In exactly one year, Americans will head to the ballot boxes to vote in presidential, Senate and gubernatorial elections. Here are 10 numbers you’ll want to know.
1. 8 Democratic primary debates left
The fifth Democratic presidential primary debate will be held on November 20 in Georgia and co-hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post. PBS NewsHour and Politico will co-host the sixth Democratic debate on December 19 in Los Angeles. The Democratic National Committee announced it would host 12 primary debates in total, which leaves six more debates in 2020.
2. 4 general election debates in 2020
Three presidential general election debates and one vice presidential debate are set to take place in September and October of 2020.
3. 3 months until the Iowa caucuses
The famed first-in-the-nation contest takes place on February 3, 2020.
In total, there will be 12 Democratic caucus contests: Iowa, Nevada, American Samoa, Democrats abroad, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Island, Alaska, Hawaii, Wyoming, Kansas, Guam and Virgin Islands.
On the Republican side, six of those states and territories (Iowa, Hawaii, American Samoa, Northern Marianas, North Dakota, and Virgin Islands) will hold caucuses as well. Some GOP contests will take place in the form of state conventions or state committee votes to allocate their delegates to the RNC.
In most caucuses, voters are required to show up at a designated place, group themselves by which candidate they support and then lobby others to join them. In a primary, by contrast, people go to their designated voting place and cast a ballot. State Democratic parties holding traditional caucuses are required to give an alternate voting method for those who are unable to vote during the traditional caucus gathering.
4. 100 days until New Hampshire
The next contest — and first primary — of 2020 takes place in New Hampshire on February 11, 2020.
In total, 42 States and territories holding presidential primaries for Democrats and Republicans: Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico.
Democratic primaries will also take place in South Carolina, Arizona, and Virginia.
5. 6 states no longer holding Republican primaries or caucuses
Six state Republican parties canceled its 2020 primary or caucuses: Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, Nevada, South Carolina and Virginia. All delegates are expected to be allocated to President Donald Trump.
6. About 4,500 delegates to attend Democratic National Convention
An estimated 4,539 delegates — 3,768 pledged delegates and 771 automatic delegates, or superdelegates — are expected to attend the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July. Under new Democratic Party rules, superdelegates won’t be able to vote on the first ballot for president unless their votes cannot mathematically change the outcome of the pledged delegate votes as determined by state primary and caucus results. For a Democratic candidate to win the nomination on the first ballot, they will need a majority of the pledged delegates without using superdelegates.
7. About 2,551 delegates to attend Republican National Convention
About 2,551 delegates — including at least 168 unpledged delegates — are expected to attend the Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, in August.
Delegates attend the convention and cast their votes to choose the party’s presidential nominee.
8. 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency
The Electoral College consists of 538 electors, and a majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President.
9. 35 seats in the Senate
Thirty-three Senate seats that were last up for election in 2014 will be on ballots again in 2020. Three Republican senators who currently occupy those seats — Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Pat Roberts of Kansas and Mike Enzi of Wyoming — have announced their plans to retire. One Democrat, Tom Udall of New Mexico, has also announced his plans to retire.
Additionally, there will be two special Senate elections: One for the seat occupied by Republican Johnny Isakson, who announced he is retiring at the end of this year for health reasons, and one for the seat formerly occupied by the late Republican John McCain, who died in 2018. (Sen. Martha McSally was appointed to McCain’s seat and is running in the special election.)
10. 11 governor races
Eleven gubernatorial races are set to take place in 2020: Delaware, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.
