C T Online Desk: Six Bangladeshi-origin candidates are running again in the US elections on Tuesday. All six are incumbents in various state legislatures seeking re-election.
Why is US election held on first Tuesday of November?
In Latin America, elections typically occur on Sundays, while in India, they can span weeks due to the country’s vast size. In the Middle East, Saturday is often the key day.
However, in the United States, presidential elections are held every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
The tradition of holding elections in early November dates back to the mid-1800s when election dates varied by state.
In 1845, the US Congress established a uniform election date to prevent early voting results from influencing later votes.
The chosen date, “the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November,” was selected to avoid conflicts with the spring planting season, autumn harvest, and winter weather.
Tuesday was chosen because Sunday was a church day, and Wednesday was market day for farmers.
This tradition continues to this day.
05:30pm
Kamala Harris has shared her first post on X since US polls opened just over an hour ago.
“America, this is the moment to make your voices heard,” the current vice president says.
Her opponent, Donald Trump, hasn’t posted since polls opened but did say on his Truth Social platform about three hours ago: “IT’S TIME TO GET OUT AND VOTE—SO TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
That was about an hour after his final campaign rally in Michigan wrapped up.
Where do Harris and Trump stand on immigration and foreign policy?
Immigration: Kamala Harris advocates for comprehensive immigration reform, supporting a border security bill, increased security personnel, and more legal immigration.
Republicans argue that the immigration system is “broken,” with Trump claiming an exaggerated number of immigrants entering the US. Trump aims to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, deploy troops to the Mexico border, and end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented parents.
Foreign policy: Harris seeks an end to the war in Gaza while reaffirming Israel’s “right to self-defense.” She supports the Biden administration’s stance on Ukraine and advocates for “Taiwan’s ability to defend itself” against China, opposing economic detachment from China.
Trump has criticized the Biden administration’s Ukraine policy and called for an end to the war, without committing additional aid to Ukraine. Like Harris, he supports Israel and aims to end the war in Gaza. Trump seeks strategic independence from China but also desires a good relationship with Beijing.
04:00pm
Polls open in Vermont, kicking off US election day
It’s now 05:00am on the East Coast of America, marking the official start of US election day with polls opening in Vermont. As the day progresses, more states will open their polls, allowing Americans to cast their votes for the next president.
