North Carolina election results - live: Donald Trump leads with more than half of votes accounted for in key state

The results are currently too close to call

Donald Trump is leading his rival Hillary Clinton (49.8 per cent to 47.7 per cent) in North Carolina, according to The New York Times.

Still, the state is too early to call as the candidates fight to win its coveted 15 electoral votes.

The Tar Heel state, which is expected to go down to the wire, recently approved a request to extend voting hours by 90 minutes across the state. Republicans have been criticized over the past few years following the passage of HB 589 back in 2013. The measure reduced early voting by seven days and ended same-day voting registration. Activists have also condemned some of the most strict voter ID requirements in the country.

Despite this, according to early voting data, roughly 3 million people voted in the state and about 4 million will turn out on Election Day. The Times projected that Ms Clinton held a 1 percentage point lead coming into Tuesday.