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Understanding the US Election Process
Explanation of the US election process, including the Electoral College, voting methods, vote counting, and results reporting.
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United Kingdom
PoliticsUs PoliticsElectionUsaResultsVoting System
Associated PressCongress
Kamala HarrisDonald TrumpHillary Clinton
- How are the votes counted?
- Votes are counted at the precinct level, verified, and then aggregated at the county and state levels. This process involves numerous checks and balances and can take days or weeks to finalize, especially with high voter turnout and close races.
- How are the results reported?
- The Associated Press (AP) reports election results, declaring a winner in a state when the trailing candidate has no realistic path to victory. Final results are certified by state election authorities and can take time due to verification processes.
- How does the US election work?
- The US election uses the Electoral College system, where each state receives electoral votes based on population. A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.
- How do people vote in the US election?
- People vote in US elections either by mail-in ballots or in person on election day. The process is administered by each state individually, resulting in 51 separate mini-elections.
- What is the electoral college and how does it work?
- Each state, except Maine and Nebraska, awards all its electoral votes to the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state. The candidate with the majority of electoral votes wins the election.