USA Presidential Election Procedure
USA Presidential Election Procedure
Basic requirements for presidential candidates as per U.S. Constitution: –
- Be a natural-born citizen of the United States
- Be at least 35 years old
- Have been a resident of the United States for 14 years
Presidential Primaries and Caucuses
Primaries and caucuses are two ways that people help states and political parties to choose presidential nominees.
Primaries
Primary voters choose their preferred candidate anonymously by casting secret ballots. The state where the primary is held takes the results of the vote into account to award delegates to the winners.
Caucuses
Caucuses are meetings run by political parties that are held at the country, district, or city level. Some caucuses choose candidates by secret ballot. Others require participants to divide themselves into groups according to the candidate they support. At the end, the number of delegates given to each candidate is based on the number of caucus votes they received.
Types of primaries and caucuses
Each state has its own way of operating its primaries and caucuses. Depending on state and political party rules, primaries and caucuses can be of three types-
- Open primary or caucus: voters do not have to be registered with a political party to take part in its primary or caucus.
- Closed primary or caucus: only voters registered with that party can take part and vote.
- Semi-open and semi-closed (Hybrid): variations of the two main types.
Awarding delegates from the primaries and caucuses
The number of delegates are awarded to each candidate in a primary or caucus. In most cases, the people chosen to be delegates are active party members, supporters of the candidates. Once delegates are selected, they go on to represent their state at national party conventions.
National conventions
Political parties hold national conventions to select presidential and vice-presidential nominees. To become the presidential nominee, a candidate typically has to win a majority of delegates wherein the delegates confirm their choice of candidates by casting votes. Moreover, the presidential nominee officially announces who will run with them for vice president.
Types of delegates at a national convention
There are two main types of delegates.
- Pledged or bound delegates must support the candidate they were awarded through the primary or caucus process.
- Unpledged delegates or superdelegates can support any presidential candidate they choose.
Presidential general election
Every four years, U.S. citizens vote for president and vice president during the general election.
Presidential candidates
Major political parties nominate presidential and vice-presidential candidates at their party’s national convention.
Voting in the presidential election
In the presidential general election, citizens who are registered can vote on Election Day (1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November).
Electoral College
The president and vice president are not elected directly by citizens. Instead, they are chosen through the Electoral College process as mentioned in the US Constitution.
Each state gets as many electors as it has members of Congress (House of Representatives and the Senate). Including Washington D.C.’s 03 electors, there are currently 538 electors in all.
Note: – The U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate make up the two chambers of Congress. The House has 435 members, the number representing each state is determined by population. Moreover, the Senate has 100 members, two from each state (50 states).
Choosing each State’s electors is a two-part process. First, the political parties in each State choose slates of potential electors sometime before the general election. Second, during the general election, the voters in each State casting their ballots for president and State’s electors are assigned thereafter.
Electoral College process: –
- After the ballot for president, votes go to a statewide tally. In 48 states and Washington D.C., the winner gets all the electoral votes for that state. However, Maine and Nebraska assign their electors using a proportional system.
- To win the presidential election a candidate needs the vote of at least 270 electors (more than half of all electors).
- In most cases, a projected winner is announced on election night in November after people vote. But the actual Electoral College vote takes place in mid-December when the electors meet in their states to cast votes for the president and vice president.
Note: – The USA Constitution does not require electors to vote for the candidate chosen by their state’s popular vote, some states do. The rare elector who votes for someone else may be fined, disqualified, and replaced by a substitute elector. Or they may even be prosecuted by their state.
Inauguration of the president of the United States
Inauguration Day is the day when the president-elect and vice-president-elect are sworn in and take office at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC. Inauguration Day occurs every four years on January 20 (or January 21 if January 20 falls on a Sunday). This time presidential inauguration is scheduled on January 20, 2025.
Unusual Electoral College scenarios
Winning the popular vote but losing the election
It is possible to win the Electoral College but lose the popular vote. This happened in 2016, 2000, and three times in the 1800s.
What happens if no candidate wins the majority of electoral votes?
If no candidate receives the majority of electoral votes, the vote goes to the House of Representatives.
Note: – This has happened twice- In 1800 when the House chose Thomas Jefferson and 1824 when John Quincy Adams was selected president.
Swing States
Swing states are those in US presidential elections that could potentially be won by either candidate. Also known as battleground states. Example- Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Arizona, Georgia, Virginia, Florida, Michigan, Nevada, Colorado, North Carolina, and Maine.
U.S. Elections 2024
The U.S. Presidential elections were held on November 5, 2024. The Republican Party‘s Donald Trump, who was the 45th president of the United States (2017-2021) defeated the Democratic Party‘s Kamala Harris, the incumbent vice president. Moreover, JD Vance (Junior U.S. senator, Ohio and Republican Party’s VP candidate) defeated Tim Walz (Governor Of Minnesota and Democratic Party’s VP candidate). Donald Trump and JD Vance are scheduled to be inaugurated as the 47th president and the 50th vice president respectively on January 20, 2025, after their formal election by the Electoral College.
Impacts of US Election 2024 results on across the globe
The recently concluded U.S. presidential election resulting into Donald Trump’s victory, has deep implications for countries across the globe in terms of international peace, conflict dynamics, trade and mitigation of climate change. This could be analyzed keeping in view the potential shifts in US foreign policy under the incoming administration.
- In contrast to the extensive military and economic support by Joe Biden to Ukraine in ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trump’s America First doctrine emphasizes on reducing US involvement in overseas conflicts. He would possibly restrict the US contributions to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
- US could see a potential shift towards encouraging negotiations with Russia. Moreover, Russian President Vladimir Putin may view this as an opportunity to push for negotiations favorable to its interests such as Ukraine ending its ambitions for NATO membership and ceding occupied territories to Russia.
- The European powers such as Germany have already increased defense support to Ukraine due to future uncertainty of US support to Ukraine and other Eastern European countries in countering Russia. Moreover, the Trump led administration may accelerate this trend, urging Europe to develop their autonomous security mechanisms, which could both strengthen and strain the NATO alliance.
- In the Middle East, Biden administration maintained strong support for Israel providing military aid and diplomatic backing to Isreal. US calls for minimising civilian casualties reflected the complexities of US diplomacy in the region. However, Trump’s approach to the West Asia policy is expected to be an unwavering support to Isreal raising doubts among the Middle East countries about the credibility of US in resolving global conflicts through an unbiased approach. Trump could be seen reluctant to push Israel for de-escalation without achieving its stated security objectives resulting into delay in de-escalation process.
- Reduced US involvement in Global Conflicts particularly in regions like the Middle East and Europe could lead to a more stable geopolitical environment, it might also shift the global power balance, potentially creating vacuums that adversarial powers like China and Russia might exploit.
- The possibility of increased significance of QUAD is expected as seen in the previous term of Trump to counter China in the Indo-Pacific region.
- In the backdrop of China’s widening trade surplus and the growing US trade deficit, the trump administration is likely to impose high tariffs on Chinese imports to protect the American economy from China’s unfair trade practices. It is to mention here that, the Chinese government subsidies ensure that the country’s companies do not have to turn a profit, giving them an unfair advantage in global trade.
- Trump is likely to impose high tariffs on Canada and Mexico to push them to restrict drugs and illegal migration to US from both the neighbors. This would significantly impact the Canadian economy in a drastic manner.
- Trump led US would withdraw from the Paris climate change agreement and other such UN treaties aimed to reduce impact of global climate change. Moreover, US would abstain from providing financial assistance to under-developed and developing nations worst affected by climate change.
- Donald Trump would remain strict over immigration issues similar to his previous term wherein several immigration policies that affected skilled professionals and students, particularly those holding H-1B, F-1, and H-4 visas were implemented.
Impact of US Election 2024 results on India
- Trump’s support for oil & gas production in the US is likely to bring down global crude oil prices. Adecrease in oil prices would be a positive for India, which is a net importer of crude oil. Lower fuel costs could reduce inflationary pressures and help improve India’s current account deficit.
- Reduced Corporate Taxes & higher US manufacturing investment as promised by Trump could stimulate investment and job creation within the US. This could create new opportunities for Indian firms offering manufacturing services or supply chain solutions to US IT companies.
- As global trade becomes more regionalized, with countries creating trade blocs and economic zones, there is a growing trend of ring-fencing in commodity markets. This means that commodities like metals may see price increases due to localized supply and demand imbalances.
- Trump’s “America First” and anti-immigrant policy could impact job opportunities for Indian IT professionals. India is the biggest market for providing potential talent for these big employers.
- Trump’s administration has strongly supported bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US, including in sectors like pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. India, as a major supplier of generic drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and gain market share in US.
- Trump’s pro-business stance, including his tax cuts and deregulation policies, could result in higher demand for imported goods. India, being a major exporter of textiles to the US, could see a rise in demand for its products and benefit textile companies in India.
- India’s exporters in sectors like chemicals and electronics could benefit from the growing trend of China+1 as companies look to diversify away from China. Increased tariffs on Chinese goods could open-up opportunities for Indian manufacturers to step in and fill the supply gap in the US market.
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