2024 United States presidential election

Article Two of the United States Constitution states that for a person to serve as president, the individual must be a natural-born citizen of the United States, be at least 35 years old, and have been a United States resident for at least 14 years. The Twenty-second Amendment forbids any person from being elected president more than twice. Both incumbent president Biden and former president Donald Trump are eligible to seek reelection. Candidates for the presidency typically seek the nomination of one of the various political parties of the United States, which is awarded through a process such as a primary election. The primary elections are usually indirect elections where voters cast ballots for a slate of party delegates pledged to a particular candidate. The party's delegates then officially nominate a candidate to run on the party's behalf. The presidential nominee typically chooses a vice presidential running mate to form that party's ticket, which is then ratified by the delegates at the party's convention.

Similarly, the general election in November is also an indirect election, in which voters cast ballots for a slate of members of the Electoral College; these electors then directly elect the president and vice president.[12] If no candidate receives the minimum 270 electoral votes needed to win the election, a contingent election will be held in which the House of Representatives will select the president from the three candidates who received the most electoral votes (this last happened in 1825), and the Senate will select the vice president from the candidates who received the two highest totals (this last happened in 1837). The presidential election will occur simultaneously with House of Representatives elections, Senate elections, and various state and local-level elections.

Both Biden and Trump have indicated that they intend to run for president in 2024, suggesting a potential rematch of the 2020 election, which would be the first presidential rematch since 1956.[13] If Trump is elected, he would become the first president since Grover Cleveland in 1892 to win a second non-consecutive term.[14]

This will be the first U.S. presidential election to occur after the reapportionment of votes in the United States Electoral College following the 2020 United States census.[15][16] This apportionment of electoral college votes will remain through the 2028 election. Reapportionment will be conducted again after the 2030 United States census.[17]

Status of elective abortion in the United States

Illegal   Legally unclear or legal but no providers   Legal before cardiac-cell activity[lower-alpha 1]   Legal through 15th week LMP (1st trimester)   Legal through 18th week LMP   Legal through 20th week LMP   Legal through 22nd week LMP (5 months)   Legal before fetal viability[lower-alpha 2]   Legal through 24th week LMP (5½ months)   Legal through second trimester[lower-alpha 3]   Legal at any stage LMP is the time since the last menstrual period began.

This color-coded map illustrates the current legal status of elective-specific abortion procedures in each of the individual 50 states, U.S. territories, and federal district[lower-alpha 4] A colored border indicates that a more stringent restriction or ban, corresponding to the key, is blocked by the courts (as of March 18, 2023).

Abortion rights are expected to be a leading topic. This is the first presidential election to be held in the aftermath of the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, which overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and permitted U.S. states to fully ban abortion for the first time in nearly 50 years. By April 2023, a large majority of Republican-controlled states had passed near-total bans on abortion, rendering it "largely illegal" throughout much of the United States.[9][10][11][18]

The topic of abortion could play a role in the Republican primary with many potential candidates, such as former vice president Mike Pence, supporting a nationwide ban on the procedure. Other potential candidates have struck a less aggressive tone and suggested that the matter should remain the decision of state governments.[19]

Democrats are predominately supportive of its legality to the point of fetal viability.[18]

A potential election rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump has raised concerns about the advanced ages of both candidates.[20][21]

According to follow-up interviews with respondents to a survey by Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, most interviewees think Biden's age is a problem and someone younger would be more suitable for such a stressful position.[22] According to the poll, 37% of Democrats say Biden should run for re-election in 2024 (down from 52% in October).[22] Some Democrats have called for Biden to step down in favor of a more youthful nominee.[23][24] Fifteen Democratic officials were interviewed and nearly all expressed concerns over Biden's political viability given his age if he wins the 2024 election.[25]

Similarly, Trump's age could play a significant role in the election.[26] Republican challenger Nikki Haley kicked off her campaign by calling for a generational change and a mandatory retirement for all politicians over 75 years old, which would preclude Trump from running for office.[27] Analysts believe that youth could be an advantage for Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who is also expected to challenge Trump in the Republican primary.[28]

Donald Trump did not concede defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, citing unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud, and has continued denying the election results as of 2022.[29][30] Republican officials in the Trump administration and in Congress have supported attempts to overturn the election.[31][32] Election security experts have warned that officials who deny the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election may attempt to impede the voting process or refuse to certify the 2024 election results.[33]

In the 2022 midterm elections, the majority of Republican candidates in five battleground states falsely claimed or implied that the 2020 presidential election was illegitimate.[34] Election legitimacy was a major political issue during the 2022 elections, and it is credited for unexpectedly strong Democratic performance that year.[35][36] Nevertheless, according to the New York Times, by November 9, nearly 200 election deniers had been elected to office.[37]

In the aftermath of the January 6 United States Capitol attack, FBI director Christopher A. Wray testified that far-right domestic terrorism "has been metastasizing across the country for a long time now, and it's not going away anytime soon."[38] Ali Alexander, who organized one of the many rallies preceding the U.S. Capitol attack, stated in August 2022 that he would be returning to the Capitol building in 2025 "for whatever the Congress certifies."[39]

The COVID-19 pandemic left behind significant economic effects which could persist into the 2024 presidential election.[40] An October 2022 New York Times/Siena College poll indicated that Americans were most concerned about the state of the economy and the rate of inflation.[41]

U.S. state constitutional amendments banning same-sex unions

  Constitutional amendment bans same-sex marriage, civil unions, and any marriage-like contract between unmarried persons

  Constitutional amendment bans same-sex marriage and civil unions

  Constitutional amendment bans same-sex marriage

  No state constitutional amendment bans legal recognition of same-sex unions

  Constitutional amendment recognizes same-sex marriage

LGBT rights in the United States, particularly same-sex marriage,[6] are expected to be a leading issue of the 2024 presidential campaign.[42] The current composition of the Supreme Court has led to widespread speculation that the present majority will vote to overturn the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which ruled that marriage was a fundamental right for same-sex couples.[43][44] In the event of repeal, a majority of states would not legally issue same-sex marriage licenses within their jurisdictions;[45] the Respect for Marriage Act requires the federal government and all states and territories to recognize the validity of same-sex marriages in other states.[46] There are several so-called "zombie laws" that would become activated if Obergefell is overturned.[47]

According to Human Rights Campaign (HRC), 410 anti-LGBT bills have been introduced in state legislatures as of March 2023, with 180 of those bills going against transgender rights, with the HRC releasing data in March 2023 indicating that more then half of transgender youth from ages 13-17 have either lost or are at risk of losing access to gender-affirming healthcare[48][49] In a February campaign message, Donald Trump said that if reelected, he would enact a federal law that would recognize only two genders, claimed that being transgender is a concept made up by "the radical left", and would enact nearly a dozen policies that would target transgender Americans. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is seen as a 2024 challenger to Trump, has called for physicians who give gender-affirming healthcare to minors to be sued.[50]

As of April 2023, the following individuals have declared their intent to run for president.

• Joseph "Afroman" Foreman, rapper[99]
• Kanye West, rapper, candidate for president in 2020 (campaign)[100]

• Tulsi Gabbard, United States Representative from HI-02 (2013–2021), member of the Honolulu City Council (2011–2012), member of the Hawaii House of Representatives (2002–2004), Democratic candidate for president in 2020[101]
• Howie Hawkins, environmental activist and Green Party nominee for president in 2020[102]
• Larry Hogan, Governor of Maryland (2015–2023), Secretary of Appointments of Maryland (2003–2007); founder of Hogan Companies and Change Maryland[103][104]
• Joe Manchin, United States Senator from West Virginia (2010–present), 34th Governor of West Virginia (2005–2010), 27th West Virginia Secretary of State (2001–2005), member of the West Virginia Senate from the 13th district (1986–1996), member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from the 31st district (1982–1986)[104]

• Mark Cuban, investor and entrepreneur[105]
• Dwayne Johnson, actor and businessman[106]
• Kyrsten Sinema, United States Senator from Arizona (2019–present), United States Representative from AZ-09 (2013–2019), member of the Arizona Senate (2011–2012), member of the Arizona House of Representatives (2005–2011)[107]