With less than two weeks remaining until the US presidential election, the race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump is exceptionally close, according to a final national poll conducted by the New York Times and Siena College. Both candidates are tied at 48% in the popular vote.

The timing of this poll is critical, as millions of Americans have already cast their ballots ahead of the November 5 election. Trump is vying for a second term, while Harris aims to make history as the first woman president of the United States.

Historically, Democrats have had an edge in the popular vote but have often lost the Electoral College, leading to calls for Harris to establish a strong national lead. Such a lead could indicate her potential performance in pivotal swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Despite a tumultuous few months in U.S. politics—including high-profile debates, two assassination attempts on Trump, and numerous rallies across key battleground states—polling shows that Harris and Trump remain neck-and-neck. Over the past few months, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on campaign advertisements, yet the race's trajectory appears largely unchanged.

Harris's support among likely voters may have declined since an earlier Times/Siena College poll in early October, where she held a narrow lead of 49% to Trump's 46%. While the shift is within the margin of error, the national polling average has tightened in recent weeks.

Ultimately, the election outcome will hinge on the results in seven critical battleground states: Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, and Michigan, where both candidates have heavily invested their resources and time. Current polling in these states indicates a fiercely competitive contest.