US voting today amid tough competition

By Madhukar Adhikari, Washington DC, Nov 5: One of the significant elections of this year, 2024 is beginning today- the US voting amid tough competition between the democratic and republican candidates.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are in the fray for the 47th President of the US representing the Democrat and Republican parties, respectively.

Trump is trying to secure the second term while Harris emerged valiantly for the post after President Joe Biden stepped aside and endorsed her.

The election is held in direct voting and electoral college in the US. 

Harris and Trump have focused their ultimate campaigning in the battle ground states.

The change in the US regime through this election is considered a landmark to impact various global affairs as observers have expressed. All-out efforts are made by both sides to secure the top executive post in the world's superpower.

As in the past elections, the major agenda this time are immigration, gun right, economic opportunity, women's right, and growing global unrest.

Although efforts were made to make economy dynamic after the Covid-19, the price hike has hit hard the people. The impacts on foods, fuel and other services have rendered utmost difficulty to the middle class which is a pressing issue of the election. 

The democrat, which is comparatively flexible towards migrants, has forwarded Kamala Harris against Republic Trump, who is facing various cases. Both are facing tough time to secure the post.

Swing States determine result

Among 50 States in the US, there are seven such States which largely determine the election result. They are called Swing States- Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. 

Pennsylvania, which is the fifth most populous State in US, is focused most among these seven States. In the 2016 election, Trump had secured victory in five out of seven Swing States, becoming the President, while President Joe Biden had secured victory in six out of seven Swing States in 2020 election.

The importance attached to Pennsylvania is reflected in the electoral advertisement made in the media there- 1.20 billion US Dollars spent in media advertisement.

Throughout US, 10.53 billion US Dollars have been spent in total, of which over 10 percent is in Pennsylvania.

The largest Swing State, Pennsylvania, has already witnessed early voting of 1.6 million.

Do Nepalis' votes count?

There are some 25,000 voters of Nepali origin in this State, so it is believed their votes obviously count in the election.

US politician Dr Harry Bhandari, who arrived in Harrisburg of Pennsylvania for electoral awareness, said this State would determine the voting result. 

He was in campaign with 51 volunteers from Maryland on Saturday.

"We've involved in politics, which will be inspiring for the future generation. Kamala Harris is trying her best to make a history from the second generation immigrants. It will further encourage immigrants," he observed. 

Similarly, a local political campaigner Abhisek Thapa said, "This time, it is a tough battle. We believe our (Nepali) votes will determine the election this year. We reach every doorstep to encourage Nepalis to cast ballot."  

Social worker and political activist Binita Puri said they were conducting voting awareness rallies. She expressed belief that this time, there would be more voter turnout.

The Nepali American are of both camps- Harris and Trump. Many Nepali Americans are making flurry of posts and comments on social media in vafour of their candidates.

Although there are 231 million US citizens eligible for voting, only 168 have registered themselves as voters. Similarly, out of 538 voting under the electoral college, the candidate securing 270 votes would get victory irrespective of the popular votes. (RSS)