US elections 2024: How is India's electoral system different from that of US? Poll timing, counting details & more

As Americans gear up for the high-stakes presidential election on November 5, 2024, interest is rising in India regarding the strikingly different electoral systems in the two nations.

Structural differences 

The electoral frameworks in India and the United States reveal a world of differences. Governed by a highly centralised structure managed by the Election Commission of India (ECI), India’s elections contrast sharply with the decentralised approach of the US, where each state independently controls its electoral processes. 

Election timing and regulations

- US elections are notably held every four years on a fixed date—the first Tuesday after the first Monday—dating back to 1835.

- Conversely, India’s electoral timeline is more fluid, guided by regulations outlined in the Representation of the People Acts of 1950 and 1951. 

Election management bodies

- At the heart of Indian elections is the ECI, recognised as one of the most powerful electoral management bodies globally. -

- The US, however, lacks a centralised authority to oversee elections, with more than 10,000 local entities across 3,143 counties establishing their own rules. While the US has a Federal Election Commission (FEC), its influence is largely limited to regulating campaign finances.

- US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) offers voluntary support for election administrators but lacks enforceable power.

Voting methodologies

- Disparities also exist in voting methodologies. India utilises the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system exclusively, while the U.S. showcases a variety of voting methods across states.

- Although FPTP remains standard for presidential elections, a few states, such as Maine, Alaska, and Nevada, have embraced ranked-choice voting (RCV), where voters rank candidates by preference.

The controversial electoral college

A particularly controversial aspect of the US electoral process is the Electoral College. This system, designed to prevent populous states from dominating elections, appoints 538 electors who officially elect the president.

The allocation of electoral votes can distort the principle of “one person, one vote.” For instance, smaller states benefit from additional electoral votes, leading to scenarios where a candidate can win the presidency without winning the national popular vote, a reality underscored in the 2016 election when Donald Trump won despite losing the overall popular vote.

Vote-counting

The vote-counting procedures further illustrate the operational gaps between the two nations.

While final results in US elections can be delayed—especially due to the handling of mail-in ballots—India famously announces its election outcomes within a single day, thanks to the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for a voter base four times larger than that of the US.

Notably, the integrity of India's electoral results has remained largely unquestioned, in stark contrast to the unrest following the 2020 US elections when a significant portion of Americans disputed the results.