- Title: America's classic battleground Ohio votes for 2016 president
- Date: 8th November 2016
- Summary: YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 8, 2016) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF BYZANTINE CENTER AT THE GROVE POLLING STATION VOTERS LINING TO ENTER POLLING STATION CLOSE OF VOTER'S FACE NEXT TO VOTING SIGN VARIOUS OF VOTERS CHECKING IN TO VOTE (SOUNDBITE) (English) OHIO SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, JESSICA LYNN BRICKLEY, SAYING: "Just being that there's violence already leading up to this, it's kind of scary. I was even a little worried coming here to be honest, just because people are so volatile, and they feel so personal about the election this year. I am glad to see everyone was so peaceful, and everyone was nice and respectful to one another. So, that I appreciated. So as far as how it goes from this point out, I think everyone is just worried." WIDE OF VOTING BOOTHS CLOSE OF VOTER'S FACE CLOSE OF VOTING SIGN (SOUNDBITE) (English) OHIO RETIREE, RUTH FREEMAN, SAYING: "Yes, Hillary Clinton. (REPORTER ASKS: "Why did you vote for Secretary Clinton?") Because I feel she's the perfect person to be in there. She's been in congress in the history of Washington, D.C. for 30 years. So I think she's the best." VARIOUS OF VOTERS AT VOTING BOOTHS 10 (SOUNDBITE) (English) OHIO CHEF, BILL BOND, SAYING: "Just make it better. Everything has gone to, excuse my French, hell in a handbasket. Our wages aren't getting better. Jobs are scarce or are overseas. Let's see what happens now. We gave Obama a chance to get this straightened around. He didn't do all that great a job. He flew under the radar for a while. He just kind of existed. Let's see what Donald can do." MORE OF VOTERS SIGNING IN VARIOUS OF VOTERS DEPOSITING VOTE
- Embargoed: 23rd November 2016 16:50
- Keywords: Ohio voting Ohio voters reax battleground state Youngstown voting
- Location: YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, UNITED STATES
- City: YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA00157L66O7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Voting got underway Tuesday (November 8) in battleground Ohio for the United States general election after a contentious and history-making campaign.
Polls opened at the Byzantine Center at the Grove at 6:30 a.m. EST (1130 GMT) in Youngstown, Ohio. Few sites have better demonstrated the stakes in the 2016 election than Youngstown. The one-time industrial hub is a testament to rust belt decline - in less than a century it has seen its population drop from 170,000 to some 70,000. Steel, sheet and tube, as well as rubber plants have closed in recent decades. And what was once a robust Democrat stronghold as a result of a vibrant labor movement has become a target for the unorthodox candidacy of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his hardline stance on foreign trade.
Democrat Hillary Clinton has about a 90 percent chance of defeating Republican Donald Trump in the race for the White House, according to the final Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation project.
The former secretary of state was leading Trump by about 45 percent to 42 percent in the popular vote, and was on track to win 303 votes in the Electoral College to Trump's 235, clearing the 270 needed for victory, the survey found.
Trump's chances rest with his performance in Florida, Michigan, North Carolina and Ohio, which were too close to call on Sunday, when polling ended, and Pennsylvania, where Clinton enjoyed a slim lead of three percentage points. For Trump to win, he will have to take most of those states.
Early voting began in Ohio on October 12 and continued through to election day.
To win, Trump needs higher turnout among Republican white voters than that which materialized in 2012, a drop-off in ballots by African-American voters and a smaller-than-predicted increase in Hispanic voters, the project showed.
Trump has said the election was rigged against him and that he would not yet commit to respecting the outcome, creating unprecedented uncertainty over what's going to happen as the results start coming in.
"Just being that there's violence already leading up to this, it's kind of scary. I was even a little worried coming here to be honest, just because people are so volatile, and they feel so personal about the election this year. I am glad to see everyone was so peaceful, and everyone was nice and respectful to one another. So, that I appreciated. So as far as how it goes from this point out, I think everyone is just worried," said Jessica Lynn Brickley, a small business owner in Youngstown.
Clinton, who is trying to become the first woman elected to the White House, had a 4 percentage point lead over Trump in separate polls by Fox News and CBS News released on Monday.
Clinton's comfortable lead had eroded since late last month and investors had been unnerved by the tightening race. Clinton is considered a known quantity, while Trump is considered a political wild card.
Supporters of both candidates were out in full force at the Byzantine Center at the Grove polling station in Youngstown.
"Yes, Hillary Clinton. Because I feel she's the perfect person to be in there. She's been in congress in the history of Washington, D.C. for 30 years. So I think she's the best," said Ohio retiree Ruth Freeman.
Trump, a former reality TV star who had never previously run for public office, began his last day of campaigning in Sarasota, Florida. He and Clinton have been locked in a tough battle Florida, with its large Hispanic-American population.
Trump gave no ground to Clinton or to polls showing her with a narrow lead. Predicting he would win, he told supporters in Sarasota that Clinton "is such a phony," saying, "We're tired of being led by stupid people."
His supporters were on message at the Byzantine Center.
"Just make it better. Everything has gone to, excuse my French, hell in a hand-basket. Our wages aren't getting better. Jobs are scarce or are overseas. Let's see what happens now. We gave Obama a chance to get this straightened around. He didn't do all that great a job. He flew under the radar for a while. He just kind of existed. Let's see what Donald can do," said Ohio chef Bill Bond.
Polls close in Ohio at 730 pm EST (0000 GMT). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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