US elections on November 5: what you need to know

Procedure

The US presidential election takes place on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. A few days before the early voting period ends, when Americans can cast their vote by mail or at special points.

Elections are not held directly, but through electoral college. Each state is assigned a certain number of electors, which depends on the number of its representatives in Congress. When choosing a presidential candidate, voters essentially vote for a slate of electors who promise to support that candidate.

Most states (except Nebraska and Maine) have a rule “winner takes all”: If a candidate wins the majority of the popular vote, he or she obtains all the electors in the state.

There are 538 electors in the United States and 270 votes are needed to win. The election results will be known on election day, but the voters’ decision will be officially announced in early January. Inauguration of the new president scheduled for January 20.

Candidates

republican party represented by Trump, 78 years old. He served as president of the United States from 2017 to 2021, but was not re-elected for a second term and lost the office to Joe Biden.

Trump came to politics from business. Its assets include commercial and residential real estate in New York and other cities, hotels, resorts and golf clubs, as well as Trump Media & Technology Group, which operates the social network Truth Social.

During his short political career, Trump survived several assassination attempts. The most significant occurred at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania: one of the bullets fired from an AR-15 rifle passed millimeters from Trump’s head and hit him in the ear.

Democratic Party nominated Biden as his candidate, but in July 2024, the 81-year-old president announced he was leaving the race to “pass the baton to a new generation.” Biden’s campaign headquarters, social media accounts and millions of dollars raised for the campaign went to Harris.

She is 18 years younger than Trump, but has been involved in politics for just as long. In 2015, when Trump announced his presidential candidacy, Harris ran for the Senate and a year later became a senator from California. He previously served as district attorney of San Francisco and attorney general of California.

If she wins, Harris will become the first female president in American history and the first president with African American and South Asian roots: Her father immigrated to the United States from Jamaica and her mother came from India.

Besides Trump and Harris Philosopher and activist Cornel West, who taught at Yale, Princeton and Harvard (independent candidate), environmental activist Jill Stein (Green Party) and libertarian Chase Oliver (Libertarian Party) are competing for the presidency. The chances of them reaching the White House are minimal.

Programs

as a republican Trump’s promises cut taxes, reduce government spending and improve the business environment so that large industries that have established themselves abroad return to the United States.

Exactly as Trump intends revive American industrylittle is known. A key element of his program is the imposition of tariffs of up to 20% on all goods imported into the United States, and if they originate in China, up to 60%. “For me, the most beautiful word in the dictionary is “tariffs.” This is my favorite word. <...> They will protect the companies that already have production here and the new companies that will simply transfer it to us,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg.

One of the innovations of the Trump campaign in this electoral cycle is cryptocurrency support. In July, the former president spoke at the largest Bitcoin conference in the United States, promised to make the country the “crypto capital of the planet” and fired the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Gary Gensler, a supporter of strict regulation of cryptocurrencies . the crypto market. Analysts expect Bitcoin to rise to $125K if Trump wins.

Harris Program It largely continues the policies pursued by Biden, its focus is the social sphere. The vice president advocates for student debt relief (Biden previously forgave several billion dollars in student loans), increasing the minimum wage and expanding women’s reproductive rights.

Unlike Trump, Harris intends collect fees for companies: from 21% to 28%. He previously supported Biden’s proposed 25% minimum tax on the total income of people over $100 million. At the same time, the candidate promised to increase the tax deduction for small businesses from $5,000 to $50,000.

Candidate positions vary immigration issues. Trump promises to strengthen border controls, tighten entry rules into the United States and carry out mass deportations. He accused his rival that his policies brought gangs of “criminal migrants from the dungeons of the Third World” to the country. Harris agreed that the United States has a “broken immigration system” but advocated for a humane approach.

Both candidates ask for an agreement conflict in ukrainebut using different methods. Harris favors continuing military assistance to Kyiv and toughening sanctions against Russia. Trump proposed peace negotiations, involving the possibility of territorial concessions, and promised to end the conflict within 24 hours. Haris called his plan a “surrender proposal.”

Supporters

By promising economic freedoms, Trump won the support of American businesses. His most devoted supporter, Elon Muskdonated more than $130 million to the Republican Party and Trump’s team in 2024. In an interview with Fox Business, Trump said he would invite Musk to join his team. “He doesn’t want to be in the office [президента]but you want to be responsible for reducing costs. We will have a new position: secretary of cost reduction,” said the politician.

Other influential Trump supporters include the director and co-founder of the investment firm Blackstone. Esteban Schwartzmanwho stated that “the economic, immigration and foreign policy [Байдена] “They are taking the country in the wrong direction,” the oil magnate said. Harold Hamm and casino owner Stephen Wynn.

Amazon Founder jeff bezosowner of The Washington Post, has not publicly endorsed Trump, but has prohibited the newspaper from endorsing Harris. In a column on the publication’s website, the billionaire stated that neutrality will help regain the trust of readers.

Microsoft creator Bill Gateswho had previously avoided big politics, donated $50 million to Harris’ campaign. “I have extensive experience working with leaders across the political spectrum, but this election is special and has unprecedented meaning for Americans and the most vulnerable people around the world,” he explained.

There aren’t many billionaires in Harris’ camp, but that makes up for it. celebrities galore. The vice president was supported by actors George Clooney and Mark Hamill, rappers Cardi B and Eminem, musicians Beyoncé, Barbra Streisand, John Legend and Ariana Grande, as well as former US president Barka Obama and his wife Michelle.

Forecast

The candidates approached the final stage of the presidential race with almost equal chances of winning: In most opinion polls, the gap between Trump and Harris is within the margin of error. That means the decisive votes will come in swing states: those that have historically favored neither Democrats nor Republicans.

According to The Washington Post as of November 2, Harris leads in four of the seven swing states: Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan. Behind Trump are North Carolina, Georgia and Arizona.

Without seeing a clear leader, the American media and observers are considering a scenario in which the candidates, for the first time in modern American history, will receive the same number of votes: 269 and 269. In this case, the House of Representatives will elect the president. , a delegation from each state will have the right to vote and to win the candidate must obtain the support of 26 states.