Find out these 8 interesting facts about the United States Elections

[Mindyou]

1. Campaign Length

• Canada allows around 50 days for election campaigns, France allows 2 weeks, and Japan allows 12 days. The U.S. has no laws defining campaign length, and campaigns often start 500–600 days before Election Day (the record is 1,194 days)
• Discussion Question: Why do you think U.S. campaigns are so long?

2. Election Day and Voting as a Right

• In the U.S., Election Day is the first Tuesday in November and is not a national holiday, so it takes place on a workday. Unlike many countries, voter registration is not automatic, meaning individuals must take the initiative to register themselves.
• Discussion Question: Why isn’t Election Day a holiday in the U.S.? Is voting a privilege, a right, or something in between? What are the implications?

3. Money in Elections

• Political spending in the 2020 election reached over $14 billion, double the 2016 total. Most of this comes from private, not public, funds.
  • Media advertising consumes a large portion of the budget since messaging over a long campaign is costly.
  • Fundraising is often seen as an indicator of a candidate’s support, with candidates requesting donations from voters.
  • The Federal Election Commission (FEC) regulates campaign finance laws but only at the federal level. States have their own rules.
  • Companies can’t contribute directly to campaigns but can influence elections via Political Action Committees (PACs), with some PACs (called super PACs) having no spending limits due to a Supreme Court ruling that equates spending money on political messaging with free speech.
• Discussion Questions:
  • Would you donate to a campaign? Why or why not?
  • Do you agree that spending money on political campaigns should be considered a form of free speech?

4. The Electoral College

• The U.S. President is indirectly elected through the Electoral College, which includes 538 electors apportioned across states based on congressional representation. To win, a candidate must secure 270 electoral votes.
• Discussion Questions:
  • If you were a candidate, where would you spend your time campaigning—blue states, red states, or swing states?
  • How might a Republican in California or a Democrat in Alabama feel about the value of their vote?

5. Decentralized Election Administration

• Each U.S. state has its own methods for administering elections, resulting in different rules and processes.
  • Voter Registration: Are citizens required to register? How and when can they register (online, by mail, in person)?
  • Early Voting: Is early voting allowed? If so, how early?
  • Voter ID Requirements: Do citizens need an ID to vote? What IDs are accepted? Are there provisions for those without ID?
  • Mail-in Voting: Who can use mail-in voting? Are ballots automatically sent, or do they need to be requested?
  • Counting Votes: When can states start counting ballots?
• Discussion Question: What do you think of this decentralized system?

6. Pros and Cons of Decentralization

• Critics argue that local control can lead to mismanagement and inconsistent application of election laws, especially in large elections. However, supporters say decentralization allows for experimentation and increases security by making it difficult to rig national elections.
• Discussion Question: Do you think decentralization is beneficial or problematic?

7. Declaring Election Results

• In 2020, it took four days after Election Day to confirm Joe Biden’s win. Experts predict a similar delay in 2024.
• Discussion Question: Why do you think it takes longer now to learn election results?

8. Voter Participation

• Voter turnout in the U.S. lags behind many other OECD countries. In 2020, with 158.4 million people voting, the turnout rate was 62.8%, placing the U.S. 31st out of 50 OECD countries.