US is braced for court battles over result of presidential election

American political experts say that the final showdown between Donald Trump and Joe Biden could turn into many months of bitter wrangling in court if the result is disputed

A voter marks her ballot during early voting at the Park Slope Armory YMCA, on Tuesday, October 27, in Brooklyn, New York. Picture: Mary Altaffer/AP

The US presidential election has all the ingredients for a drawn-out court battle over its outcome — a highly polarised electorate, a record number of mail-in ballots, and some US Supreme Court justices who appear ready to step in if there is a closely contested race.

The only missing element that would send both sides to the courthouse would be a razor-thin result in a battleground state.