Americans are finally heading to the polls en masse after a turbulent and often divisive election race full of twists, turns and drama.
Democrat candidate Kamala Harris took over from President Biden as the nominee in July. He stood down following concerns among his party about his low re-election chances after his poor performance in an initial debate against former president Donald Trump, which Biden blamed at the time on being sick.
Now, Harris and Trump’s historic campaigns have come to an end and we will shortly know who the next President of the United States will be. But how does voting even work in the US, and who is actually allowed to help decide who the next leader of the “free world” will be? Let’s find out.
Who can vote in the US presidential election 2024?
You can only vote in US federal, state, and local elections if you are a US citizen. However, this does include US citizens living outside the United States, for example Americans who live and work in the UK.
Interestingly, according to official US government website USA.gov, US citizens who were born abroad and have never lived in the United States are also entitled to vote. They say: “Your eligibility to vote is based on the state where your parents last lived or were registered to vote. Find out what states may permit you to vote absentee.“
Those with dual citizenship are also entitled to vote – people who are a legal citizen of both the US and also another country. For example, two US citizens could have a child in the UK; if so that child could apply to the UK government for dual US/UK citizenship.
There are also state-level rules that must be followed. Anyone wanting to vote must meet that state’s residency requirements. Essentially, you need to vote in the state where you have your permanent residence – where you live the majority of the time.
The “residency” rule doesn’t necessarily bar homeless people from voting. You can still vote if you’re unhoused, you just need some form of voter ID.
Finally, you also are only eligible to vote if you register in time for your state’s voter registration deadline. Unless you live in North Dakota, which doesn’t require voter registration.
Who can’t vote in the US presidential election 2024?
Unsurprisingly, non-citizens can’t vote in the US election. So if you were born in the UK, you don’t get a say.
Someone who’s been convicted of a felony may be barred from voting too, even if they’re US citizens. USA.gov explains: “Some people cannot vote after being convicted of a felony or if they are currently serving time for other types of crimes. Rules are different in each state. Check this guide from vote.gov to understand the laws in your state.”
Having a mental disability can also affect your right to vote in the US. The National Voter Registration Act, or NVRA, sets standards for how people can register to vote. Controversially, the NVRA allows states to remove voters from voter registration due to “mental incapacity.” A person can be removed for “mental capacity” if they can’t understand what it means to vote.
Citizens in US overseas territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the US Virgin Islands and the Northern Marianas are also unable to vote in presidential elections.
How old do you have to be to vote in the US?
18, basically. USA.gov explains that voters must be “18 years old on or before Election Day,” adding: “In almost every state, you can register to vote before you turn 18 if you will be 18 by Election Day. Some states allow 17-year-olds who will be 18 by Election Day to vote in primaries.”
Interestingly, the legal drinking age in the United States is 21 years old – ever since the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 came into force. This means you can vote at 18, but you can’t have a drink in a bar to celebrate that milestone afterwards.
If you want to follow the US presidential election action in the UK, we have a full guide of how to watch the coverage here.
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