No less than 162 million voters, out of 360 million Americans, are going to the polls today to cast their votes either for the Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris or for the Republican bet Donald Trump. A number of states have already started the voting process months before and by this time, and about 16 million voters have already voted, either in person or by mail. I am hoping and praying for Kamala Harris.
The Democrat Harris is gaining tremendous momentum in the swing states of Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. And Trump is melting down as many of his base supporters are shifting to the side of the Democrats. A number of traditionally-red states like Texas and Florida are facing serious reexamination by massive upsurges of voters turning blue. Many candidates for senators, congressmen, and governors under the GOP are negatively impacted by Trump's many blunders and his outrageous off-the-cuff comments showing his racism and misogynistic fixations. Today's election is both historic and monumental.
Under the American Constitution, the presidential elections should be held every first Tuesday of November every four years. The American president can be elected for a maximum of two terms or for eight years, compared to the Philippine president who has a six-year term without reelection. To be qualified to run for US president, a candidate must be a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old and must have resided in America for the past 14 years. The US president acts as chief executive of the federal government and as commander-in-chief of all US armed forces. Under the US system, a presidential candidate may win in the popular vote but may lose in the Electoral College and is thus deemed defeated.
In 2020, Joe Biden won both the popular votes and the Electoral College. Biden got 81,283,501 while Trump got only 74,223,975 votes. Biden was credited with 306 while Trump got 232 electoral votes. All one needs is 270 to win the presidency out of the 538 total Electoral College votes. In 2016, Hillary Clinton got more popular votes or 65,583,514 compared to Trump's 62,984,828. But Trump secured 304 electoral votes while Clinton got only 227. This is the highly-peculiar US electoral process where an Electoral College can legally override the will of millions of American voters. In 2012 Barack Obama got more popular and electoral votes over Mitt Romney. In 2008, Obama also won both with popular and electoral votes over John McCain.
In 2004, Republican George W. Bush won over Democrat John Kerry both in popular and electoral votes. In the year 2000, however, Al Gore got 50,992,335 popular votes beating George W. Bush's 50,455,156. But Bush was proclaimed winner with 271 electoral votes compared to Gore's 266. In that year, there was a third candidate, Green Party's Ralph Nader who was credited with 2,882,897 and zero electoral votes. In 1996, Democrat Bill Clinton got 47,402,357 popular votes and 379 electoral votes defeating Republican Bob Dole who was credited with 39,198,755 popular votes and 159 electoral votes. There was also a third bet, Ross Perot who got a sizable 8,085,402 and zero electoral votes.
The biggest number of electoral votes are in California, 55 (Democrat); Texas (Republican), 38; Florida, 29 (R); New York, 29 (D); Illinois, 20 (D); Pennsylvania, 20 (hopefully D); Ohio, 18 (R); Georgia, 16 (hopefully D); Michigan, 16 (hopefully D); and North Carolina, 15 (also, hopefully D). For sure, Vice President Kamala Harrs is expected to get California, New York, Illinois, and hopefully Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and North Carolina. These swing states, along with Wisconsin, Nevada, and Arizona shall be the tipping points. If Harris wins in most of these states, then the US shall have its first female president, America's 47th since 1788, when George Washington was elected as first American president.
There are about 5 million Filipinos in the USA and most of them are in California, Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, Texas, and Chicago. A pollster conducted a survey and revealed that more than 65% of them prefer the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. I have siblings too in the northwestern US but I do not want to reveal their politics, considering that some of them are working in government.
Personally, I would be happy to see Harris winning today. I am crossing my fingers for that. Her victory means better Philippine-US relations. On the other hand, Trump winning the polls will be a great jubilation by Xi Jinping. And I would hate that to happen by any means.