Most asked questions on US Elections
When is the next US presidential election?
The 2024 US election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
The winning candidate will begin a four-year term in the White House in January 2025 following the election.
Who are the candidates?
In the United States, elections are usually defined between the two main parties, the Republican party and the Democratic party. Each nominates a presidential candidate by holding a series of state primaries and/or caucuses. There are differences between
the parties, and the process varies from one state to another.
One of the biggest polling days is known as Super Tuesday, so-called because more than a dozen states hold their primary contests on that day. This year, it took place on March 5.
President Biden announced his re-election bid earlier this year and has won enough support to secure the Democratic Party nomination despite some long-shot challenges.
In the Republican Party, former President Donald Trump saw off his last remaining challenger, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, and has won enough primary contests to propel him over the finish line to be nominated the Republican candidate. Some independent
candidates are also running for president, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr, nephew to former president John F. Kennedy.
How does the US presidential election work?
Candidates compete for 538 electoral college votes, with 270 needed to win. Each state's electoral votes, based partly on population, are won by the candidate who wins the most votes there. The winner-takes-all rule applies in most states, meaning the
leading candidate receives all of that state's electoral votes. Since most states lean toward one party, attention focuses on battleground states, where either candidate could win.
Who can vote?
18-year-old or older US citizens can vote in the presidential election held every four years.
Why are general elections held on Tuesday after the first Monday in November?
Election Day is strategically placed about a month before the Electoral College vote to avoid conflicts with the harvest and harsh weather in agrarian societies. Voting
on Tuesday instead of Monday accommodated those travelling to vote, especially those from remote areas, who preferred to avoid traveling on Sunday, a day of religious observance. By choosing the first Tuesday after the first Monday, lawmakers ensured
Election Day would be different from November 1, when merchants tallied their monthly accounts.
What is the lame-duck period?
The time between elections and the inauguration in the US is called the "lame duck period." A president becomes a lame duck after a successor is elected, during which the outgoing and incoming presidents usually transition power.
