The presidential race is the battle for the presidency in the United States. It is held every four years. Voters decide who they want to lead the country and which party they will support. There are 538 electoral votes that are distributed based on each state’s population — larger states get more “votes” than smaller ones. The candidate who receives a majority of electoral votes is elected president.
During the presidential campaign candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties travel across the country to try to win support. They meet with voters and participate in televised debates where they are asked to defend their positions on issues and policies.
Most adults who are eligible to vote in the US are members of one of the two main political parties. People with similar ideas about how they want the government to work usually belong to the same political party. The major political parties hold primaries and caucuses in which delegates are selected to represent their party’s presidential candidate at the national convention.
In 2024, Trump held a lead over Harris among people who have a bachelor’s degree or higher – 74% to 49% – while his lead among those with a high school diploma or less was only 31% to 40%. Trump also had a larger margin over Harris among people who attend religious services at least monthly or more (56% to 30%).
The results of the election are announced in November. In order for a candidate to be declared the winner of the election, they must have a majority of electoral votes (270).