Hours before the polls open: Everything you need to know about the US elections and how the Electoral College works

The US elections are one of the most prominent political events in the world, given the importance of the United States and the influence of its president on international politics. In the last hours before voting begins, all eyes are on this presidential race, which is determined according to a complex electoral process with its own unique characteristics, as the "Electoral College" plays a decisive role in choosing the president.

Stages of the US elections

The US election process takes place in several stages, starting with the political parties and ending with the Electoral College vote and appointing the president. Here is a quick look at these stages:

Primary Elections Stage

The main political parties, the Democratic and Republican, hold primary elections to determine their presidential candidates. At this stage, registered voters in each party vote to choose their preferred candidate, and the primary elections are organized either in the form of direct voting or party caucuses.

National Party Conventions

After the primaries, each party holds a national convention where it announces its official presidential and vice presidential candidates and agrees on a platform that expresses its policies and future plans.

Campaigns and Debates

Candidates campaign across the country, traveling to swing states in particular, seeking to win voters’ votes. At this stage, presidential debates are held, which provide an opportunity for candidates to present their political platforms and persuade voters.

General Voting Day

Voting takes place on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, and citizens participate in it to choose their preferred candidate. However, the result of the popular vote does not directly determine the identity of the winner, but rather passes through the “Electoral College” system.

How the Electoral College Works

The Electoral College is a key part of the US presidential election, and is an indirect electoral system used to determine the president and vice president, based on state results, rather than the direct popular vote at the national level. Here's how it works:

Number of Electoral College votes

The Electoral College consists of 538 votes, with each state representing the same number of its representatives in Congress (senators and representatives), giving more populous states, such as California and Florida, a larger share of the vote. Winning the presidency requires at least 270 electoral votes.

How votes are distributed across states

Most states use a "winner-take-all" system, where all of a state's votes go to the candidate who wins the majority of the popular vote in that state. However, two states, Maine and Nebraska, use a mixed system that allows the electoral college votes to be divided by electoral districts.

The role of certified electors

When a particular candidate wins a majority of the votes in a state, certified electors from that state vote in the Electoral College for that candidate. Although these electors are required in most states to vote for the winning candidate, in exceptional cases, a certified elector may change his or her vote, although this is extremely rare.

Electoral College Meeting and Announcement of Results

The Electoral College usually meets in December after the general vote, when its members cast their official votes. Congress then meets in January to count the votes and officially announce the winner of the presidential and vice presidential elections.

History of the Electoral College

The history of the Electoral College dates back to the US Constitution, which was adopted in 1787. At the time, there were concerns about giving the public absolute power in electing the president due to the poor communications and media at the time, and the Founding Fathers feared that the public would be manipulated or greatly influenced. Therefore, the system was put in place to ensure thoughtful and balanced oversight of the election results through the Electoral College.

Over the years, there have been many attempts to abolish the Electoral College system and replace it with a direct popular vote, but this has not been done due to difficulties in amending the Constitution and the need for this change to be approved by two-thirds of Congress and ratified by three-quarters of the states, which has not been achieved to date.

Criticisms and concerns

Despite the passage of more than two centuries since the Electoral College was used, the system continues to generate controversy. Some criticize this system because it can lead to the election of a president who does not win a popular majority, as happened in the 2000 and 2016 elections. The system also gives swing states, such as Florida and Ohio, disproportionate power, as candidates spend a lot of time and resources in them compared to states that are considered decisive in favor of one party.

The importance and impact of the current elections

As Americans prepare to vote, the role of the Electoral College emerges as a major factor in determining the winner, and many citizens and observers around the world hope that the voting results will truly reflect the will of the people, and that the country will avoid any electoral or legal crises that may affect the democratic process. Despite its complexities and historical challenges, the American electoral system remains an essential part of the democratic landscape that the United States is proud of, and it stands out as a unique model in the world.

In the final hours before the start of the voting process, attention turns to a scene in which historical legacy mixes with modern reality, as the Electoral College plays the role of the “final arbiter” in a race that reflects the diversity and challenges of American democracy. Regardless of the election outcome, talk of electoral reform may continue, with growing calls to give the people a greater role in directly choosing their president.