Democrat Kamala Harris made a compelling closing argument for the presidency at a historically Black church in Michigan on Sunday, emphasizing her commitment to addressing issues important to the community. Meanwhile, her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, held a rally in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state crucial for both candidates.

Recent opinion polls reveal a competitive race, with Vice President Harris, 60, enjoying strong backing from women voters, while former President Trump, 78, is making inroads among Hispanic men. Despite both candidates facing unfavorable ratings among voters, turnout remains high, with over 76 million Americans have cast their ballots ahead of Election Day on Tuesday. This figure is approaching half of the total 160 million votes from the 2020 election, which saw the highest voter turnout in over a century, according to data from the University of Florida's Election Lab.

As the election approaches, the mobilization of voters in critical states like Michigan and Pennsylvania could be pivotal in determining the outcome.

Control of the US Congress is also at stake on Tuesday, with Republicans projected to secure a majority in the Senate, while Democrats are considered to have a strong chance of flipping the Republicans' slim majority in the House of Representatives. Over the past decade, presidents whose parties have not held both chambers have faced significant challenges in enacting major legislation.

"In just two days, we have the power to shape the future of our nation for generations," Harris urged parishioners at the Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ in Detroit. "We must take action. It’s not enough to pray or merely discuss; we need to realize the plans He has for us through our actions—through our daily choices, our service to our communities, and our commitment to democracy."

During his first of three rallies on Sunday, Trump frequently deviated from his prepared remarks, delivering impromptu comments that included denunciations of polls showing support for Harris. He referred to Democrats as a "demonic party," made jokes about media coverage of potential violence against him, mocked President Joe Biden, and lamented the rising cost of apples.

"Here's all you need to know: Kamala broke it and we're going to fix it," said Trump, his voice raspy. In a speech where he repeatedly criticized the US election process, he added, "It's a damn shame and I'm the only one who talks about it because everyone is damn afraid to talk about it."

Trump is later due to speak in Kinston, North Carolina, before ending his day with an evening rally in Macon, Georgia. Of the seven US states seen as competitive, Georgia and North Carolina are the second-biggest prizes up for grabs on Tuesday, with each holding 16 of the 270 votes a candidate needs to win in the state-by-state Electoral College to secure the presidency. Pennsylvania is first with 19 electors.

Nonpartisan US election analysts reckon Harris would need to win about 45 electoral votes in the seven swing states to win the White House, while Trump would need about 51 when accounting for the states they are forecast to win easily.

'I SHOULDN'T HAVE LEFT'

Near the end of his Pennsylvania speech, Trump - whose false claims that his 2020 loss was the result of fraud inspired his supporters' Jan 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol - mused that he would have preferred not to have handed over power.

"We had the safest border in the history of our country the day that I left. I shouldn't have left. I mean, honestly, because we did so, we did so well," Trump said.

Trump said during his remarks that election results should be announced on Election Night, despite warnings by officials in multiple states that it could take days to ascertain the final outcome.

Democrats say they have plans in place should Trump try to prematurely claim victory this time.

Harris told reporters on Sunday that she trusts the US election system.

"We have, and support, free and fair elections in our country. We did in 2020 - he lost," she said. "And the systems that are in place for this election in 2024 have integrity."

HARRIS' MICHIGAN WOES

After her Detroit appearance, Harris is due to head to East Lansing, Michigan, a college town in an industrial state that is viewed as a must-win for the Democrat.

She faces skepticism from some of the state's 200,000 Arab Americans who are frustrated Harris has not done more to help end the war in Gaza and scale back aid to Israel. Trump visited Dearborn, Michigan, the heart of the Arab American community, on Friday and vowed to end the conflict in the Middle East without saying how.

Harris, who has met behind closed doors with selected Arab American and Muslim leaders, will focus her energy on Black neighbourhoods on Sunday.

Samah Noureddine, 44, a Lebanese American from Grosse Ile, a town near Detroit, said she voted for Biden in 2020 but was casting a ballot for Jill Stein of the Green Party this year.

"I'm upset because Harris is funding the genocide and if we get Trump we're going to suffer too," she said. "I'm sick of both of them."

In the campaign's final days, Harris has sought to convince voters that she will bring down the cost of living, a top concern after several years of high inflation.

Trump has argued that Harris, as the sitting vice president, should be held responsible for rising prices and the high levels of immigration of the past several years, which he has portrayed as an existential threat to the country.

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