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So since most of my followers are #Basotho ba #Lesotho le #AfricaBoroa, and I subject you to my analysis of Lesotho politics, it is only fair that I give a relatively brief overview of the American #elections 
so you can understand our incredibly complex and convoluted system (1/n
so you can understand our incredibly complex and convoluted system (1/n
So the first thing to know is that all American elections are decentralised. That is, there is no such thing as a national election. There are elections that take place nationwide, run under a wide system of different rules, all administered differently
This is true at the state level, but can even be true at local level. It would be like if #Mafeteng & #MohalesHoek had different rules for elections. This, alone, makes American elections complex and subject to many errors. In this case, 50 states and thousands of municipalities
So what is at stake in the 3 Nov elections?
First and foremost, the US Presidency. This, however, is not straightforward. Each state (of 50) gets as many votes as it has federal representatives (Senate and House of Representatives). So each state has at least 3 and up to 55 votes
First and foremost, the US Presidency. This, however, is not straightforward. Each state (of 50) gets as many votes as it has federal representatives (Senate and House of Representatives). So each state has at least 3 and up to 55 votes
Most, but not all states, have a winner-take-all system so that if a candidate wins the popular vote in California, for instance (55 electoral votes), they get all 55 or if they win Wyoming (3 electoral votes), they get all 3.
So it takes 270 electoral votes to get elected.
So it takes 270 electoral votes to get elected.
This is why you see so much emphasis on the 'close' or 'swing' states (like Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, North Carolina, etc) and less on places like New York or Oklahoma. A small shift in votes in 'swing
states can decide the whole election.
states can decide the whole election.
Then, 1/3rd of the US Senate (the upper legislative chamber) is up for election as well. These Senators (2 per state) get 6-year terms, which means each individual election is quite consequential.
Senate has 1/2 of law-making power and...
Senate has 1/2 of law-making power and...
...also gets to confirm (or not) judges and Cabinet-level appointments that the president makes, which make the chamber quite powerful in American government. It privileges small states over big as California's 39.5 million residents have same # of Senators as Wyoming's 600,000.
So the 33 Senate seats that are open are of great consequence, and pundits suggest that the split will be very close to 50-50 if the races break according to the polls (ties are broken by the Vice-President who runs in tandem with the President)
Finally, at the national level, all 435 seats in the lower house (the House of Representatives) are up for grabs as well, as they are on 2-year terms. Currently Democrats have a majority there, and pundits suggest they will not only hold this, but expand it in the ~10 seat range
So all Americans can vote for President, every one (except for Washington DC residents) can vote for a voting rep in the House of Representatives, and many get to vote for Senate this year as well.
Additionally, there are state and local elections as well.
Additionally, there are state and local elections as well.
These elections, too, depend on what cycle their local jurisdictions choose. So 11 of the 50 states will also choose their chief executives (governors) this cycle.
In some places, mayors, city councils, school boards, judges, etc are also on the ballot.
In some places, mayors, city councils, school boards, judges, etc are also on the ballot.
Here in my local jurisdiction in Michigan, there was President, Senate, Congress, plus County Commissioner, School Board, judges, and two constitutional amendments on the ballot--it went well over the front of the page onto the back side for voting.
So in short, American elections are way more complicated and messy than they need to be since every jurisdiction can (and many do) administer them differently. If you move, it is often hard to know/figure out the different rules. It has also (historically), left...
...the elections open to manipulation by throwing people off the rolls or denying them the opportunity to get on in the first place (African Americans, women, Native Americans, etc). Since the 1964 Voting Rights Act, the rolls have expanded but there are still barriers.
So, this is a (relatively) quick overview of the American elections. What will happen on 3 November 2020? No one yet knows, but between the pandemic and a huge surge in engagement, those who know are predicting the highest percentage of voters (around 65%) since 1908!
That year, of course, the vast majority of African Americans could not yet vote, Native Americans could not vote, felons were largely disenfranchised, and women did not have the right to vote.
So this will be by far the biggest participation, perhaps ever in an American election
So this will be by far the biggest participation, perhaps ever in an American election
Of course, that is if any number of court challenges attempting to throw out legitimately cast ballots do not succeed. The courts are a wild-card, and have been used to successfully disenfranchise people before as well.
So we will see.
So we will see.
I will try to answer questions that arise from this on 3 November, but I do have to teach and do other work too.
However, I wanted to try to communicate just how complex the system is and to try to give you perspective for if/when you hear about problems with the vote.
However, I wanted to try to communicate just how complex the system is and to try to give you perspective for if/when you hear about problems with the vote.
