As voters head to the polls, both candidates face challenges ahead. Kamala Harris needs to build familiarity with voters in many states, while Donald Trump faces a reversal of some of his Electoral College dominance. He will have to convince undecided voters that his policies are the best path forward and address lingering concerns about his character and his record.
With Election Day six months away, 52% of Americans say they are paying fairly close attention to news about the presidential race. This is more than for either party at this point in previous races.
Both Democrats and Republicans have been honing their messages and preparing for the general election. Trump and Harris will make their cases to voters at their national conventions and later on the campaign trail.
After the party conventions, candidates will compete for votes from members of the Electoral College, who are popularly elected in each state by their congressional delegation. Currently, 270 electoral votes are required to win the presidency.
Throughout history, voters have cast ballots for candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds and with different ideas about government. But a key factor is the underlying political environment. Research in politics has supported the intuitive notion that persuasive messages, delivered by a candidate with a clear understanding of how his or her policies would benefit people, have greater effects on voter attitudes than simple attacks and deceptions. This is particularly true when those messages are backed by a well-defined strategy and specific goals.