US Presidential polls 2024: How can you vote from India? Documents required and more | FAQs

US Presidential Election 2024: As Americans gear up to vote for what could be a historically close presidential race on Tuesday, officials across the US urged voters to exercise their franchise and warned that it could take days to find out who has won.

Unlike India, under the US system, citizens do not vote directly for their leader. Instead, their ballots elect the 538 members of a group called the Electoral College, which then elects the president and vice president.

READ | US election 2024: Bengali one of 4 languages in New York ballot paper: How was it selected?

While the voting procedure is not complicated, here's a guide to understand how to vote for the US Presidential elections 2024:

When to vote for US Presidential polls 2024

Citizens cast their votes on the first on Tuesday of November. This year, Election Day is November 5, 2024, with tens of millions of Americans having already cast their ballots. Those include record numbers in Georgia, North Carolina and other battleground states that could decide the winner.

How to vote for US polls

The Electoral College comprises a group of delegates from each US state, who then choose the next US president based on their party affiliation. When an average American votes in a US presidential election on November 5, they vote to elect these delegates in their respective state, who have the final say in choosing the next US president.

How to vote for US Presidential election from India?

People from anywhere worldwide can vote in the US presidential elections in 2024 by registering as absentee voters and sending their ballot paper votes via e-mail or post.

How to register as a voter for US Polls

Voters abroad can visit vote.gov to begin the voter registration process. Select your state or territory. Depending on its rules, you will find instructions on how to register.

READ | The Pennsylvania push: Kamala Harris, Donald Trump spend final campaign hours in swing state

Another way to register as a voter is by downloading the National Mail Voter Registration Form. You can fill it out onscreen and print the completed form. Or you can print the blank form and fill it out by hand. Remember to sign the form before mailing it to the location listed for your state.

You can also check with local government offices to see if you can register in person.

What documents do you need to register to vote?

In most cases, you will need either a driver’s license or a state ID to register to vote. If you do not have either of these, you may be able to provide other types of documentation, including a bank statement or utility bill. However, the required documents you need to register vary by state.

When are the US election results?

In general, the counting of votes begins as soon as the voting ends in a US state. The winner of the popular vote is declared when the counting ends.

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.