{"id":40464,"date":"2025-06-19T11:15:48","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T09:15:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bcu-lausanne.ch\/2020-us-presidential-election\/"},"modified":"2025-06-19T11:15:49","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T09:15:49","slug":"2020-us-presidential-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bcu-lausanne.ch\/en\/en-ce-moment-en\/2020-us-presidential-election\/","title":{"rendered":"2020 US presidential election"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On November 3, the 59th U.S. presidential election will be held. Every election eve is a special moment, reflecting events since the previous election and the mood of a population. The United States is about to play out a political seesaw that is more uncertain than ever. <\/p>\n\n

Against a backdrop of political, economic, social and health crises, the massive mobilization of the electorate could tip the balance in a country where around a third of citizens are not registered to vote. The challenges facing the two major parties are numerous, but above all they must convince their electoral base to take part in the ballot and attract voters with no political affiliation to vote for their candidate. The latter are particularly targeted by online media campaigns, especially if they come from pivotal states that could swing the final outcome. <\/p>\n\n

The question of voter age also comes into play. In 2016, senior citizens over the age of 64 turned out to vote at a rate of around 70%. By comparison, turnout among 18-34 year-olds was 48%, but recent events predict a significant increase in the mobilization of young Americans at the ballot box. The management of the pandemic, which wreaked havoc among the elderly, 25% of whom were already living in precarious conditions, has brought the issue of access to healthcare for the poorest back into the campaign rhetoric of the candidates. <\/p>\n\n

The participation of African-Americans will also be scrutinized. Hilary Clinton’s predominantly Democratic candidacy mobilized the black American community less than in previous presidential elections. The context of racial tensions could, however, accentuate their involvement in the electoral process. <\/p>\n\n

Beyond numbers and statistics, symbols are great catalysts for change. On the centenary of American women’s right to vote, 2020 will see the nomination of Kamala Harris, the first black woman to run as a candidate’s running mate. She had paved the way a few years earlier with her election to the post of Attorney General of California and to the US Senate. <\/p>\n\n

The parties involved intend to make history \u201conce again\u201d.<\/p>\n\n

Bibliography on Renouvaud<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

The BCUL holds many documents on the political history of the United States. Here is aselection of<\/a> related documents, including some recently published titles: <\/p>\n\n