June 28th 2024.
As we gear up for another US presidential election, it seems like we're in for a long, brutal, and miserable ride. At least, that's what Matt Holt, a seasoned election reporter based in Washington DC, predicts for the 2024 race. And it's no surprise, with the familiar faces of incumbent President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump returning to the ballot yet again. It may seem straightforward enough, but experts have warned that American elections can be quite complex to wrap your head around. And with the spread of misinformation expected to run rampant once again this year, we've put together a guide to help navigate this year's election - or should we say, slog.
So, when exactly is Election Day 2024? Well, it occurs every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. This year, it falls on Tuesday, November 5th, and the winner will take the reins of the White House for the next four years starting in January 2025. It's worth noting that presidents serve four-year terms, so we'll be in for another round of campaigning come 2028.
But what we commonly think of as "election day" is only the first part of a two-part process. The first part, the presidential general election, involves regular citizens casting their votes for their preferred candidate for president and vice president. However, there's still a second round of voting to come - but this time, it's not by the people. Instead, it's the Electoral College's turn to have their say.
Now, you may be wondering, what exactly is the Electoral College? No, it's not an actual college that one can attend. Rather, it's a group of people responsible for electing the president and vice president. And here's where things get a little complicated. The Electoral College process isn't a direct popular vote; instead, candidates must win the majority of the Electoral College votes to secure a spot in the Oval Office. This means that a candidate can win the Electoral College and become president, even if they lost the popular vote.
Let's break it down further. Say you live in Texas, a state with 40 electors. If you were to vote for Trump, you wouldn't technically be voting for him directly. Instead, you'd be voting for the 40 electors who will then vote for Trump. In other words, your vote is essentially electing the electors who will ultimately elect the president. It may seem a bit convoluted, but that's just how the system works.
And this is why "swing states" play such a crucial role in the election. These are the states that don't have a consistent history of voting either blue or red. According to Holt, "Only seven states will decide who the next president will be - Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania." This means that most of the campaigning will take place in these states, as both sides try to secure their votes. However, there may be attempts by the campaigns to expand the playing field, but these seven states will be the main focus.
Now, you may be wondering, has a candidate ever lost the popular vote but still become president? The answer is yes! It may seem strange, but it has happened before. In 2016, Trump won by a landslide in the Electoral College, with 304 votes compared to Hillary Clinton's 227. However, Clinton actually received more votes from the American people, with 65,853,514 votes compared to Trump's 62,984,828. So, it's safe to say that the Electoral College can be a bit perplexing.
Moving on, let's take a look at who's in the running for the 2024 presidential election. For the Democrats, it's Biden once again, while the Republicans are banking on a Trump comeback. Both candidates are on the older side, with Biden being the oldest president in US history at 81 - he was 78 when he assumed office. Trump, on the other hand, is currently 78, and if reelected, he will be the second-oldest president, taking over the record from Biden.
Aside from the two main candidates, there are four other independent and third-party candidates in the running - Robert F Kennedy Jr, Cornel West, Jill Stein, and Chase Oliver. However, it's worth noting that the US is primarily a two-party system, and this has been the case since the mid-1800s. The winner-takes-all approach of the Electoral College is one of the reasons for this, making it challenging for third-party candidates to gain a foothold in the race.
So, there you have it - a brief guide to the 2024 US presidential election. Hopefully, this has helped to shed some light on the intricacies of the American electoral system. And now, we can all eagerly await the results and see who will come out on top in this year's "miserable slog" - or should we say, democratic process.
It's that time again, folks. The 2024 US Presidential Election is upon us. According to Matt Holt, an election reporter based in Washington DC, this upcoming election will be a long, brutal, and drawn-out process. It all feels a bit like déjà vu, with Joe Biden and Donald Trump once again competing for the presidency. Seems simple enough, right? Well, according to experts, American elections are quite complex and can be difficult to understand. And with the spread of misinformation expected to be rampant once again, we thought it would be helpful to provide a guide to this year's election - or as some may call it, the miserable slog.
So, when exactly is Election Day 2024? Well, it happens every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. This year, it falls on November 5th. And whoever wins this election will take office in January 2025 and serve a four-year term. But what many people may not realize is that Election Day is just the first part of a two-part process. The first part, known as the presidential general election, is when people cast their vote for the candidate they want to be president and vice president. But there's still a second round of voting to come, and this is where things get a bit more complicated.
You may have heard of the term "Electoral College," but what exactly is it? First off, let's clarify that it's not an actual college where one can study. The Electoral College is a group of people who are responsible for electing the president and vice president. And here's where it gets interesting - the Electoral College is not based on a popular vote. In fact, a candidate can win the Electoral College and become president, even if they didn't win the popular vote. Confused yet? Let's break it down.
Imagine you live in Texas, a state with 40 electors. You cast your vote for Trump, but in reality, you are voting for the 40 electors who will then vote for Trump. So essentially, you are electing the electors to elect the president. This process is the same for all states, and the candidate who wins the majority of the electoral votes in a state gets all of that state's votes. For example, if Trump wins 50.1% of the popular vote in Texas, he would receive all 40 of the state's electoral votes. But even if he won by 100%, he would still only receive those 40 votes. It's a lot to wrap your head around, we know.
Now, you may be wondering why certain states are considered more important in the election - also known as "swing states." These are states that don't consistently vote for one party or the other. According to Holt, there are only seven states that will likely determine the next president - Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. These are the states where most of the campaigning will take place, though both campaigns may make attempts to expand their reach. Ultimately, these are the states where the action will happen.
But has a candidate ever lost the popular vote and still become president? Yes, it has happened before. In 2016, Trump won the Electoral College by a landslide of 304 to Hillary Clinton's 227, but Clinton actually received more votes from the American people. She had over 2.8 million more people vote for her than Trump. It's a strange system, we know, and we won't bore you with any more talk of the Electoral College.
Now, let's talk about the candidates for the 2024 election. As you may already know, Joe Biden is running for the Democrats, while the Republicans are banking on a Trump comeback. Both candidates are quite old, with Biden currently holding the record for the oldest American president at 81 years old. Trump is also 78, and if he wins, he will be the second-oldest president, the same age as Biden when he was inaugurated. During the first televised presidential debate, there were no independent candidates in sight. However, there are four others running as independent or third-party candidates - Robert F Kennedy Jr, Cornel West, Jill Stein, and Chase Oliver. But don't worry if you haven't heard of them, the US is primarily a two-party system, and the winner-takes-all approach of the Electoral College is a major factor in this.
So there you have it, a brief rundown of the 2024 US Presidential Election. We hope this guide has helped you understand the process a bit better. And now, let's never speak of the Electoral College again.
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