The countdown has begun towards the substantial event of the 2024 US general election. The anticipation is high; not only for the presidential race but also for the congressional candidates vying for seats in the House of Representatives and Senate. The stage is set for Donald Trump and Kamala Harris to vie for the keys to the Oval Office. The spotlight shifted to Harris as Joe Biden made a hasty retreat from the competition, a result of a humiliating first debate against Trump.
The 2024 election stage is a challenging terrain that goes beyond a mere binary choice of red or blue. The intriguing dynamics of the so-called battleground states constitute the real determinant for any contender in this game. The power these states command makes them more than just states; as they sway, so does the scale of victory.
The appeal to these critical states, exhibiting a constant flux in party loyalty, is often the measure of a candidate’s potential success. Pennsylvania, carrying the significant weight of 19 Electoral College votes, has a history of swaying the fortunes in previous elections. The 2024 election is expected to uphold that tradition.
Trump is keen to win over a handful of key states, including Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Nevada, all of which fell narrowly into Biden’s bag in the 2020 contest. Florida and Ohio, in contrast, have remained unwavering in their support for the Republicans in recent times, relinquishing their earlier reputation of being swing states.
However, the compliance to a partisan inclination is often a fragile affair. Even the supposed safe states may witness a change of winds in political directions. Nothing can be taken for granted in this high-stakes game.
Alabama fired the initial salvo in the battle of votes by sending its mail votes on September 11. The following is a timeline for early in-person and mail voting: Alabama – September 11; Wisconsin – September 19; Minnesota, South Dakota, and Virginia – September 20; North Carolina, and Military and overseas ballots – September 21; Mississippi – September 23; Michigan – September 26; Nebraska – September 30; Georgia – October 7 and 15; Arizona – October 9; Nevada – October 16 and 19; North Carolina (again) – October 17; Texas – October 21; Wisconsin (again) – October 22; Michigan (again) – October 26.
One of the main events of election day – polling day, is when a flood of voters inundate the polling booths to cast their ballots. Those who can’t make it to the polling booths often opt for early voting or the postal voting system, making their pick ahead of time.
Each state initiates the tallying of votes as soon as their polling booths close. However, due to varying time zones in the US, the east coast would likely have completed their count while states like Alaska and Hawaii are just starting their vote-casting process.
Given this disparity arising from the vast multitude of time zones, the final countdown effectively doesn’t commence till the last ballot is cast. This could mean that the election result might take days to get projected and still not be completely final.
Despite this, the audacious voices of prediction are usually relentless, as states and the overall election results tend to be ‘called’ well in advance. This tradition of prematurely ‘calling’ the results can often agitate the already heated political climate.
Hence, adhering to facts, avoiding conjectures, and exercising patience should be the norm until the final declaration. However, this is easier said than done in the high-pitched melodrama of a presidential election.
Ultimately, this election is a referendum on Trump’s leadership and policies, which have encountered vehement opposition from Democrats. Still, it’s clear the Democrats haven’t offered anything better in response, exemplified by Biden’s dramatic exit and the fact that Harris is their final pick.
Juxtaposed against this, we see the Republican strategy, led by Trump, as a beacon of optimism, resilience, and strength. While nothing is certain until the last vote is counted, we anticipate an interesting contest, especially given the myriad nuances in the political landscape.