By Juliana Becht
CCC Journalism Program
Republican Donald J. Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris are running for president in this year’s election. Trump’s vice-presidential running mate is JD Vance and Harris’ vice-presidential running mate is Tim Walz. Election Day is Nov. 5.
Trump served as president from 2017 to 2021. Harris has been serving as vice president since 2021. Vance is a U.S. senator from Ohio. Walz is the governor of Minnesota.
Some issues Trump plans to address are: rebuilding the economy, ensuring fair trade for American workers, unleashing energy dominance, securing borders and reclaiming national sovereignty, waging war on drug cartels, caring for veterans, and stopping crime and restoring safety.
Some issues Harris plans to address are: cutting taxes for middle class families, making rent more affordable and home ownership more attainable, growing small businesses and investing in entrepreneurs, lowering energy costs and tackling the climate crisis, strengthening and lowering the cost of health care, protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare, and supporting American innovation and workers.
The Republicans are the conservative political party in the United States, with an agenda focusing on lower taxes, smaller government, gun rights and tighter restrictions on immigration and abortion.
The Democrats are the liberal political party in the United States, with an agenda focusing on a push for civil rights, a broad social safety net and measures to address climate change.
The winner of the presidency is not the person who gets the most votes across the country; instead, the candidates compete to win contests held in the 50 states. The electoral college, not the popular vote, determines who wins the election. Each state has a certain number of electoral votes, partly based on population. A total of 538 are available. A candidate must get at least 270 to win.
The president is sworn into office in January in an inauguration held on the steps of the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Not only will the presidential election happen on Nov. 5 but voters will also choose members of Congress. All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 34 seats in the U.S. Senate are up for election.
Republicans currently control the House, which initiates spending plans. Democrats currently control the Senate, which votes on key appointments in the federal government. The 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.
In New Jersey, Democrat Andrew Kim and Republican Curtis Bashaw are running for a U.S. Senate seat and all 12 U.S. House seats are up for election. In addition, voters will choose various members of county and municipal governments in the state.