The US Election Process – How It Works

Democrats Expected to Win the White House and the Legislature

An unprecedented political confrontation between the US legislature controlled by the Republicans and an incumbent Democrat President has rendered the country’s political system totally dysfunctional during the past eight years. More than once during the last 4 years, the American government was about to be shut down, because the legislature refused to pass the budget proposed by President Obama. Even his nominees to the Supreme Court were not approved by the Senate, a requirement under the Constitution.

Thousands of top level posts could not be filled up due to such Republican intransigence. This situation is likely to ease soon with the prospect of the Democrat party winning the White House as well as gaining majorities in both the Legislature houses. Latest polls predict that Hillary Clinton is edging ahead in the early voting, begun about a week ago. In the 100-member Senate, the Republicans who now have 54 seats are likely to lose the four-seat majority. In the 435-members House of Representatives, again, the Republicans are expected to miss their 247 advantage.

The US voters will not only elect their President on November 8^th, but also 34 out of 100 Senate members and 435 members of the House of Representatives. If Hillary wins, for next two years she will have a Democrat Party majority Legislature. In the unlikely event of the Republican Donald Trump winning, one can expect the Democrats administering the same medicine they suffered, to the Republicans.

By S Narendra, Former Information Advisor to Prime Ministers of India (reporting from US)