3rd Nov 2020
It's here already, I thought as I woke up this Tuesday morning.
You see, I was 14 years old when Donald J Trump had won the 2016 presidential election as the Republican candidate. We weren't expecting it, the polls had predicted Hillary Clinton, who still remains (as of this date) the most qualified person in US history to run for President (not an opinion, merely fact).
Between Brexit, the COVID pandemic and then my online studies, I had really tuned out of US politics. Yes, I read the interesting articles on Trump's former aides who threatened explosive tell alls, because this was my equivalent of celebrity gossip. I had been purposefully avoiding the debates and rallies and then we were suddenly living election day.
You see, as an avid supporter of youth voice, I've spent a great deal of my time advocating for young people to excercise their right to vote in Make Your Mark, the largest youth consultation for young people in Europe. I am passionate about voting right to my core, though as a Mancunian girl born and bred, this should hardly come as a surprise, given my city's roots are intrenched in the historic waves of the Suffragettes themselves. The point is, voting is crucial.
I don't honestly know who will win the election. Polls are predicting Biden will win a landslide, but they aren't always right (2016, anyone?). What I do know is that both sides will contest the result, blaming interference or rigging. This could take weeks, months even to resolve and the states could be forced to do recounts. The Supreme Court could even get involved, as it did with George W Bush and Al Gore in 2000.
If there is no decision by 31st January 2021, Nancy Pelosi, the current Speaker of the House of Representatives, will becoming the acting President. Pelosi is a Democrat, so the Republicans (Trump's party) will want to ensure a decision is reached before then.
We're in for a long night. The one thing we can be certain of is Florida. Whoever wins Florida, wins the election, right? The last candidate to take the White House without Florida was Republican Calvin Coolidge in 1924.
But then again, it's 2020, so who knows what will happen next?
Comments