When were the Pennsylvania election results called and why were they so important?
The battleground state of Pennsylvania had been looming as a key piece of the US election puzzle, with its 19 Electoral College votes more than any of the seven swing states.
While it hung in the balance for hours, the Keystone State ended up turning red, voting in favour of Donald Trump for the second time in three elections.
Here's what we know about how the race played out.
READ MORE: What would a Donald Trump presidency mean for Australia?
Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at Scranton High School in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on election day. AP Photo/Matt Rourke
When were the Pennsylvania election results called?
Lots of the ballots from Pennsylvania that were counted early had favoured Kamala Harris.
But, unlike in 2020 when postal votes and other ballots counted late on favoured the Democrats, this time it was Trump who made up ground as the day went on.
The state was eventually called for him by the Associated Press at 6.24pm AEDT.
As of midday on November 7 (again AEDT), Trump had 50.5 per cent of the votes to Harris' 48.6 per cent, with 98 per cent of ballots counted.
Why was Pennsylvania so important?
To start with, it has 19 electoral college votes up for grabs – more than any of the other swing states.
It's also a diverse state, with all sides of politics represented in its sizeable cities and regional areas.
That means that neither side could count it as theirs with any confidence before election day.
Most importantly, it is part of the so-called 'Blue Wall' of states, along with Michigan and Wisconsin, that had loomed as Harris' most likely path to victory.
Had she won those three battlegrounds, it would have been enough to seal her path to the White House, regardless of what happened in the other swing states.
As it happened, Trump ended up winning all three.
READ MORE: What would a Kamala Harris presidency mean for Australia?
Which way had Pennsylvania voted before?
2024 is just the second time Pennsylvania has voted for a Republican in the past three decades.
Before going to Trump in 2016, Pennsylvania had been solidly Democrat since 1992.
In 2020, Joe Biden carried the state by the slimmest of margins, holding on with 50.01 per cent of the vote or a lead of about 80,500 votes.
When Trump won in 2016, he won by just 44,292 votes. This time, the margin is larger, in the range of 100,000 votes.
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