Explaining the U.S. Presidential Election Process: From Nomination to Inauguration

The 2024 US presidential election enters its final day of campaigning, and Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are making their last push in crucial battleground states, particularly Pennsylvania.

The election of the President of the United States is a complex process that involves several stages. Here’s an overview of how it works:

Nomination Process

The first step involves political parties selecting their candidates through primaries and caucuses held in each state. These events allow party members to vote for their preferred candidate to represent the party in the general election. The process culminates in national conventions where each party officially nominates their presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

General Election

The general election takes place every four years on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November In 2024, Election Day falls on November 5th. On this day, eligible voters across the country cast their ballots for their preferred candidates.

Electoral College

While Americans vote directly for their preferred candidate, the president is not elected by popular vote. Instead, the United States uses an indirect system called the Electoral College.

Here’s how it works:

• Each state is allocated a number of electors equal to its total number of Senators and Representatives in Congress
• There are a total of 538 electors in the Electoral College
• In most states, the candidate who wins the popular vote receives all of that state’s electoral votes (known as the “winner-takes-all” system)
• To win the presidency, a candidate must secure a majority of at least 270 electoral votes

Post-Election Process

After the general election, the following events occur:

1. Electors meet in their respective states to cast their official votes for president and vice president on December 17th
2. The electoral votes are counted in a joint session of Congress on January 6th
3. The candidate who receives a majority of electoral votes (at least 270) is declared the winner
4. The new president takes the oath of office and is inaugurated on January 20th

It is pertinent to mention here that this system can sometimes result in a candidate winning the presidency without winning the popular vote, as has happened in a few elections throughout U.S. history.