The United States is just a few hours away from casting ballots in the election. For the past few months, both Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris have been actively campaigning, interacting with voters, and presenting their cases.
The US has a highly decentralized election system, which is in contrast to many countries with centralized election bodies. In this, the Federal Election Commission oversees campaign finance laws, with state and local officials managing the election process. Each state sets its own election rules, covering everything from voter eligibility to ballot design and counting procedures. Voting and vote-counting procedures can thus vary widely in a country with a decentralized election system.
Voting Methods in the 2024 Election
Voters in the US cast their ballots through three primary methods:
. Handmarked Paper Ballots: Handmarking paper ballots is the most popular method, used by 69.9% of voters.
. Ballot Marking Devices (BMDs): Voters can choose options on a screen and then print a paper ballot to confirm their selections using BMDs, which are computerized systems used by 25.1% of voters. Under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), this approach incorporates accessibility features for people with disabilities.
. Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) Systems: Votes are stored electronically using this method, which is comparable to India’s electronic voting machines (EVMs). In Louisiana and Nevada, only 5% of voters rely on DRE systems, a dramatic drop in use brought on by security concerns.
Following the infamous “butterfly ballot” issue in Florida in the 2000 election, ballot clarity has received increased attention and consideration of electronic voting machines. The 2016 election saw the return of paper-based voting systems following reports of machines being tampered with for security reasons. Today, electronic voting has become limited, and voting by paper ballot, or BMD, has started in most of the areas.
How Votes Are Counted
Optical scanners that automatically record and tabulate results are commonly used to scan votes cast on hand-marked paper ballots and BMDs. A state-level audit, which may involve manual or machine-assisted verification, comes after this procedure. The final official vote count must be completed by December 11 of this year, although states have varying deadlines for certifying results.
In-Person Votes
After the polls close on election day or during early voting, the votes cast are recorded. In contrast to digital voting machines, which transmit data electronically or are delivered by hand for processing, paper ballots are sent to counting centers.
Mail-In Ballots
States have different procedures for processing and tallying mail-in ballots. Although counting frequently starts on election day and results are kept until after polls close, many states permit officials to check ballots prior to election day.
Verification of Mail-In Ballots
Every state requires a signature on mail-in ballots. Many use signature matching, and some require additional verification, such as a witness signature or notarization depending on the state’s rules.
The Electoral College
Based on the population of each state, 538 electors from every state and the District of Columbia choose the US president. With the exception of Maine and Nebraska, every state uses a “winner take all” system, giving the candidate who receives the highest number of votes in that state all of its electoral votes. A candidate needs to receive at least 270 electoral votes to win.
Certification and Inauguration
The electoral votes are counted at a joint session of Congress chaired by the Vice President on January 6. In which the candidate who receives 270 or more votes is declared the elected president, even if he loses the national popular vote. On January 20, the president-elect takes the oath of office for a four-year term.
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