PA Election Results: Trump Takes the Lead in Pennsylvania (Update)

Into the wee hours of the morning, the nation watched as Pennsylvania counted its votes for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The state's 20 electoral votes were up for grabs as the tally edged ever closer.

At 12:45 a.m. Wednesday, Trump's vote count stood at 2,751,542 to Clinton's 2,718,756 with about 90 percent of the vote counted. Democrats were counting on Clinton securing Pennsylvania. Other key swing states fell to Trump earlier in the evening — Florida, North Carolina and Ohio.

Outside of Philadephia and Pittsburgh, much of the state went to Trump.

While Clinton enjoyed a significant lead in the polls over Trump through much of the campaign, that lead precipitously dropped in the days leading up to the election. As Election Day dawned, Clinton led by an average of 1.9 percentage points, according to an aggregate of polls from RealClearPolitics.

SEE ALSO: Full Presidential Election Results As They Come In

Is it over? Not quite.

12:58 a.m. Trump's lead stands at nearly 71,000 votes with 96.89 percent of all precincts reporting. However, about 3.5 percent of precincts in Philadelphia have not yet reported. Philadelphia is a heavily Democratic area. If Clinton can split the difference with Trump in the rest of the state, she could pull even as the final Philadelphia results come in.

Clinton trailing Obama's final tallies in Philadelphia from 2012

10:28 p.m. With 1,493 of 1,686 precincts in the city reporting, Clinton leads Trump 81 percent to 16 percent. In 2012, President Obama defeated Mitt Romney with 85 percent of Philadelphia's vote. Clinton is relying heavily on Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to deliver her Pennsylvania, which is an increasingly crucial swing state as the night's results progress.

Across the state, Clinton leads 51 percent to 45 percent over Trump.

First PA county officially called for Trump

9:50 p.m. Crawford County in Pennsylvania has been won by Donald Trump, who took home 78 percent of the vote.

Temple University students waited to vote for 4 hours at 10th and Oxford in Philadelphia

9:20 p.m.

Trump dominates rural PA

9:13 p.m. Unsurprisingly, rural Pennsylvania is voting overwhelmingly for Trump. Election results in precincts across the entire middle of the state are coming in red. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Erie, Lackawanna, and Dauphin counties are the only Clinton counties, but they are also represent some of the most highly populated counties as well.

With two precincts reporting...

8:27 p.m. Precincts in Pennsylvania are slowly beginning to report in election results. One precinct in Warren County, in the northwest part of the state, had 239 votes for Trump compared to 51 for Clinton. Out of three precincts reporting in Philadelphia, 1,123 voted Clinton, while 21 voted for Trump.

Toomey has voted for Trump

7:24 p.m. With less than an hour to go before polls close in Pennsylvania, Sen. Toomey has confirmed that he voted for Trump. Toomey voted just before 7 p.m. and announced his decision afterward, his campaign confirmed.

Judge rejects Democratic injunction over PA voter intimidation

7:37 p.m. In a decision issued Tuesday night, Philadelphia's U.S. District Court Judge Paul Diamond rejected a suit filed by the Pennsylvania Democratic Party stating that Trump and the "Stop the Seal" organization were inciting violence and voter intimidation. In a decision, Diamond said that Democrats waited until far too close to the election - October 30 - to file suit. He added that they did not provide sufficient evidence that Trump supporters were planning to stop or intimidate others from voting. According to Diamond, Democrats relied "upon newspaper and Internet stories, YouTube videos, unattributed reports, and judicial decisions—some decades old; others years, months, or weeks old."

Trump camp claims "Amish vote" in Lancaster County...Dems say not so fast

7:21 p.m.

City Hall quiet throughout day, night

7:07 p.m. After being a hotbed of protest activity during the primary election and the Democratic National Convention, protesters were largely absent from City Hall and JFK Plaza on Tuesday. As rush hour settled and the night's cool air settled over the city, there was an eerie calm. It was a notably different scene from just 24 hours earlier, as Democrats and protesters alike swarmed the city for Clinton's final rally at Independence Mall with President Obama, Bruce Springsteen, and Jon Bon Jovi.

Polls close at 8 p.m.

6:50 p.m. Polls are set to close in just over an hour across Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia DA: Reports of fraud, intimidation unfounded

6:24 p.m. Despite reports of voter fraud and voter intimidation across the state on Tuesday, Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams said in a statement Tuesday that there were no confirmed instances of fraud on Tuesday night.

According to Williams, prosecutors responded to 68 calls, including 10 Electioneering complaints, 12 for interfering conduct, and 5 for illegal voter assistance. None of them turned out to be legitimate complaints, as of early Tuesday evening.

Williams stressed there is nothing illegal about people getting a ride to the polls in a van or in a bus, nor is there anything illegal about individuals watching these proceedings.

The political atmosphere in the weeks and months leading up to the election has made the Philadelphia area fertile ground for conspiracy theories and allegations of abuse.

"One of the nominees for president has been making false allegations about the integrity of Philadelphia’s elections for weeks now, but we are ready,” Williams said last week. “The Election Fraud Task Force is ready to respond to whatever happens on November 8th and I want to make sure each and every Philadelphian who has a concern or is experiencing difficulty casting their ballot calls us.”

Crowds increase at rush hour; Democrats handing out literature outside polls

6:10 p.m. In Wynnewood, at the Penn Wynne Overbrook Firehouse, several voters said that they were confronted by Clinton supporters as they approached the polls. They were handed Democratic candidate cards and were told "how to vote Democrat. "But it's your choice," they told voters.

6:01 p.m. Suburban Philadelphia voters experienced increased waiting times around rush hour Tuesday. At Arrowhead Elementary in Collegeville, there was no wait at around 3:30 p.m. By 5:30 voters were waiting at least 10 minutes. By 6 p.m., polling officials estimated that approximately 1,300 residents had voted at that location Tuesday.

Turnout "crazy" in Philadelphia suburbs

6 p.m. The suburban Philadelphia vote is a major factor this election, with both Clinton and Trump campaigning hard in the area over the last stretch of their bids.

Poll workers in the suburbs had varying experiences during the day, but overall agreed turnout was higher than average.

In Delaware County, the Radnor Fire Company served as a polling location for Radnor voters in precinct 1 ward 3 and had a steady flow of voters. Poll workers said they experienced no issues with voting machines and received no indication of any voter intimidation. Lines were essentially non existent at the location as it served a small portion of Radnor's population.

However, just across the block at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, the line to vote had at least an hour and a half wait at some points. Voters said they waited about 45 minutes to an hour to cast their ballots at about 2 p.m. Poll workers said they noticed an increased voter turnout, especially with first-time and student voters.

In Bucks County, Doylestown Borough's polling place at the borough hall had no issues, but poll workers said turnout was exceptionally high.

While the polling place didn't have a line at 3 p.m., voters still shuffled in consistently and the poll workers said they only had a few moments of pause.

By 3 p.m., poll workers said they had more votes for this election than they did by that time in the 2012 election.

They echoed Radnor poll workers sentiments, saying they noticed an increased number in new voters.

Doylestown was considered a bellwether for the election by the New York Times.

In Newtown Borough, poll workers said there was a case of possible voter intimidation early in the day at the Newtown Fire Association station on Liberty Street. Election officials did not comment on the situation however.

Poll workers there said they saw no other issues during the day and also said voters numbers were up from previously elections. As of 4 p.m., poll workers said they saw over 50 percent of registered voters come to the ward 1 polling location.

The wait at that location was about half an hour during the day, but the wait at the Newtown Township Municipal Building was extensive.

Voters were waiting up to an hour and a half to vote and stood in a winding line that snaked through the building's lobby and hallway.

Election officials said as of 4 p.m., 1,320 of the 2,800 voters in that precinct and ward had voted.

Republicans claim voting machines switch votes from Clinton to Trump

5:16 p.m. Voters in several counties across Pennsylvania reported that voting machines malfunctioned and switched their ballots from Trump to Clinton. Impacted counties included Perry, Cumberland, Lebanon, and Butler. Lebanon County Election Director Michael Anderson told Penn Live that the problem was quickly reported and repaired and that no votes were processed incorrectly.

The Tennessee GOP has published a video showing the machine preventing Trump votes.

Gas leak at 33rd Ward

4:42 p.m. A gas leak was reported at the 33rd Ward's 1st division, according to political officials. All voters in the ward were asked to submit provisional ballots as the poll was evacuated.

Information being handed out outside polls

3:53 p.m. Individuals have been reported standing outside polling places across the region handing out literature on candidates. In many cases eyewitnesses say the information is general and nonpartisan, although others have reported both Trump and Clinton supporters passing out brochures. Pennsylvania law requires that anyone who is not a poll worker remain 10 feet away from a polling place.

Beautiful weather could encourage high voter turnout

Temperatures soared into the 60's on Tuesday afternoon in the Philadelphia area as voters hit the polls. As one voter put it, "more perfect voting weather in Philadelphia is not possible."

Low GOP Turnout?

1:29 p.m. Republican Committeeman Tony Radicay told Newsworks that the Republican turnout has not been as good in Philadelphia as the Democratic turnout. He added that he still thinks Trump can will Pennsylvania, but that he will not win Philadelphia.

Philadelphia GOP alleges voter fraud

1:18 p.m. The Philadelphia GOP is alleging instances of voter fraud across the city. In the 5th division of the 52nd Ward, poll worker Brittany Foreman told the Philly GOP that an individual who was not a poll worker or an official poll watcher was "helping" people vote.

"I witnessed Mr. John Bush assisting people on voting," Foreman said. "I was told by the Assistant Ward Leader that he was not supposed to be in the room or helping people vote. He was also giving out Democratic literature in the polling place."

Philly GOP Chairman Joseph Defelice has further alleged that Democrats are preventing official Republican poll watchers from entering poll sites in the city.

Pastor's bus tailed by 'Project Veritas Action'

12:44 p.m. Members of something called Project Veritas Action are following a pastor's bus that is taking people to the polls around Philadelphia.

The hashtag #VeritasIsEverywhere was trending on Twitter early Tuesday afternoon. It's an organization that claims to be investigating voter fraud across the nation "conducting investigations into waste, fraud, abuse, corruption, dishonesty, self-dealing and other misconduct for the purpose of educating the public, stakeholders, policymakers and communities in order to create a more ethical and transparent society."

The founder, James O'Keefe, is a conservative political activist and journalist who first gained notoriety for his coverage of video recordings at ACORN offices in 2009.

Voting issues continue

12:49 p.m. In western Pennsylvania's Beaver County, one polling station featured offensive graffiti spray painted onto the back of a car. The graffiti read "Trump that B----." It was located at Big Knob Fire Department in Rochester.

12:16 p.m.

Lengthy lines and healthy voter turnout in Montgomery County

11:46 a.m.

Complaints at Kensington High School in Philadelphia

11:32 a.m. A man said that he was turned away from voting at Kensington High School in Philadelphia because he had registered to vote using a new voter registration book, which election officials claimed to not recognize. City Commissioner in charge of elections, Al Schmidt, said that the individual should not have been turned away and that the situation at Kensington would be monitored.

Outside of the Polls

11:26 a.m. At a workplace in Devon that is also serving as a voting location, employees have reported individuals walking around outside, yelling at individuals entering the building and trying to hand out flyers. Supporters of both Toomey and McGinty had set up tables outside.

The NAACP has also reported individuals blocking poll doors and handing out flyers in various precincts in Philadelphia. It’s not yet clear who these individuals are associated with, of if these incidents are related.

Voting problems already

10:15 a.m. Some are already reporting problems, particularly in counties where voting lines are long.

In Allegheny County alone:

Worries of Voter Intimidation on Election Day

Issues of voter intimidation remain a concern around the nation and particularly in Pennsylvania. The integrity of the election in the greater Philadelphia region is of particular importance to the nation as a whole. Southeastern Pennsylvania is thought to be a vital swing area within the state for both Trump and Clinton.

Last week, it was reported that a white supremacist leader had partnered with an alt-right website to create a plan to disrupt the election in the Philadelphia area. According to a report in Politico, neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin is going to hand out "40's and weed" in the "ghetto" of Philly to encourage residents to stay home and not vote. White supremacist and nationalist groups including the Ku Klux Klan, the American Freedom Party and The Oath Keepers have all said at various points that they will be "watching" the polls. The Oath Keepers, at least, frequently show up in public heavily armed. Trump has urged voters to volunteer as "monitors" on Election Day, but many have taken this as license to restrict access to poor and minority areas which historically lean left.

Maintaining the integrity of polling places is of the utmost importance to authorities. The U.S. Justice Department will have agents monitoring Philadelphia polling places to ensure voters are not met with resistance when attempting to cast ballots Tuesday, the department said Monday.

According to a press release, the department's Civil Rights Division will have agents in the city, as well as 66 other jurisdictions in 27 other states, to "to see to it that every eligible voter can participate in our elections to the full extent that federal law provides."

"The bedrock of our democracy is the right to vote, and the Department of Justice works tirelessly to uphold that right not only on Election Day, but every day,” Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch said in the release. "We enforce federal statutes related to voting through a range of activities– including filing our own litigation when the facts warrant, submitting statements of interest in private lawsuits to help explain our understanding of these laws, and providing guidance to election officials and the general public about what these laws mean and what they require."

In nearby Montgomery County, prosecutors have been specifically assigned to handle incidents of voter intimidation.

“This election season has been extremely contentious and discordant. There have been allegations that there will be election irregularities, and while we don’t expect any, we stand ready to assist in protecting the integrity of our electoral system — as we do for every election,” Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said.

Pennsylvania has left itself vulnerable to "poll watchers" who challenge voters at polling places. That means that citizens who have applied to work as poll watchers can stand inside polling places and demand voters provide identification. The biggest problem with that could be that it leads to lengthy delays. In 2004, students at the University of Pittsburgh waited for hours to vote due to Republican lawyers making students provide proof of residence, Politico reports.

Pennsylvania law also does not outlaw guns at polling places; voters can open carry their weapons into the polls. Philadelphia does not permit this, however, so it won't legally be an issue there.

More on PA voting laws is available here.

Philadelphia's Historical Role

Dating back to the primary season, the Philadelphia area has been at the center of the political maelstrom of 2016. Winning Pennsylvania put both Clinton and Trump over the top, effectively ending the race for their challengers within their respective parties. Both Clinton and Trump dominated in heavily populated southeastern Pennsylvania, putting them over the edge.

Then in July, Philadelphia hosted the Democratic National Convention. Controversy embroiled the DNC leading up to and through the convention, as hacked emails revealed that party leadership had conspired to undermine the campaign of Bernie Sanders.

As the electoral importance of the area became clear in the fall, celebrities and leaders from both parties descended on the region en masse. Donald Trump, Mike Pence and Hillary Clinton all campaigned in Philadelphia and Montgomery County. President Obama and Bill Clinton joined Hillary Clinton at a massive rally at Independence Mall on Monday night.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was in Collegeville on Tuesday afternoon. Figures like Anne Hathaway, Katy Perry, Natalie Portman, Ted Danson, B.D. Wong and others have campaigned throughout the suburbs.

SEPTA

Another major potential major issue leading up to Election Day was the SEPTA strike, which could have prevented many voters from making it to the polls. An agreement was officially announced Monday morning, and SEPTA returned to its normal schedule gradually throughout the day Monday.

Nonetheless, before the deal was announced, ride-sharing services Uber and Lyft, recently made legal everywhere in the state, offered free rides to the polls on Election Day. Riders just need to enter their polling location as their destination and enter the promo code VOTEPA.

Results will be provided here throughout the night Tuesday as they become available. Check back for updates as the night progresses.

To find your polling place, enter your address here. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Did you experience problems at the polls? Long lines? Trouble finding your polling place? Whatever it is, we want to know. Text us your experiences by signing up for the Electionland Project. Just text ELECTIONLAND to 69866 to participate and tell us about your experience voting. We’ll find out what, if anything, went wrong in your district.

Patch file photo.

Photo courtesy of @amyjo_brown.

Photo in story from Newtown by Max Bennett.