US election 2024: A really simple guide
In November 2024, Americans will cast their votes to determine the next US president. The occupant of the Oval Office wields significant influence domestically and internationally, making the outcome of this election consequential for all.
The current US political landscape is largely defined by two dominant parties. The Democratic Party, led by incumbent President Joe Biden, advocates for civil rights, an extensive social safety net, and robust climate change initiatives. President Biden seeks reelection under the Democratic banner.
On the other hand, the Republican Party, often referred to as the GOP or Grand Old Party, represents conservative values including lower taxes, limited government, gun rights, and stringent immigration and abortion policies. Former President Donald Trump remains a prominent figure in the Republican race, having secured substantial support for the party’s nomination.
The official nominations will be confirmed at the upcoming party conventions this summer, marking a pivotal moment in the 2024 presidential campaign. Initially starting with a field of 15 candidates, including nine Republicans, four Democrats, and two independents, the race has seen numerous contenders withdraw.
The nomination process involves a series of state primaries and caucuses, varying in procedure across states. A significant event in this process, known as Super Tuesday on March 5, involves over a dozen states simultaneously conducting their primary contests.
Despite some minor challenges, President Biden announced his reelection bid earlier this year and has garnered sufficient backing to secure the Democratic nomination.
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.
There are also some independent candidates running for president, including Robert F Kennedy Jr, nephew to former president John F Kennedy.
Both candidates compete to win electoral college votes.
Each state has a certain number of electoral college votes partly based on its population and there are a total of 538 up for grabs, so the winner is the candidate that wins 270 or more.
This means voters decide state-level contests rather than the national one, which is why it’s possible for a candidate to win the most votes nationally – like Hillary Clinton did in 2016 – but still be defeated by the electoral college.
All but two states have a winner-takes-all rule, so whichever candidate wins the highest number of votes is awarded all of the state’s electoral college votes.
Most states lean heavily towards one party or the other, so the focus is usually on a dozen or so states where either of them could win. These are known as the battleground states.