Georgia's top election official warns of fake online video

The video purports to show a Haitian immigrant claiming to have voted.

Last Updated: November 1, 2024, 8:03 AM EDT

With five days until Election Day, Kamala Harris attacked Donald Trump for saying Wednesday night in Wisconsin that, against his advisers' advice, he is going to keep saying he will "protect the women" "whether the women like it or not."

Both candidates continued their whirlwind campaigns in the West.

    Oct 31, 11:41 pm

    More than 65 million Americans have voted early

    As of 11:40 p.m. ET on Thursday, more than 65 million Americans have voted early, according to the Election Lab at the University of Florida.

    Of the early ballots cast, 34,277,250 were in person and 30,685,094 were returned by mail.

    An early voting sign is seen outside of a polling station, Oct. 31, 2024, in Stockbridge, Ga.
    Jason Allen/AP

    Oct 31, 2024, 3:33 PM EDT

    Mark Cuban says Trump isn't surrounded by 'strong' women. His allies push back

    On ABC's "The View," Mark Cuban -- a Harris surrogate -- was asked what he made of Nikki Haley not campaigning with Trump.

    "Donald Trump, you never see him around strong, intelligent women. Ever. It's just that simple. They're intimidating to him," the "Shark Tank" investor said.

    Mark Cuban speaks at a campaign rally for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, in La Crosse, Wis., Oct. 17, 2024.
    Abbie Parr/AP

    "He doesn't like to be challenged by them and, you know, Nikki Haley will call him on his nonsense with reproductive rights and how he sees and treats and talks about women. I mean, he just can't have her around. It wouldn't work," Cuban added.

    Now, a host of Trump's allies from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to Lara Trump to Sage Steele are all attacking Cuban and trying to tie his words to the Harris campaign.

    Trump's national press secretary Karoline Leavitt called Cuban's words "extremely insulting to the thousands of women who work for President Trump, and the tens of millions of women who are voting for him."

    It comes as Trump's campaign, for much of this election, has had missteps when it comes to courting women -- facing a myriad of questions about reproductive rights and attempting to convince Trump to lay off the personal attacks as he attacked Haley's intelligence during the primaries, and now continues to degrade Harris.

    -ABC News' Lalee Ibssa

    Oct 31, 2024, 3:02 PM EDT

    Nebraska county drafts poll workers into service

    Finding poll workers can be tough for election officials, particularly in the heightened threat environment targeting election workers. But one Nebraska county has found a novel way of ensuring polling places are properly staffed on Election Day: a draft.

    Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse told ABC News about 45% of the county's 3,000 election workers were drafted into service.

    People wait in line to cast early ballots or register to vote outside the Douglas County Election Commission on October 24, 2024 in Omaha, Nebraska.
    Mario Tama/Getty Images

    Douglas County is the most populous county in the state and one of two counties that uses an election draft. All voters registered in the county are eligible and may receive a letter in the mail letting them know they are required to participate -- a system akin to jury duty. The system has been in place for about 25 years, but Kruse says some people aren't familiar with it and are surprised when they get the notice. "Their first reaction is, 'Is this real?.' We field lots of those questions after we send letters out, but most people are good sports about it."

    Some of the benefits of using a draft, according to Kruse, are lowering the average age of poll workers, creating balance among parties, and helping people gain a better understanding of how the election process works.

    "A lot of people who would have never volunteered or been part of the process now come in and find out what all it takes to do it and how safe and secure it is and so they become great ambassadors for our office and many of them continue to be volunteers after their four turns are up," Kruse said.

    Volunteers who are drafted are required to complete an online training course and serve during four elections. The election office will work with anyone to postpone their duty who has a trip planned, a medical issue or a spouse or family member who is a candidate, but the only way to be completely exempt from the draft is to be over 70 years old.

    Douglas County also has new security measures in place for ballot drop boxes. Over the summer they county added a dry fire suppression system to all 13 of them. Kruse said there were no specific threats or concerns that led to the addition.

    "The election commissioner in Hall County said she was looking into it, and she had done it and once she got a little more information then we decided it was reasonable," Kruse said.

    There are also cameras monitoring the drop boxes that have been in place for at least two years.

    -ABC News' Tonya Simpson

    Oct 31, 2024, 1:08 PM EDT

    Harris using Trump's words to shore up Arab-American support in Michigan

    Harris and her allies in battleground Michigan are launching a new turnout campaign to assertively shore up support among Arab Americans, sending out mailers using Trump's own words about reimplementing a Muslim ban.

    "Just last month, Donald Trump said he would ban Muslims from traveling here, and also ban refugees from Gaza," one of the mailers obtained by ABC News reads. Further down, the mailer says the former president "is no friend to Arab Americans," with one of their examples being his comment that he would let Israel "finish the job" in Gaza.

    The Harris campaign is launching a mailer campaign to target Arab American voters in Michigan.
    Provided to ABC News by the Harris campaign.

    Another is a full-page black-and-white photo of Trump with "FINISH THE JOB" written above him. "That's what Trump said he would let Israel do in Gaza." The mailers, which come on the heels of a six-figure digital ad push, also points to the Arab American group Emgage Action's endorsement of Harris. (A number of other Arab leaders have backed Harris.)

    Michigan, a state that was narrowly won in 2016 and 2020, is a target of both Harris and Trump's campaigns and has the largest Arab-American population among the states that will help decide the election. And Trump is making a play for them, too. Over the weekend, in Novi, Michigan, Trump invited Muslim leaders to the stage who are backing him, including Hamtramck, Michigan, Mayor Amer Ghalib.

    The Harris campaign is launching a mailer campaign to target Arab American voters in Michigan.
    Provided to ABC News by the Harris campaign.

    Pro-Palestinian protestors who take issue with the U.S. response have demonstrated at Harris' rallies, including on Tuesday night as she delivered her "closing argument" speech outside the White House and Wednesday at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

    "Look, I'll repeat: We are fighting for our democracy. We love our democracy. It can be complicated at times, but it is the best system in the world," Harris said after several interruptions from demonstrators.

    -ABC News' Fritz Farrow

    Oct 31, 2024, 12:58 PM EDT

    Harris, Trump swipe at each other over the Affordable Care Act

    Harris, at a news conference on Thursday, swiped at House Speaker Mike Johnson's comments about making "massive reform" to gut the Affordable Care Act.

    "I've been saying throughout this campaign, be very clear that among the stakes in this election are whether we continue with the Affordable Care Act or not," she said. "It has been a part of Donald Trump's agenda for a very long time. He has made dozens of attempts to get rid of the Affordable Care Act, and now we have further validation of that agenda from his supporter, the speaker of the House."

    "What that would mean for the American people is that pharma -- that insurance companies could go back to a time when they would deny you coverage for health insurance based on pre-existing conditions, pre-existing conditions such as being a survivor of breast cancer, asthma, diabetes," she added.

    The Trump campaign is trying to distance itself from Johnson's comments, telling The New York Times they are "not President Trump's policy position."

    Trump is also seeking to separate himself from the remarks, despite saying numerous times this campaign that he would replace the ACA without offering a clear alternative.

    Trump called Harris a "liar" and said her comments were a "desperate" attempt.

    Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to members of the media in Madison, Wisconsin on October 31, 2024.
    Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images