American presidential election 2024: special edition, live, reactions, interviews… follow the election with Midi Libre

Millions of American citizens are waiting for just one thing: to know who will be the next President of the United States. Will it be Democratic candidate Kamala Harris or former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump who will succeed Joe Biden in the White House?

On the occasion of the American presidential election, Midi Libre organizes a special edition. It will be possible to follow the vote throughout the day through live from 4 a.m..

Our journalists will be mobilized this Wednesday and will also put online reactions, interviews and expert analysis. This election could swing at any time in favor of the Republican camp as well as the Democratic camp.

How does the electoral college work?

The President of the United States is not elected by a majority at the national level by direct universal suffrage but by an electoral college made up of electors chosen in each State, and in the District of Columbia, in proportion to their population.

Here are some elements on this electoral system before the presidential election on November 5 which will pit former Republican President Donald Trump against current Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris.

Also read:
American presidential election: how does the college of electors work?

Post-poll calendar

While millions of Americans have already voted by mail in recent weeks, the count will not begin until November 5, at 7 p.m. local time.

With the time difference, the first results could thus be known in France on the night of November 5 to 6, or even on Wednesday November 6 in the morning. Traditionally, it is the Associated Press agency which proclaims the final result when it considers that the gap between the winner and his rival is sufficient in view of the ballots remaining to be counted.

During the last election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden in 2020, it was necessary to wait three days for the winner to be announced. This scenario is unlikely to happen again because the procedure for verifying postal votes – which was very lengthy four years ago – has improved considerably, according to the New York Times.

But in some states where the election promises to be particularly close, the vote recount could take time before the result is made official.