A Momentous Election Day
TIME’s photo editors select the best photographs on Nov. 8 after a campaign season that lasted 18 months and pitted the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, against Republican nominee Donald Trump. Nov. 8-9, 2016
![TIMEPOL Election](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/trump-10761.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![TIMEPOL Election](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/trump-0871.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![TIMEPOL Election](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/election-donald-trump-26.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![Donald Trump, Election Night Hilton Hotel NYC](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/cm_trump_election_night_11_08_16_0048.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![Donald Trump, Election Night Hilton Hotel NYC](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/cm_trump_election_night_11_08_16_0384.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton embrace at the Javits Center in New York on Nov. 8, 2016.](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hillary-clinton-javits-center-embrace.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![2016 Election](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/election-kids-hillary-clinton.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![Scenes at an election night party for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016 in New York's Manhattan borough. Trump faces Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the contest for president of the United States.](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/election-donald-trump-14.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![NEW YORK - NOV 8: Supporters attend an election night party for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, at the Javits Center in New YorkâÂÂs Manhattan borough.(Photo by Landon Nordeman)](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-election-landon-nordeman-39.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton Holds Election Night Event In New York City](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/election-hillary-clinton-supporters.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![TIMEPOL Election](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/election-donald-trump-dina-litovsky-13.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![TIMEPOL Election](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/election-hillary-clinton-ben-lowy-03.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![People wave American flags as they watch voting results be reported outside of Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, on Nov. 8, 2016, in New York City.](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/best-photos-election-flags.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![TIMEPOL Election](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/election-hillary-clinton-ben-lowy-10.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![People wait for results outside the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center where Hillary Clinton is holding her election night event, on Nov. 8, 2016 in New York City.](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/election-hillary-clinton-results.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![TIMEPOL Election](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/election-donald-trump-dina-litovsky-12.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![The stage at an election night party for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016 in New York's Manhattan borough. Trump faces Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the contest for president of the United States.](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/cm_trump_election_night_11_08_16_0003.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![NEW YORK - NOV 8: Supporters attend an election night party for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, at the Javits Center in New YorkâÂÂs Manhattan borough.(Photo by Landon Nordeman)](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/landon-nordeman-election-hillary-clinton-02.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![NEW YORK - NOV 8: Supporters attend an election night party for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, at the Javits Center in New YorkâÂÂs Manhattan borough.(Photo by Landon Nordeman)](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/landon-nordeman-election-hillary-clinton-01.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![TIMEPOL Election](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-election-2016-dina-litovsky-09.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![TIMEPOL Election](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-election-2016-dina-litovsky-10.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![Omarosa Manigault at an election night party for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016 in New York's Manhattan borough. Trump faces Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the contest for president of the United States.](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/cm_trump_election_night_11_08_16_0005.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![APTOPIX 2016 Election Trump](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-election-2016-photo-page-01.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![Germany Watches U.S. Elections Results](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-election-2016-photo-page-02.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump Holds Election Night Event In New York City](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-election-2016-photo-page-03.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![A voter holds onto his ballot as he waits to cast it in the U.S. presidential election at midnight in tiny Dixville Notch](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-election-2016-photo-page-04.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump vote at PS 59 on Nov. 8, 2016, in New York.](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-election-2016-photo-page-05.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![Hillary Clinton and her husband Bill Clinton leave after casting their ballots at a polling station, on Nov. 8, 2016, in Chappaqua, New York.](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-election-2016-photo-page-06.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![Voters lined up on election day to place "I voted" stickers on the grave of Susan B. Anthony at Mt. Hope Cemetery, on Nov. 8, 2016 in Rochester, NY.](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-election-2016-photo-page-07.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![APTOPIX 2016 Election Virginia Voting](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-election-2016-photo-page-08.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![A voter works on his ballot at a polling station on election day, on Nov. 8, 2016, in Omaha, Neb.](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-election-2016-photo-page-09.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
![A woman exits a polling station after voting in the presidential election on Nov. 8, 2016. in Newport, New Jersey.](https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-election-2016-photo-page-10.jpg?w=1200&w=1200)
Chelsea Matiash, who edited this photo essay, is TIME’s Deputy Multimedia Editor. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @cmatiash.