As the presidential election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 5, 2024, the candidates running for president include 12 Republicans, three Democrats and two independent candidates, 17 representatives in total are currently running for the presidency in the upcoming election. Along with all the candidates, two probable candidates, Donald J. Trump and Joseph R. Biden, are gaining national attention for re-running for President.
Joseph R. Biden, who won the 2020 election is running for re-election after four years of presidency. A member of the Democratic Party, Biden previously won the last election by defeating Trump after winning Pennsylvania’s Electoral College votes. For re-running the position is open for those who previously were elected, Presidents are given a maximum of eight years of service by the constitution.
Biden’s forerunner Donald J. Trump is running for re-election to a second term under the Republican Party. Losing the last election to Biden, Trump is running for a non-consecutive term. If he wins the election, Trump would become the second president in history to be elected a non-consecutive term after Grover Cleveland in 1892. There will be a presidential rematch for the first time since 1956 (if both receive nominations from their respective parties.)
Some teachers expect this election to be a status quo election where there is no big change in direction for the nation. Cypress High School’s U.S. History and Government teacher Mr. Michael Cobleigh showed concerns for the current situation with two separated powers on the rise. He explained, “I expect that [the election] is going to remain status quo and either Trump and Biden are going to win, causing further divisions in the country…voters, politicians, and people in power should look at it and say, ‘what have we done wrong and how can we fix it?’ If we don’t make changes the current climate will continue, and that’s not good.”
Leading competitors for the party’s nomination compete in a sequence of primary elections that determine the delegates who will vote for the nominee at the national convention. Like the previous years, the president will be elected through an indirect election in which Electoral College votes casted by citizens will directly determine the next president running in office.
AP Government teacher Mr. Scott Eastridge spoke for the importance of acceptance of an election result. “We as Americans first agreed to basic democratic principles, and really as an American regardless of ideology or political party preference, I hope we would all agree to the basic principles of democracy: Respecting the rule of law, accepting the results of an election, and allowing the peaceful transfer of power.”
Although it is a long process, many are holding attentive eyes and ears for the upcoming year of election, which is significant leading to another opportunity of improving our society with better safety, rights, healthcare, economy, and environment. For our ideas and interests are important to our lives and the choice is given to us, it is our responsibility to choose the people who are right to represent us in the government.
