U.S. 2016 election explained: Everything you need to know

Who are the U.S. presidential candidates?

Hillary Rodham Clinton is the Democratic Party’s nominee. She served as U.S. Secretary of State under Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013. Before that, she served two terms as a Senator from New York. She turns 69 on Oct. 26.

Donald Trump is the Republican Party’s nominee. A billionaire businessman, he was born and raised in New York City, assumed control of his father’s real estate interests in 1973 and hosted “The Apprentice.” He turned 70 on June 14.

The only third-party candidates expected to get a substantial number of the votes are Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson who heads the Libertarian Party.

What date is the U.S. election?

Tuesday, November 8, 2016.

Why is Election Day on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November?

Convenience. America was a predominantly agrarian society in the 19th century. Because of unpaved roads and a lack of widespread polling stations, American farmers needed time to travel. November was also a convenient time because the fall harvest was over and the weather was still mild enough in most parts of the country to travel over unimproved roads.

In order to vote at the country seat, most rural residents of America had to travel great distances. To vote on Monday, they would have to begin their journey on Sunday, interrupting Church services and Sunday worship.

It was specifically on the first Tuesday after the first Mondayin November for two reasons. First, November 1 was All Saints Day. Second, most merchants were in the habit of doing their books from the preceding month on the 1st and members of Congress worried that economic success or failure of the previous month might unduly influence the vote.

When and where were the debates?

What times do the polls close?

Times vary by state, with most closing at 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. local time. The last to close are Hawaii’s, which shut at 6 p.m. local time (11 p.m. ET). The first results are likely to come from Kentucky and Indiana, where polls close at 6 p.m. ET. The “battleground states” of Florida and Virginia close relatively early, at 7 p.m. ET.

Can Americans living in Canada vote?

U.S. citizens can vote from Canada using absentee ballots but they need to hurry. The Federal Voting Assistance Program recommends starting the registration 90 days before election day.

Is there advanced voting?

Early voting is available in 35 states and the District of Columbia. The earliest starts Sept. 23, in Minnesota and South Dakota. It begins in the battleground of Ohio on Oct. 12. There’s a trend toward voting earlier each election: in 2004, one in five voted before election day. In 2012, it was one in three.

How many Americans have already voted?

Over 37 million Americans have already voted, as of November 4, 2016.

When are we likely to know the results?

It’s impossible to know for sure, but the presidential race is typically called before midnight. CTV News reported Barack Obama’s win in 2012 at about 11:15 p.m. ET.

Where will the first results be announced?

Dixville Notch, New Hampshire. A mere 32.2 kilometres from the Canadian border, this village has a reputation for being one of the first places to announce its results. Middle-of-the-night voting has been a longstanding tradition in Dixville Notch. All eligible voters gather in the ballroom of a ski resort at midnight and sometimes the results are announced a minute after all registered voters have cast their ballot. The village competes with many other New Hampshire towns and villages for the honour of being the first to declare the results.

What is the “electoral college”?

On election night, voters will choose the president they want their states’ “electors” -- known more commonly as delegates -- to endorse in the electoral college. There are 538 electors – two per state (just like in the Senate) plus a certain number from each state based on states’ populations (like in the House of Representatives). There are also three from the District of Columbia. All states except Maine and Nebraska are “winner take all.” In a “winner take all” state, all of the electors’ votes must go to whichever candidate got the most votes in their state.

How many “delegates” are needed to win?

270 (half of the 538 total, plus one)

Which states are considered “battlegrounds”?

Most U.S. states are considered “safe or likely” for any Democrat (called blue states) or “safe or likely” for any Republican candidate (called red states), because they almost always go for that party.

The Democrats have an automatic edge in the electoral college because delegate-rich California (55) and New York (29) are considered safe “blue” states, according to the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

Other states tend to be much closer races, although these all “lean” one way or the other. The Democrat-leaning states are New Hampshire, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Iowa and Nevada. The Republican-leaning states are Georgia and Arizona.

All eight or so of the “lean” states can be considered battlegrounds, although Florida (29), Ohio (18) and North Carolina (15) get the most attention, because they have been especially close in recent elections and have large numbers of delegates.

U.S. electoral map showing how each state is leaning based on poll numbers from RealClearPolitics.com, as of November 4, 2016. Mobile users click here to enlarge. (Tahiat Mahboob)

What else are Americans voting for on election night?

Thirty-four of 100 Senate seats are up for grabs. Of those, 24 are held by Republicans and 10 are held by Democrats. All 435 members of the House of Representatives (known as congressmen and congresswomen) will also be elected. Some state and local elections are also being held.

Where will the two candidates be on Election Day?

New York City. Clinton will gather with supporters at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Trump will be a few blocks from Trump Tower, at the New York Hilton Midtown.

When will the new president take office?

The next president will be inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2017.