Topics: Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Politics, US News, Selena Gomez, TikTok
Brits are 'shocked' to learn how some American's can deposit their vote in the street, after Selena Gomez demonstrated in a viral video.
When it comes to the US and the UK, particularly during election season, there's a lot of things we do differently.
Rallies are definitely an American thing, as is having Beyoncé or Elon Musk walk out to support a campaign - MPs are seriously doing this thing solo in the UK.
But our voting systems also differ, and Brits have been shocked to learn how some Americans can 'drop off' their vote.
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Selena Gomez demonstrated the 'bizarre' system in a recent clip which she posted on TikTok.
The star can be seen in full glam on her way to a premiere, but headed over to a ballot 'drop box' first, in the middle of the street to deposit her vote.
Upon seeing the video, one British viewer noted: "I’m sorry do Americans just..drop their ballot into a random box on the street????"
And it seems as though in some states, it's absolutely a thing!
Although, it's not quite just a 'random box'; officials have assured that they are tamper proof.
They were used in the US at the peak of the pandemic, when most states expanded their use.
And despite what it looks like, you'll be glad to know that the boxes aren't just placed in a random neighbourhood or street corner.
They are usually installed outside election offices, libraries, and other government buildings.
Compared to the 2020 election, fewer people are likely to vote by mail in 2024.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 27 states will allow drop boxes and 12 states - mostly in the South - will not.
After Trump's defeat in the previous election, drop boxes became the target for accusations that the vote could have been rigged.
But these claims were proven false by law enforcement.
In fact, a survey by the Associated Press found no major issues with drop boxes in most states during the 2020 general election.
Many of the drop boxes are now watched by surveillance teams.
Some key swing states in this year's election are limiting the access to the boxes.
Georgia is one example where lawmakers significantly reduced their availability, as well as Wisconsin.
However, some states such as Michigan and Nevada have seen an increase of their use.
