56Received 01.08.2024. Revised 02.09.2024. Accepted 25.09.2024.
Abstract. Another presidential election ended in the United States in November. 2024 has become one of the most politically turbulent periods in recent US history. In a time of 3.5 weeks, the country has witnessed: a split of the Democratic party, J. Biden’s refusal to participate in the elections only 3 months before the end of the race, an attempted murder of his opponent, first black woman nomination as a candidate for presidential race, her appointment bypassing primary elections i. e. the will of American electorate. In 2024, traditionalistic country, the United States, which is governed by 235‑year-old Constitution, “violated” so many of its own rules, and created such long-term legal precedents that testify not only to the crisis of the US electoral system, but to transformations in its political systemin general. Their consequences will have an impact on the domestic policy of the country but also might raise the question of the United States’ global leadership. Methodological basis of this article includes systemic, historical and comparative approaches. They allow reader to consider internal political processes in the United States as a result of interaction among state institutions and society, under the influence of external factors, at a certain historical period. Comparative analysis allows to evaluate the dynamics of changes among this system key elements: political parties, President, Congress, electorate, as well as to assess how, and in what period of American history, external factors such as electoral cycle, public opinion polls, social outbursts, state of economy, traditions etc. influenced this balance. The author evaluates long-term consequences of the precedent when Democratic party appointed its new favorite, bypassing the voters. Based on the historically identified features of the modern American electoral system, raises the question if the party’s role in the electoral process has changed, or it is just a vision of changes. Finally, the author identifies possible areas for US electoral system reform.
Keywords: US politics, presidential elections in 2024, US history, electoral reform, Democratic Party, Republican Party, federalism, party polarization, crisis of the system, D. Trump, J. Biden, K. Harris
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