A really simple guide to the presidential vote
- Published
Republican Donald Trump is preparing to select his top team ahead of his return to the White House, after a decisive election victory.
His defeated opponent, Democrat Kamala Harris, vowed to support a "peaceful transfer of power".
When was the US presidential election?
The 2024 election was on Tuesday, 5 November 2024.
Ahead of election day, some tens of millions of people took part in early voting events or sent their ballots by post. Tens of millions more voted on election day itself.
The winner will serve a term of four years in the White House, starting in January 2025.
On the world stage, the US leader has considerable freedom to represent the country abroad.
Within the US, the president works with the two branches of the US Congress to pass legislation, external.
They can also issue executive orders, which can direct the operations of the federal government, or clarify and extend existing laws.
The president also has the power to issue pardons for federal crimes.
Who were the candidates for president?
Former president Trump stood for the Republican Party. He won the party's support with a massive lead over his rivals.
Trump chose Ohio senator JD Vance to be his vice-presidential running mate.
Kamala Harris, the current vice-president under the outgoing president, Joe Biden, was the candidate for the Democratic Party. She joined the race after Biden dropped out and no other Democrats stood against her.
Her running mate for vice-president was Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
There were also some independent candidates running for president. One of the most prominent was Robert F Kennedy Jr, but he suspended his campaign in August and backed Trump.
When does Trump become president?
The period after the election is known as the transition, which gives the new administration time to appoint cabinet ministers and make plans for the new term.
Trump becomes the president-elect, Vance the vice-president-elect.
At his victory rally, Trump hinted Kennedy - a former Democrat and vaccine sceptic - would be given a key healthcare role.
Technology billionaire Elon Musk is also expected to feature in the new administration. Trump previously said he would ask Mr Musk to tackle government waste.
Trump will be sworn in at a ceremony known as the inauguration, held on the steps of the Capitol building in Washington DC on Monday 20 January 2025.
At that point, he legally assumes the power and responsibilities of the presidency.
What do Democrats and Republicans stand for?
The Democrats, who use blue as their colour, are the liberal political party. They are known for supporting civil rights, a social safety net and measures to address climate change.
In the 2024 election, issues highlighted by their candidate Kamala Harris included tackling the cost-of-living crisis and supporting abortion rights.
The Republicans use the colour red and are the conservative political party. They have stood for lower taxes, shrinking the size of the government and gun rights.
Issues that their candidate Donald Trump campaigned on included tackling illegal immigration and ending inflation to "make America affordable again".
How does the US presidential election work?
The winner is not the person who gets the most votes overall. Instead, both candidates compete to win contests held across the 50 individual states.
Each state has a certain number of so-called electoral college votes, partly based on population. There are a total of 538 up for grabs and the winner is the candidate that gets 270 or more. A tie is possible, but unlikely.
All but two states have a winner-takes-all rule, so whichever candidate has the highest number of votes is awarded all of its electoral college votes.
Most states lean heavily towards one party or the other, so the focus is on about seven states where either of them could win. These are known as the battleground or swing states.
It is possible for a candidate to win the most votes nationally - as the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton did in 2016 - but still be defeated.
Who can vote in the US presidential election?
Most US citizens aged 18 or over were eligible to vote. Each state has its own voter registration process and deadline, external.
US citizens who live abroad could register and request an absentee postal ballot, external.
Who else was being elected?
Most of the attention is on who wins the presidency, but voters were also choosing new members of Congress - where laws are passed.
Congress consists of the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for election, and the Senate, where 34 seats were being contested.
These two chambers pass laws and can act as a check on White House plans if the controlling party in either chamber disagrees with the president.
Republicans have retaken control of the US Senate, which votes on key appointments in government.
They also lead the contest to control the House of Representatives, which initiates spending plans, but it could take days for the final result to be confirmed.