A voter fills out a ballot at the Pleasant Township Fire Department voting site on Election Day (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
As delivered Chargé d’Affaires Katherine Brucker
at the Permanent Council, Vienna
November 7, 2024
Tuesday, November 5thAmericans went to the polls in large numbers. Some 143 million citizens voted; 83 million of them during early voting. This compares to 155 million in 2020, which set a participation record.
Elections in the United States are organized by state, each with its own rules, particularly regarding the validity of mail-in ballots. For example, in some states, a mail-in ballot must be received by Election Day; in other states, the ballot does not have to be postmarked until Election Day.
Even though the presidential race is decided, the vote count continues. When I last checked, some 38 races for seats in the House of Representatives were still open.
This election showed the dynamism of our democracy and the seriousness with which Americans take their civic duty.
Naturally, the main focus has been on the presidential election.
But in our system of separate but equal branches, congressional elections are important, particularly because of the role of the Senate in confirming judges and presidential nominees, and the responsibility of both chambers to pass laws and set the funding levels.
Likewise, in a federalist system, state and local elections are equally important. In fact, it wasn’t just one election, but multiple elections across all 50 states and territories.
During this election period, we have also seen vigorous public debate on some issues, as well as a wide range of news and views; that freedom of expression and diversity of opinion reflect our values and our strengths.
In the coming months, it is important to remember that there is only one president and one administration at a time. The new president will not take office until noon on January 20, 2025, when we will witness another valuable aspect of our democracy: the peaceful transfer of power.
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