After months of tireless campaigning, election fatigue, viral memes and celebrity endorsements, the results of the next President of the United States will be revealed shortly.
With the world, particularly the States, seemingly more divided than ever, this year’s tumultuous presidential race reflects years of increasingly polarised worldviews across the electorate, culminating in a chasm of intense ideological and demographic divide. Both major parties—Democrats and Republicans—are not only split on policies but also on various diverging markers like age, education, geography, and income brackets, which the parties have come to represent.
To say that US politics is complicated is an understatement, especially to those of us observing from other countries. But what happens in this election will indeed have far-reaching impacts, and so we’ve broken down some of the key points to know about the 2024 presidential election results announcements.
Ahead, a brief guide to what you need to know about the imminent results and when we’ll have them.
Who are the 2024 US Presidential candidates?
Familiar faces are in the running to be the next POTUS.
Representing the Democratic Party is current Vice President Kamala Harris, 60, who stepped into the nomination after President Joe Biden, 81, who initially sought re-election, gracefully bowed out this past July due to health concerns.
Harris has been the country’s Vice President since 2021 following Biden’s win, and should she win, will make history as the first woman and first woman of colour to be elected president in the country’s 248-year history.
Running alongside her for Vice President is Tim Walz, 60, who has served as the Governor of Minnesota since 2019.
Walz, announced as Harris’ VP pick in August, was previously an educator and retired United States Army non-commissioned officer.
On the Republican front, former President Donald Trump, 78, remains the party’s choice, marking his third run for the Oval Office.
The media personality initially won the 2016 election and served as the President of the United States from 2017-2021, during which he was impeached—twice.
For his running mate, Trump selected conservative Ohio senator and Hillbilly Elegy author J.D. Vance back in July.
Vance has previously been a vocal critic of Trump, even describing him as “America’s Hitler” at one point. However, in the years since, he has become a strong supporter of the Republican nominee.
Though this election is set to come down to the two major parties, there are still multiple other candidates, including Chase Oliver, 39, who is running for the Libertarian party; Jill Stein, 74, who is with the Greens; and Cornel West, 71, as an independent.
When is the 2024 US Election?
Americans will head to polling stations on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. For those of us following along from Australia, we will see things kicking off on Wednesday, November 6, 2024.
When will the 2024 US Election Results Be Announced?
The election results are typically called within hours of polls closing. However, given the fact that this term’s race has been neck and neck, this means votes will be meticulously counted and (potentially) recounted if results reveal only a narrow victory.
As the BBC notes, other scenarios could also cause delays, including any election-related disorder, particularly at polling locations. Reports have already emerged of mail-in ballot boxes being set on fire in three states, damaging hundreds of early votes in the process.
Although an exact date for US election results isn’t clear, we can expect to wait for several days from November 5 for a winner to be confirmed. As The Guardian notes, news organisations such as the Associated Press (AP) often project a winner on election night based on an analysis of votes already counted, the number of outstanding votes and the margin between the candidates. The AP has noted its accuracy rate for the past several elections as above 99.9%.
What are the key US states to watch?
As you’ve likely gathered from media coverage, there’s much more to the presidential race than just a majority vote.
And with the race between Harris/Walz and Trump/Vance proving to be tight, results will come down to seven ‘swing states’ whose majority fluctuates between red and blue, making them a linchpin of the election. These include Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Polls close at different times in different regions, and when you factor in the time differences, these determining factors make for a whole lot of uncertainty.
No matter the results, it’s safe to say that we’re in for a big few days. Godspeed, folks.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA International.
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