Pakistani-American candidates vie for office in US presidential elections

As the United States draws closer to elect a new president amid the ongoing vote count in November 5 elections, the race between Republicans and Democrats remains tight, with several Pakistani-American candidates also participating in the 2024 election.

Sulaiman Lalani and Salman Bhojani, both of Pakistani origin, are running on the Democratic ticket for the Texas Assembly and are considered strong contenders for the Democrats.

In addition, Ayesha Farooqui from Michigan and Maryam Sabhi from Pennsylvania are also competing as Democratic candidates. Meanwhile, in New York, the Republicans have nominated a Pakistani candidate, Aamir Sultan.

Erin Bashir, the only Pakistani-American candidate for Congress, is vying for a seat in Pennsylvania.

In today's general election, voters will elect 435 members of the House of Representatives and 34 senators.

Voting in the November 5 elections has almost closed, with Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris vying for the presidency. 

Due to six different time zones in America, polls opened at varying times across states.

According to US media, over 78.9 million Americans have already cast their ballots. To win the election, a candidate must secure at least 270 of the 538 electoral votes.

In this election, seven battleground states, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are expected to play pivotal roles in deciding the next US president.