Election night on November 5 will end weeks-long voting in the United States presidential elections and begin the complex process of selecting the winner and formally certifying the results. The new head of state will take office on January 20 next year, when all the processes constituting the US presidential elections will be completed.
How is the President of the United States elected?
.When the last polling places close on the West Coast and Alaska on November 5, it will be the end of the electoral marathon and the beginning of another long process, which includes: counting votes, resolving likely disputes, confirming the results, voting in the Electoral College, and finally the formal confirmation of the winner by Congress and inauguration of the new president.
Like four years ago, it is expected that vote counting in some states could take several days. Traditionally, among the slowest counting are the largest ones – California and New York – but Pennsylvania is also probably the most important for the election results. Theoretically, it is possible that the winner will be announced by the media and research centers on election night, but polls suggest that the differences between the candidates’ results will be minimal and the winner will be known – as in 2020 – only in the following days.
However, the closing of the ballot boxes will trigger a precise schedule for further formal steps specified in the law. Despite the high probability of election protests, contesting the results in courts and recounting votes, there is relatively little time to resolve disputes. By December 11, state governments must nominate a set of electors to represent them in the Electoral College vote that will formally elect the president. Electoral votes are supposed to reflect who won in a given state.
Electors will gather in their state capitals on December 17 to formally cast their votes for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates and send them to the President of the Senate (Vice President Kamala Harris) and the Archivist of the United States. Votes sent in six copies must reach there by December 25, and then the Archivist must send them to the US Congress by January 3 – the day of the inauguration of the new parliament. Three days later, the last formal step will take place – a meeting of the combined houses of Congress, during which the electoral votes will be formally counted and their result approved.
Although the meeting of Congress on January 6 is usually a formality, four years ago it was held in an atmosphere of great controversy. Then-President Donald Trump, who was running for reelection that year, pressured Vice President Mike Pence to refuse to certify the result, and the procedure was interrupted when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol.
Although this time Pence will be played by Kamala Harris, and Congress has introduced amendments to the electoral law making it difficult to contest the result, according to the Politico website, renewed turmoil cannot be ruled out. It should be remembered that on November 5, Americans will elect not only the president, but also all 435 members of the House of Representatives and one third of the Senate. If the Republican Party maintains control of the House of Representatives and wins a majority in the Senate – both scenarios are likely – it will be able to formally challenge a possible Harris victory, and the president will then be chosen by the House of Representatives.
Any controversy will have to be resolved within two weeks, because regardless of the final winner, the US Constitution sets the end of the term of office of the outgoing president and the start of the term of the new one on January 20, after all the processes constituting the US presidential election are completed.
Isolation or integration?
Everything indicates that the unipolar world is coming to an end or – as some say – it has already ended. The basic question is: which strategic option will the United States use from its rich repertoire? A political tradition dating back to the times of the Founding Fathers shows that regardless of the intentions of Europeans, Americans will be guided by their own interests in all their actions. After 1945, the international situation developed in such a way that a permanent presence in Europe was advantageous for the United States. During the First and Second World Wars, intervention on the Old Continent also paid off for the Americans, but in the 20th century – not so much.
This does not mean that the US will abandon NATO in the face of the “pivot to Asia”. However, Europe must be ready for the United States to adopt a more restrained attitude than in recent decades. There is no indication that Americans will allow Russia to gain the status of a European hegemon. The only question is where is the limit of Russian expansion that the United States will not accept: on the Don, Dnieper, Bug or Vistula.
“In the face of the systematic growth of China’s power, the growing role of India and Vladimir Putin’s efforts to rebuild Russia’s superpower position, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the United States to maintain liberal hegemony. Therefore, individual presidents are looking for new strategic solutions – not always beneficial for Europe. Already during Barack Obama’s presidency, the US made a “turn to Asia” (Pivot to Asia). It has become clear that the Indo-Pacific area will be the region of the most important competition in the coming decades. After the outbreak of full-scale war in Ukraine in February 2022, Europe received unequivocal support from the United States, but at the same time during the NATO summit in Vilnius it was clearly communicated that the United States expects a significant increase in European military spending. President Joe Biden, who did not allow Russia to occupy Ukraine, withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021. Over the years, elements of the strategy of restraint (restraint) are increasingly appearing in US politics and it is expected that this trend will be maintained. Donald Trump’s catchy slogans America First Whether Make America Great Againmake him popular, which means that a large part of the American society expects it. His attitude towards NATO and the war in Ukraine is not complete newbut it is grounded in the US strategic tradition. However, Trump is more willing than others to use the patterns on which the dust settled after World War II,” writes Patryk PALKA, historian and editor of the Beauty of History section, in the magazine Czas co Młodych.
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Copyrighted material. Further distribution only with the publisher’s consent. October 28, 2024
Election Night: The Drama Unfolds!
Well, well, well! Mark your calendars for November 5, folks, because we’re gearing up for a real electoral fiesta in the good ol’ US of A! It’s the night when voting ends, and the real drama begins – counting votes, potential protests, and maybe a few courtroom shenanigans if things get dicey. You see, it’s not just about glitzy rallies and fancy ads; it’s a marathon that stretches well beyond election night. You could say it’s more complex than trying to set up a flat-pack IKEA bookshelf without the instructions – but with a lot more stakes and a lot less Swedish meatballs!
You thought the vote counting was just a straightforward affair, didn’t you? Ha! The last polling places might shut their doors, but that’s just the warm-up act. The real show begins when California and New York have their infamous "slow counts," turning the whole thing into a nail-biting cliffhanger. It’s almost like they’re saying, “We like to take our sweet time to keep you on your toes.” Isn’t that just like a dramatic miniseries where you’re left questioning who will survive until the final episode?
But wait! While you’re busy binge-watching this electoral saga, remember there’s a tight schedule dictated by the good old Constitution. By December 11, states must nominate their electors for the big Electoral College party, where votes will be cast and sent to the reputable hands of the President of the Senate and the Archivist. Yes, folks, that’s right! It’s a whole committee of people with fancy titles who make sure things go according to plan—because what could possibly go wrong in this high-stakes game of democracy?
And let’s not forget about the returning cast members from last election—cue dramatic music! The infamous January 6 Congress meeting is back and more contentious than your last Thanksgiving dinner. The last time, it was a real-life reenactment of a poorly organized rally when supporters of then- President Trump stormed the Capitol. Now we’re back to the same dusty stage with Kamala Harris in Pence’s shoes. Fingers crossed this time we won’t see any more surprise appearances by angry mobs!
Isolation or Integration? The US’s New Role
Switching gears to a different topic that no one asked for but everyone still talks about—US foreign policy! Our favorite perennial soap opera is back, and let’s just say it’s looking a bit rocky. It feels like we’re admiring the view from a cliff, all while contemplating if the next step should be a dramatic leap toward integration or a quick retreat into isolation. Classic America, making everything look so complicated!
And just like a bad relationship, the US seems to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. With China flexing its muscles and Russia trying to reclaim its 15 minutes of fame, the US is being dragged into the game of global chess where every move has the potential to be catastrophic—especially with a 3D chessboard that could give Bobby Fischer a headache. Will the US remain the big player, or will they put their feet up and sip a cocktail from an island somewhere far, far away?
But let’s be real. The last time they said, “We’re focusing on Europe,” it seemed like they were just glancing at the Eurotrip brochure. Hints of "restraint" might be creeping into their foreign policy playbook, but if history teaches us anything, it’s that they have a habit of swooping back in when the drama reaches peak levels—because who wouldn’t want to play superhero at the right moment?
And let’s face it, with all this talk about military spending and diplomatic wrangling, it feels like the US is stuck in a cycle of trying to keep everyone happy while simultaneously keeping everyone guessing. It’s like sending mixed signals to that crush you can’t decide whether you fancy or not.
As we trot towards the next big electoral event and the theater of world politics unfolds, grab some popcorn and get comfy, because the next few months are bound to keep you entertained—if not slightly confused. Buckle up, America; it’s going to be a rollercoaster ride of political antics, strategic twists, and hopefully, a few comedy gold moments along the way!
