shooting happened nearby: US media

First polls close

Polls began to close in the long and bitter race for the White House between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump on Tuesday, with last-minute opinion polls giving Clinton the edge in the final hours of the race.

Polls in the Eastern time zones of Indiana and Kentucky were the first to close, and a flood of vital battleground states such as Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio - where polls were due to close in the next 90 minutes - would provide initial clues of the possible winner.

May not go quietly into the night if I lose: Trump

US presidency hopeful Donald Trump has in another fierce statement declared that he will not go quietly into the night if the poll results are against him.

In an interview on Tuesday, Trump said, "I`ll have to see under what circumstances. I want everything to be really, really smooth and really, really good. I understand the importance of that. I was very good in history. It`s largely a rigged system and you see it at the polling booths too.

"He added that "hopefully" he won`t be put in a position where he`ll feel the need to contest the election, reports the Guardian.

Donald Trump suggests voter fraud happening across the US

Donald Trump on Tuesday said that there were reports of voter fraud happening across the country, claiming that some people were trying to vote for Republicans only for their selection to change to Democrats.

'This election is far from over'

Donald Trump writes on Twitter, "Don't let up, keep getting out to vote - this election is FAR FROM OVER! We are doing well but there is much time left. GO FLORIDA!"

Don't let up, keep getting out to vote - this election is FAR FROM OVER! We are doing well but there is much time left. GO FLORIDA!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 8, 2016

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would have to "see how things play out" before accepting the results of Election Day, pointing to possible irregularities as he once again warned of a rigged system.

Eric Trump illegally posts a picture of his marked ballot

Son of US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Eric Trump, posted a photo of his marked ballot on Twitter -- which is illegal to do in New York.

Nevada judge denies Trump request to separate early voting ballots

A Nevada court judge denied a request on Tuesday from Donald Trump campaign lawyers to issue an order directing a county registrar of voters to preserve and separate ballots from voting machines in four early voting sites in Clark County, Nevada.

US astronaut casts his ballot from space

Astronaut Shane Kimbrough, the only US citizen in space on Election Day, cast his vote from the International Space Station (ISS), NASA said Tuesday.

Kimbrough, 45, who arrived on board the ISS in mid-October, exercised his right to vote from the space platform orbiting the Earth at 27,000 kms (17,780 miles) per hour.

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was booed as he arrived at a polling centre here to cast his ballot. Accompanied by his wife, Melania, Trump went to his midtown Manhattan polling location to cast his ballot on Tuesday.

Video from the scene shows dozens of bystanders jeering and shouting "Go home!" at the billionaire businessman, his wife and his daughter Ivanka as they walked into P.S. 59 at about 11 a.m., NBC New York reported.

Vice President Joe Biden casts his vote.

Taking to Twitter, Biden wrote, "Today is Election Day in America. It’s time to get out and vote."

Today is Election Day in America. It’s time to get out and vote. pic.twitter.com/a0MJUF4QIy

— Vice President Biden (@VP) November 8, 2016

Donald Trump casts his vote, in New York.

US stocks open slightly lower on election day, S&P down 0.3 percent.

Hillary Clinton's vice president running mate Tim Kaine predicts huge turnout.

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Wall Street looks set to open little changed on Election Day as Americans headed to vote for their next president, with the odds currently favoring Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton, a Reuters report said.

According to CNN, 370 economists have urged the Americans to reject Donald Trump.

Lady Gaga, Jon Bon Jovi urge people to vote for Hillary Clinton.

Hillary Clinton casts her vote early Tuesday near her home in New York state. She was accompanied by her husband and former US president Bill Clinton.

After coming out of the polling station Clinton shake hands and spoke to the people around there.

Clinton says, "I`m so happy, I`m just incredibly happy," adding that "I know how much responsibility goes with this and so many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country."

Hillary Clinton casts her vote early Tuesday near her home in New York state. She was accompanied by her husband and former US president Bill Clinton.

After coming out of the polling station Clinton shake hands and spoke to the people around there.

Clinton says, "I`m so happy, I`m just incredibly happy," adding that "I know how much responsibility goes with this and so many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country."

Also Read: Hillary Clinton casts her vote in New York

People queue up in states across the Eastern US to cast their ballots to elect the 45th president of the United States.

Polling has begun in Florida, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee.

As the Americans vote in US Presidential election 2016, Donald Trump tweets: "TODAY WE MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

Also Read: Record 46.2 millions vote in early voting in US presidential Polls

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton appeals to the voters to come out in large numbers and exercise their votes.

It's Election Day! Millions of Americans have cast their votes for Hillary—join them and confirm where you vote: https://t.co/jfd3CXLD1s

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 8, 2016

The first ballots were cast in a sleepy hamlet in New Hampshire, traditionally the first in the nation to vote on Election Day, with Clinton winning the contest.

Clinton registered her first 'win' in the 2016 elections by four votes to two against Trump soon after midnight in the remote Dixville Notch, New Hampshire.

While Clinton is close to victory mark, Trump must win most of the battleground states to clinch the magic figure of 270 Electoral College votes.

Arizona (11), Florida (29), Nevada (6), Nebraska 2nd Congressional District (1), New Hampshire (4) and North Carolina (15) are key battleground states.

An estimated 200 million people are eligible to cast their votes to elect the country's 45th president along with hundreds of Congressmen and members of state legislatures and local civic bodies.

A record 42 million have already voted using the "early voting" provision of the American electoral system, surpassing the 2012 record when 32.3 million people had voted in advance.

All 50 states and Washington DC go to the polls across six different time zones on election day. Thirteen of the states are operating with split time zones.

The US' system is a race to secure 270 out of the 538 votes in the electoral college.

Once the polls across the US have closed, there will be a projection for each state based on opinion polls taken throughout the day, which are a good indication of the results - but not always correct.