2024 US Presidential Elections: Electoral calendar explained and important dates
The 2024 General Election is more than a year away... yet the race is already heating up. Here are the key dates you need to be aware of.
There is still a year left until the 2024 presidential elections, but electoral activity has already begun.
On Wednesday, 27 September 27, the Republican National Committee hosted the second primary debate. The third debate will take place in Miami on 8 November.
It is not standard practice for presidential incumbents to debate members of their own party, and it looks like Donald Trump is applying that rule to himself as well. Democrats will hold off on hosting a debate since Biden has declared his intention to seek reelection, limiting the party’s interest in highlighting other alternatives.
When are the US presidential elections?
The elections to choose the next president of the country are scheduled for Tuesday, November 5, 2024. However, there are still several dates to consider before the big day.
Electoral calendar explained
Primary elections
Once the Parties conclude their respective debates (if both choose to hold them), voters will have their say starting in early 2024. South Carolina will be the first state for Democratic voters, whereas the Iowa caucus will be the first primary for the GOP. The voting period runs from January 15 to June 8, 2024, and the date varies from state to state.
Conventions
After the primary elections, the Democratic and Republican Parties hold conventions to officially nominate their respective candidates based on the results of the primaries. The Republican Convention is scheduled for July 15-18, while the Democratic Convention will be held August 19-22.
Presidential debates
Once the candidates are known, the presidential debates will be scheduled. There are still no official dates, but it is expected that three debates will take place between September and October.
Election Day 2024
The casting of the popular vote will take place in person on Tuesday, November 5. To cast your ballot, you must be registered to vote. It is critical that you verify your registration status before the registration period ends in your state. If you fail to register or find out too late that you have been stripped from the voter rolls, you may not be able to cast a ballot.
Electoral College Vote
The president of the United States is not elected directly with the popular vote; it is the Electoral College that has the final say. The college includes 538 voting members, with the distribution based on the population of each state; the greater the population the more votes a state receives in the Electoral College.
With the exception of Nebraska and Maine, the candidate who wins with the popular vote in each state takes all of the electoral votes in that state. The Electoral College vote will take place on December 17, 2024.
Winner Certification
After the Electoral College meets, the vote is certified by Congress. The certification will take place in early January. The last certification took place on January 6th, 2021.