Image source, Reuters

It's no surprise that with an election this big comes equally big celebrity endorsements.

The Harris-Walz Campaign has announced that rapper Cardi B will be speaking at the vice-president's rally in Milwaukee tomorrow.

Other celebrities have made appearances at rallies for Harris, including Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has signalled his support online, as did Taylor Swift.

On the Trump side, billionaire and Tesla chief executive Elon Musk is a fierce campaigner, and he's also been supported by rapper Kanye West, F1 pundit Danica Patrick, and social media influencer Jake Paul.

The first man on the moon, Buzz Aldrin, has also posted online in Trump's favour.

After Sunday's Puerto Rico comment at a Trump rally, the controversy rippled through the community and stars Jennifer Lopez, Luis Fonsi, Don Omar, Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony have all shown support to Harris. Nicky Jam, who had previously appeared onstage supporting Trump, withdrew his endorsement over the remark.

Image source, Reuters

Ione Wells
Reporting from the Michigan

I’m in Michigan, one of the seven swing states in this election. I’ve just spoken to Kevin Moore, president of the local Teamsters Union, 299.

It’s the biggest workers’ union in the US, representing people from nurses and pilots to warehouse workers. The national branch hasn’t endorsed any candidate, but this branch did endorse Kamala Harris.

Mr Moore says: “We’ve seen first hand what Republican control will do to you - taking away workers’ rights, trying to take away your organising freedoms.”

He believes in 2016 Trump won in Michigan because: “We didn’t take him seriously. That’ll never happen again.”

Both candidates know the economy is a key concern for voters. Trump has tried courting workers here with some of his protectionist policies, such as increasing tariffs on foreign imports, and is planning a rally tomorrow here.

But Mr Moore says: “If you tax every good and service that comes into this country, who’s paying for it? The middle class people are paying whether it’s shoes, medicine, clothes, groceries, televisions. It’ll put America in a recession or a depression.”

Natalie Sherman
New York business reporter

As we've just reported in the post below, polls say the presidential election remains too close to call but Donald Trump has been telling crowds he has the wind at his back.

His evidence? The odds on betting sites, such as Polymarket, Kalshi and PredictIt, which all have him heavily favoured to win.

Proponents of such sites see them as efficient markets, capable of rapidly digesting new information. Researchers say the track records of betting markets stand up as well to scrutiny as other prediction tools.

Sceptics note that those wagering are a bit of a self-selected crowd and have raised questions about the risk of market manipulation.

On New York-based Polymarket, for example, US citizens are technically barred and the bets are made in crypto.

Fortune has reported that some analysts tracking Polymarket activity see signs of wash trading – when the same people buy and sell repeatedly, giving an inflated sense of activity on the platform.

And though some sites have rules, such as limits on bet size, on Polymarket, a few big wagers can tilt the odds. This year, Polymarket has said four accounts from a single French trader were responsible for moving the market.

In the national polling averages, Kamala Harris currently retains a small lead over Trump in the election race - 48% compared with Trump's 47%.

There are also minimal differences in each of the seven swing states, as you can see in the graphic below. Harris has a slight lead in Nevada, Wisconsin and Michigan while Trump currently leads in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia and Arizona.

But, the leads in the swing states are so small that it's impossible to know who is really ahead from looking at the polling averages.

In Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina, the lead has changed hands a few times since the start of August but Trump has a small lead in all of them at the moment. It’s a similar story in Nevada but with Harris the candidate who is slightly ahead.

In the three other states - Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin - Harris had led since the start of August, sometimes by two or three points, but the polls have tightened significantly and Trump now has a very small lead in Pennsylvania.

Rachel Looker

Karen Comeau is a library assistant who voted for Trump in 2020, but is now undecided. She is considering "writing in" a candidate - casting a vote for someone who is not officially running.

This ain't my first rodeo and I've gotten to the point in my life where I can look past the advertising they're doing for two specific groups.

It's wonderful that we have Harris as a female seriously running for the presidency and that she has been a vice-president and has some experience. But Trump, when he was in office, I wasn't too upset with what he was doing.

I wouldn't mind having a female president but some of Harris's political doctrine and what I think is right don't line up.

In the lead-up to election day, BBC Voter Voices is hearing from Americans around the country about what matters to them. Are you an American voter? Apply to be featured in future BBC stories.

Ottilie Mitchell
US reporter

I never thought I would share the same stage as Donald Trump.

But hours before he was due to speak to tens of thousands of his supporters at his Madison Square Garden rally, I walked the steps along the red-carpeted platform that he and Elon Musk would later take.

Singer Mary Millben was rehearsing the Star-Spangled Banner dressed head to toe in a fuzzy white sweatsuit - video journalist Eloise Alanna and I had been following her preparations for the performance behind the scenes.

Millben’s soaring operatic vocals and the scale of the 360 degree stage and arena were dizzying. In the MAGA-emblazoned front row seats, several early attendees gripped a fist tight to their chests.

“There’s no greater honour,” she said, than “to encourage citizens to respect God and respect your country.”

Later that night, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe would call Puerto Rico an “island of garbage” on that same stage.

Image source, Getty Images

We reported on Donald Trump's remarks on protecting women earlier, now Kamala Harris has just told reporters in Wisconsin she thinks the comments were "very offensive".

She was referring to the remarks he made at a rally on Wednesday night when he said he would protect women whether they "like it or not".

"He does not prioritize the freedom of women and the intelligence of women to make decisions about their own lives and bodies," Harris said, highlighting the issue of abortion again as a key election issue.

As we've just reported, Trump and Harris will be focussing on Arizona and Nevada, but here's everything you can expect from their campaigns today:

• JD Vance, Trump's vice presidential candidate, will be appearing at 10:30 ET (14:30 GMT) in an event at High Point University in North Carolina
• His opponent Tim Walz will deliver remarks in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, at 11:00 ET (15:00 GMT), before heading to Erie, Pennsylvania in the afternoon

• Kamala Harris kicks her day off at 16:20 ET (20:20 GMT), at a campaign event in Phoenix, Arizona. We expect Latin band Los Tigres del Norte to join her onstage there. She then heads to Reno, Nevada
• At 20:00 ET (00:00 GMT) she will hold a major event in Las Vegas, Nevada, joined by Maná and Jennifer Lopez
• Meanwhile, Donald Trump is set to begin his day with a rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from 14:00 ET (18:00 GMT), before heading to another in Henderson, Nevada
• He will then head to Glendale, Arizona for the finale of political commentator Tucker Carlson's tour at 22:00 ET (02:00 GMT)

Stay tuned, as we bring you live updates from the campaign trail.

Turning focus back now to the campaigns, as both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will be campaigning in Arizona and Nevada.

The bordering states in the south west both have a large Hispanic population - 31% in Arizona and 30% in Nevada.

Since Sunday, after controversy following a Trump rally where a comedian called Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage", both campaigns have trying to win the votes of the Latino and Hispanic communities.

Harris will appear in Phoenix, Reno and Las Vegas, whilst Trump goes to Henderson and Glendale.

Harris' events will include performances from Latino artists including Jennifer Lopez, Los Tigres del Norte and Mana, while Trump will be joined by commentator Tucker Carlson.

Elon Musk announced the latest winner in his $1m giveaway on X this morning, roughly the same time he was due to appear in court over the giveaway's legality.

"Congratulations, Joshua of North Carolina", Musk posted, external, attaching a video of a husband and wife and their baby on a sofa with a giant check for $1m.

It's just one of over a dozen tweets and re-tweets Musk has fired off this morning while skipping court.

Others include a video of one of his SpaceX rockets launching into orbit, a collage of photos of Donald Trump - one of which was the former president sitting in a dump truck - and a message from Trump's running mate, JD Vance, talking about voter fraud.

Image source, Reuters

More now from Philadelphia, where Elon Musk was expected to turn up at court this morning.

As a reminder, Larry Kranser, the district attorney of Philadelphia, filed a lawsuit earlier this week against Musk over his million-dollar cash giveaway to registered voters in key swing states.

John Summers, a lawyer working with Krasner, says Musk "didn't show" in court this morning. He says the billionaire and his team on Wednesday "filed legal papers to have the case removed from this court to federal court".

"We will proceed to federal court and we will address the issues there and seek to have the matter remanded back to the state court," Summers adds.

"After all, this is a case that involves state law issues."

Elon Musk has not shown up to a Philadelphia court, according to the BBC's US news partner CBS, for a hearing over the billionaire's cash giveaways to registered voters.

He had been ordered to attend in person.

Musk's failure to appear could put the Trump-backing SpaceX and Tesla owner at risk of being held in contempt of court.

We'll bring you more updates from inside the courtroom as we get them, so stick with us.

Image source, Reuters

We've been watching the arrivals at a Philadelphia court, ahead of a hearing over Elon Musk's cash giveaways to registered voters, which was scheduled for 10 am ET (1400 GMT).

District Attorney Larry Krasner, who filed a lawsuit against the billionaire earlier this week, arrived a short while ago.

SpaceX and Tesla owner Musk has been ordered to attend in person, but so far we have not seen him show up.

There won't be cameras in court, but we'll keep you posted with what happens next, whether or not Musk appears.

Image source, Reuters

Elon Musk and his campaign group America PAC said in October that he would give away $1 million (£766,000) to a registered voter in key swing states every day until the US election on 5 November.

To be eligible to win, registered voters have to sign a petition in favour of "free speech and the right to bear arms".

Each day, one person is selected at random for the $1 million prize.

The contest is open to voters in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina, all key battleground states which will ultimately decide the election.

Musk is a keen supporter of Republican nominee Donald Trump's bid to return to the White House.

Image source, Reuters

The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has been ordered to attended a court hearing today over his million-dollar cash giveaway to registered voters in key swing states.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner filed the lawsuit earlier this week.

The BBC's US partner CBS News says the hearing is scheduled to begin at 10:00 ET (14:00 GMT), according to a court document.

Trump supporter Musk announced in October that he would randomly award a $1m prize to registered voters who sign a petition in battleground states every day until the election. The awards would come through his political group, America PAC.

But Krasner's lawsuit says the scheme is an illegal lottery and an attempt to influence voters, and that it must be stopped.

In a statement, Krasner said the move was about "protecting the public from public nuisances and unfair trade practices, including illegal lotteries" and "protecting the public from interference with the integrity of elections".

• Read more: Musk ordered to attend court over US voter cash giveaways

The countdown is well and truly on, with just five days to go before the US election day.

Before Trump and Harris get back on the campaign trail today, here's a quick refresh of the events you might have missed on Wednesday or during the US overnight hours:

• Both candidates were in Wisconsin on Wednesday - one of seven swing states. Trump told a rally held near Green Bay he wanted to protect women "whether the women like it or not" from "missiles" and "migrants"
• He wore a high-visibility vest garbage collectors in the US wear. It followed President Joe Biden appearing to call his supporters "garbage" a day earlier. Biden says he was referring to Tony Hinchcliffe after the comedian labelled US territory Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage" at a Trump rally
• For the Democrats, Harris sought out the youth vote, also in Wisconsin - telling first-time voters "I love your generation, I just love you guys"

• Elsewhere, authorities in Clark Country, Washington, said they have managed to salvage hundreds of ballots that were damaged when an incendiary device was placed in a ballot box on Monday. Another ballot box was set alight in Portland, Oregon. Both attacks are being investigated by the FBI

The 2024 presidential election could hinge on the state of Pennsylvania, with polls currently indicating that the crucial swing state is locked in a dead heat.

On the next stage of Americast's pop-up podcast studio, Justin and Marianna travel to Philadelphia to speak to three first-time Democratic voters who are planning to vote for Kamala Harris.

Sitting down in a family home, we chat to them about their reaction to Joe Biden’s intervention in the campaign, whether they’d consider voting for a third-party and what they believe Harris needs to do between now and November 5.

Listen to that episode.

We've been reporting on how each candidate's stance on abortion has influenced the voting intention of registered voters.

Here's a quick reminder on what each presidential hopeful has said on the issue:

Kamala Harris is advocating for legislation that would safeguard reproductive rights nationwide.

Harris has made abortion central to her campaign - she was the first vice-president to visit an abortion clinic.

“When Congress passes a law to restore reproductive freedoms, as president of the United States, I will sign it into law,” she said at a campaign rally in Atlanta, Georgia.

DonaldTrump has said he would not sign a national abortion ban into law.

Trump has regularly said that states should be free to decide their own laws on abortion.

He has criticised Florida’s ban on abortions after six-weeks but also said he would oppose a ballot measure in the state establishing the right to an abortion.

You can read more on Trump's views on key issues as well as Harris' stance on 10 key issues.

Image source, Getty Images

In this election, tens of millions of voters will also be deciding on abortion laws across ten states.

This comes in response to the Supreme Court's decision in 2022 which overturned the decades-old Roe v Wade - rescinding the constitutional right to an abortion.

Since then, the access to the procedure has varied across states, some with an almost complete ban.

Abortion has thus become a huge talking point in this election as a topic that is dividing voters.

Harris is strongly pro-choice and has made it a key part of her campaign.

During his presidency, Trump appointed the Supreme Court judges whose votes ultimately overturned Roe v Wade. He says abortion policy should be left to the states to decide.

However, his wife Melania, recently came out with a video backing abortion rights.

Get up to speed on the ten US states facing abortion on the ballot in November.

Rachel Looker

The gender divide has been prominent in this election, with polls suggesting Kamala Harris has an advantage among women and former President Donald Trump is enjoying a similar lead among men.

The BBC has been speaking to women about how they are considering gender and abortion as they cast their ballots in the final days of the campaign.

Texas-based nurse practitioner Tracey Sorrell backed Trump at the last election and plans to do so again.

"On abortion, [Harris] is not giving a gestational parameter of how late somebody can get an abortion. That cannot be-open ended. I was a NICU [neonatal intensive care unit] nurse for 17 years... I care about women's rights. I care about women. The mother is the first patient," she says.

Meanwhile Susana Rodriguez voted for Biden in the last election and has now voted early in support of Harris.

She describes being "scared" at the prospect of going backwards: "I had more rights than my granddaughter is going to have in her future and that's not right."

Read more about thoughts on the issue and how individuals plan to vote.