With the election date approaching comes fresh nominees. The election date is on November 5th, 2024. This means that the United States will have to adjust to new ways of governing. This transition can be fairly stressful for those unaware of the candidates running for office. 

Before considering the individual candidates, citizens have to comprehend the aspect that there are multiple political parties. The two main political parties in the United States include Democrats and Republicans. In addition to the two main political parties, there is also a third party or independent party that is neither Democratic nor Republican. 

The Republican side of the ballot includes a familiar face, Donald Trump, as well as Nikki Haley. Trump was formerly elected and served as president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. While in office, Trump was heavily criticized by not only the states but also the rest of the world due to his impeachment allegations. Because of this, Trump’s return to the ballots is brimming with controversy. 

Also running on the Republican side of the election is Nikki Haley. Haley is a former governor of South Carolina. Additionally, Haley was the first woman to serve as a governor in South Carolina, according to britannica.com. In addition, she ran for Vice President in the 2016 election, however, once she found out about Trump’s lead as president, she decided to step back from the position. As thestate.com says, “Gov. Nikki Haley’s role in the 2016 Republican presidential race is fading.” 

On the Democratic side of the election, there are 3 main candidates. This includes another familiar faces, Joe Biden, Dean Phillips, and Marianne Williamson. Biden is the United States’s current president. Biden is running for office again and is quoted saying “Let’s finish this job,” according to reuters.com. 

Also running on the Democratic side of the election is Dean Phillips. Phillips is a Representative for Minnesota’s Third Congressional District in Congress, making him proficient in office as he is already acquainted with having a role in the U.S. government. Phillips is “… on a mission to restore Americans’ faith in government by inspiring a new era of collaboration in Congress,” according to phillips.house.gov. Phillips plans on using his previous experience in Congress to change the United States for the better. 

The final candidate on the Democratic side of the election is Marianne Williamson. Williamson is a #1 New York Times bestselling author according to marianne2024.com. She is known for her novels labeled “A Return to Love”, “The Gift of Change”, and “Tears to Triumph: The Spiritual Journey from Suffering to Enlightenment”. Through these self-help novels, Williamson talks about her personal experiences while giving hope to those who need support. Williamson’s followers believe that she will use this same technique to change the U.S. for the better. 

Running on the independent and third-party side of the election, there are three main candidates. These nominees include Robert Kennedy Jr., Dr. Cornel West, and Jill Stein. Kennedy is an independent politician known for founding the World Mercury Project in 2007. With this project, Kennedy began the Children’s Health Defense to change laws that injure the lives of children. WIth this campaign, Kenny promotes anti-vax beliefs, stating that with purpose is to “… End childhood health epidemics by working aggressively to eliminate harmful exposures, hold those responsible accountable and establish safeguards to prevent future harm.”, according to childrenshealthdefense.org. This led to controversy among those with opposing opinions. 

Running for the Green Party is Dr. Cornel West. West is a philosopher and author known for writing over 20 books including “Race Matters” and “Democracy Matters”. West is an intellectual who is very intelligent intellectually as he graduated from Princeton University, a prestigious college. While there at college, he obtained a doctorate in philosophy. In addition toAs well as graduating from college, he taught at the collegiate level. West is known for teaching at Yale, Harvard, and the University of Paris. While teaching, West’s goal is “… to keep alive the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. – a legacy of telling the truth and bearing witness to love and justice.”, according to cornelwest.com. It can be assumed that he will use these same techniques while running for office. 

Also running for the green party is Jill Stein, a physician. Stein’s mission is to savGreen Partye, save the planet, and make peace. As jillstein2024.com states, “I’m running for president with the Green Party to offer a choice for the people outside the failed two-party system. We’ll put a pro-worker, anti-war, climate action agenda front and center in this election and on the ballot in November.” In this quote, Stein explains her goals for her run for presidency (nytimes.com). 

(nytimes.com) 

For students and teachers alike, the election is a chaotic and stressful time of the year. Even if students are unable to vote, students need to be aware of those running for office. This is because the president helps determine the way the United States reacts to conflict. As for beliefs, everyone has the right to their opinion. During election season, it is important to remain respectful towards all aspects of the poll even if opinions differ.