Intensifying US Political Scene as November 5 Presidential Election Nears
The US political scene is heating up as the November 5 presidential election approaches. American voters will have a choice between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris as they select the 47th president of the United States.
Trump, a former President, will be going head-to-head with the current vice president Harris. President Joe Biden initially entered the race but had to step down due to health issues, endorsing Harris and potentially paving the way for the US to elect its first female President.
Early voting has seen a significant increase, with 47 states and the District of Columbia offering the option. While mail-in ballots are limited in Mississippi, Alabama, and New Hampshire, some exceptions apply. Already, around 25 million Americans have taken advantage of early voting.
If elected, Harris would make history as the fifth sitting vice president and seventh overall to secure the presidency. She has already broken barriers as the first woman, African American, and person of South Asian descent to become Vice President. Notably, 15 vice presidents have gone on to become Presidents, including Biden.
Charles Curtis was the first non-white vice president with Native American and European ancestry. Barack Obama and Harris are the only other non-whites to hold top US offices, although it is suggested that some white presidents had partial black ancestry.
US elections are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, a rule established in 1845 to avoid conflicts with market days and religious observances. Republicans are symbolized by the elephant, while Democrats are represented by the donkey, a popular symbol introduced by cartoonist Thomas Nast in the 1870s.
In addition to Harris and Trump, third-party candidates such as the Green Party’s Jill Stein, Libertarian Chase Oliver, and independents Cornel West and Robert F Kennedy Jr are also in the race. Despite Kennedy endorsing Trump, he remains on the ballot in some states, potentially impacting Trump’s vote count.
