The 2024 Election - Part 1: The New Nominee

My forecast two years ago said Biden wouldn’t be reelected, and now we all know that for sure. It's July 24th as I begin this post, and the election has entered an entirely new stage. So let’s see what we can tell from a look at the new nominee.

Harris’s Transits

 

As you can see in her birth chart in the center, Harris has Uranus, Pluto, and Venus all conjunct in the fourth house, and right now Saturn, at the top, is opposite all three.

Saturn opposite Uranus    Mar, Oct, mid-Nov to mid-Dec 2024

This is one of the more stressful aspects because it’s stern Saturn, who likes to keep things going as they always have, coming up against Uranus, the most rebellious planet. So it’s like a drill instructor meeting Jimi Hendrix, who’s ready to plug in and shift the world. For Harris it will mean being challenged in changing things, especially with conservatives (which Saturn rules) trying to keep her down.

The good news is that she’s definitely working with a whole new routine each day, and so the Uranus side of it is given plenty of freedom to express itself.

Saturn opposite Pluto    Mar, Aug, mid-Jan

This one is similar, only Pluto rules transformation and power, and this transit can signify the peak of someone’s rise.

Saturn opposite Venus    Apr, Aug, Jan

This is often a depressing transit, where she’ll feel stress on her relationships, but it can teach her a lot about what matters. It’s actually a very fitting transit for conservatives opposing a woman in this election.

The last three important aspects Saturn has made to this conjunction of hers were a square in May 2002, when she successfully ran for District Attorney of San Francisco, a conjunction from Sept 2008 to June 2009, during which she announced her candidacy for California attorney general, and a square in 2016, when she became only the second Black woman and the first South Asian American to serve in the Senate.

So that’s a very good run for her with this cycle of transits.

Uranus

Now we move out to the planet that is totally opposite Saturn. The one that likes to break up the status quo and bring in new inventions and innovation and help humanity at large.

Uranus transits are much rarer than Saturn. Squares to a particular planet come just once every 42 years, and conjunctions and oppositions just once a lifetime.

Uranus square Mars    April 2023 - April 2024

This one ended this spring, but will come back to four degrees off around the election, right where it will be in effect again, and just two degrees off in Jan 2025. Since Mars rules guns, this isn’t a good sign at all, especially with Mars square her Pluto right before the election. Remember, Trump has this one going on this year, too. That’s because both Harris and Trump have Mars at almost the same degree of Leo, the sign of leadership, which gives one a lot of drive.

    Mars in Leo gives a drive for significance....There is a strong will that gives these natives much staying power....In partnership, they demand loyalty and admiration....They easily get fired up when they feel they’ve been humiliated.
    Though some are self-righteous and quarrelsome, the more sophisticated people with this position are kindly leaders.

    - Cafe Astrology

Uranus conjunct Jupiter    May 2023 to April 2025

When you have Uranus combining with Jupiter, the planet of freedom, higher education, and wisdom, it’s a real blessing. It’s like your rocket hitting the nitro. All system go, everything humming along, expanding her world and her views.

This is an excellent transit for her to have during her campaign, especially when she’s running on a humanitarian message.

Uranus square Saturn    May 2024 to March 2026

This is when Uranus is ready to make changes to the status quo of Saturn. It can be very stressful if one wants to stay with routine, but fortunately she’s rolling with the changes.

Pluto

Pluto square Mercury    Dec 2022 - Nov 2025

This transit would add a lot of depth and power to everything Harris thinks and says. She’ll have a lot on her mind, and her words will carry weight.

This is a great transit for a preacher, reformer, or politician, especially if you continue to learn from your experiences rather than rely on old beliefs.

Comparing Rotten Apples to Coconuts

So, comparing the transits of Trump and Harris, the question becomes which is stronger - Uranus conjunct one’s Midheaven, which Trump has this year, or Uranus conjunct Jupiter, which Harris has? One directly affects one’s career and public status, for good or bad, and the other is about expanded opportunities.

For Trump, all that energy of unpredictable, eccentric Uranus has been highlighting his public standing.

For Harris, she’s being seen as a reformer and an advocate for justice, which Jupiter rules.

All in all, it’s much closer than I thought it would be. When I first saw Trump’s string of positive transits vs Biden’s, it all pointed to Trump being elected again. For instance, Trump has Jupiter trine Jupiter during the election, one of the best transits there is, and the same transit that Harris had when she was elected VP.

But Harris has plenty of strong transits, too, and they support the theme of taking on more responsibility and wielding her authority well.

Summing Up

Two years ago I would have given Trump a 90% chance of winning. Now, with Harris, I’d say everything is even. Trump has the more dramatic transits and Harris the more professional ones, but they’re definitely both contenders.

And since these posts are all about studying if astrology can give insight on political events, that forecast is based on their transits only. I’ve avoided all polls so that I’m not influenced by them in writing these posts.

But we all know that the electorate college always benefits the GOP, and is why Trump won in 2016. And of course there will be lots of other issues that will come up and add confusion to the election, especially when the nation has Neptune opposite its Midheaven this year, which will lead to much misleading information, deceit, and delusion.

So as to whom I’m giving the edge to, I’m not making any decision yet. First we should look a little deeper, at the transits each of them has during the important dates.

And you can find that post here.

 

Part 3: State of the Nation

The nation’s transits for the next few years can tell us a lot of what to expect. We went over them two years ago in this post, and for a quick recap, this year and next there’s potential for emotional upsets, plus few people seeing things clearly because of all the fog (which now has AI to boost it and deceive even more).

So the question is will this turmoil be over Trump’s policies, or will it be from the outrage of Trump’s followers when he says the election was stolen again?

The most important of those transits is Uranus square our Moon, for May 2024 - March 2026. As I wrote two years ago, “Uranus comes into a challenging aspect to our Moon every 20-22 years, and they’re often unsettling since they bring about emotional upheaval and force people to adjust to new circumstances.”

Moon Over America

Now, with Harris in the picture, it’s possible to read this transit differently. Because the Moon not only rules our emotions and home, but women as well. And having a woman as President of the United States is not only a big change for humanity (Uranus), but simply how she became the new nominee was sudden and unexpected, which is exactly how Uranus works.

Robert Hand wrote in Planets in Transit that this one “makes you see and feel from new perspectives,” and having a woman President will definitely do that. It will rile up many, while at the same time opening up more avenues for women.

In fact, just the other day I read this in Springsteen's autobiography:

    Three days before we hit the road, Patti Scialfa joined the E Street Band. As the first woman in the band, she sent shock waves through the troops, broke the boys’ club, and everybody had to adjust, some more than others.

On the other hand, Robert Hand also wrote, “Men in particular should be wary of this transit, because their attitudes toward women may be rather unstable now, which can result in upsetting relationships.”

And there you have the flip side, where it might be Trump’s policies about women’s rights and access to abortion that will cause much rebellion.

Looking Back

To test which way this might go, we should see if any earlier Uranus transits to our Moon coincided with more freedom for women in the U.S. 

1890
Wyoming becomes the first state to grant women the right to vote in all elections

1918
Margaret Sanger wins her suit in New York to allow doctors to advise their married patients about birth control

1942
During WWII, women take over manufacturing jobs, proving themselves in the workforce

1973
In Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court declares the Constitution protects women’s right to abortion

1981
Sandra Day O’Connor becomes the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court

So not only were those breakthroughs for women, but many of these same issues are center stage this time around as well.

Chiron Return

It's also interesting to note that for all this year, and through to the Inauguration, Chiron, which represents the Wounded Healer, has returned to its natal place in the nation’s chart, which it does only every 49-51 years.

The last time we had a Chiron Return was for all of 1973 and 1974, again linking up with Roe v. Wade.

Summing Up

So it does seem as though this Uranus transit could be about Harris breaking through. Astrology is a symbolic language, and reading it correctly is always a challenge, but it could well fit this ongoing story of women’s rights.

And to go along with that, there’s another rare Uranus transit affecting our nation’s chart right now.

Uranus trine Midheaven    Aug 2024 - March 2027

Uranus brings about innovation, and the Midheaven is our public standing, and so, as Robert Hand writes, “You can make creative changes to your professional life. In your career, sudden opportunities may come about that enable you to move in radically new and different directions.”

And so with that supporting the idea of a woman President as well, this take on it might turn out accurate after all.

In Part 4 you’ll find me attempt to wrap it all up and finally give a forecast.

Part 2: Election Events

It's now early August, and here we’ll take a look how the election might go by checking what transits each nominee has on the important days.

 
Nominations

Trump

When Trump was nominated at the convention, he had Mercury square his Midheaven, making him communicate not in the best of ways. This is probably why his speech went on so long - Mercury was giving him all these words, and it didn’t help his public standing, which the Midheaven represents.

He also had Mars square his Ascendant. This one makes you frustrated and resentful, and that put all his anger on stage.

    The “new” Donald Trump soothed and silenced the nation for 28 minutes last night. Then the old Trump returned and bellowed, barked and bored America for 64 minutes more.
    - Zachary Basu, Axios

Harris

Harris’s nomination will be on the 22nd, and for that she will have Jupiter square Venus, which is in effect for all August, and is great for making a good impression.

She’ll also have the Sun sextile Mercury, which is good for communicating.

And while Trump had Mars square his Ascendant, she’ll have Mars conjunct her Ascendant. When the Sun crosses that point, it’s like the start of a new year, and for Mars it’s much the same, only it comes once every two years. Lots of energy and drive.

In short, a great time for officially taking on a new role.

So for their nominations, Harris is definitely the winner.

Debate, Sept 10

Now we have the first debate coming up next month. How will it go?

Trump

Trump will have Mars square Neptune for that night, as well as for a few days before and after.

    You have to deal with feelings of doubt, discouragement, and inadequacy. You may also find yourself unpleasantly confronted by the consequences of past actions that you hoped would simply go away. At a time like this you may be tempted to take a devious course of action in the face of adversity. Mars-Neptune can mean deceitful actions. But you will have to face even more discouraging consequences as a result. Try to avoid confrontations with others.
    - Robert Hand, Planets in Transit

Harris

Harris will have Mercury opposite her Midheaven, which is usually about taking care of paperwork and plans at home. But it can also be about arguments, especially when you can’t see another’s point of view.

So I give this first debate to Harris, who will be sharp and assured. While Trump will be resorting to his usual deceptions and come out looking weak.

 

[Update: The Washington Post asked voters about the debate, and an undecided voter said, "Trump sounds like a confabulating elderly braggart who refuses to answer questions or stay on topic."]

 

VP Debate, Oct 1

Vance

Vance will have Mercury sextile Uranus, Mercury sextile Sun, and Sun sextile Uranus, all of which will help his words come across as fresh and interesting.

So in all, he’ll have a lot going for him in terms of speaking well, getting his message across, and appealing to younger voters.

Walz

Walz has Mars square his Sun, which will make him more assertive and combative. Lots of energy, but with sharp words. Ironically, he may come off as too much like Trump, as the angry old man.

At the same time, he has Mars trine his Neptune, which is much the opposite - it’s about putting your energy to good use to help people.

So he’ll come across as a strong reformer, able to switch from going on the offensive to speaking of a higher way.

I’ll call this one a draw, especially if Walz can keep from getting angry.

Election Day, Nov 5

And now we get to the big day, where all that campaigning comes down to the finish line.

Trump

Trump has Venus opposite his Sun that day, meaning he’d like to take the day off and relax. And for that night and the next day, Mercury sextile Neptune, showing he’ll be communicating well, even if while being a little inventive with the facts.

Also, he gets two major boosts from Jupiter for August and November this year and March next year.

Jupiter trine Jupiter is one of the best transits there is for good luck and everything going well. He also has Jupiter conjunct Uranus, which will give him lots of electric showmanship and restlessness.

Two years ago, these transits made me sure he’d win the election, and they still figure prominently.

Also, I figured Trump wouldn’t win the last election because he had his progressed Moon square Uranus (emotional upsets) during November. (Square aspects from progressions are in effect for just one month every fourteen years.)

This time around he has his progressed Moon square Pluto, which shows him either being angry at not being elected or being elected and immediately throwing his power about. Lots of resentment either way.

    Watch your mouth and be ready to put a cork in it if necessary to avoid pointless confrontations.
    - Cafe Astrology

Harris

For Election Day, Harris has Venus opposite her Ascendant for that night and the next day, which is a good transit for enjoying time with people.

But she also has Mars square Mercury for the 4th to the 8th, which can be about impatience and getting into arguments. It’ll give her energy for that final day of campaigning, and hopefully she’ll use the right tone.

For her progressions during the election, Harris has her progressed Moon sextile Pluto, which is about using power well, and Sun sextile Saturn, which would help with leadership.

Dueling Jupiters

Here’s something interesting - a month before the election, Jupiter stops at 21 degrees Gemini and goes retro. This will be just one and a half degrees off of Trump’s Sun, and just three degrees off it during the election.

Having Jupiter conjunct your Sun is definitely a sign of things going your way.

At the same time, Jupiter will come up to just two and a half degrees of Harris’s Ascendant, and be four degrees off on Election Day.

Having Jupiter conjunct your Ascendant is a real boost, signifying expansion and success. Jupiter crosses that point, your Rising Sign, just once every 12 years.

Either of those transits could signify one achieving office. And so with both of them happening during the election, it makes it so there’s no clear winner between them.

But overall, Trump does have an edge in transits.

Inauguration Day, Jan 20

Finally, I checked everyone’s transits for Inauguration Day, and Trump has Mars sextile his Midheaven, which makes one self-confident and able to present themselves well.

But he also has Mars conjunct Saturn. That one can be very frustrating and feel like being held back, like when you're stuck in traffic.

Astrology King says “this transit tends to make you angry, resentful, or revengeful,” and so if he wins, Trump will be out for revenge on Inauguration Day and let everyone know.

Harris

Harris has a few nice transits, like Venus opposite Venus, Mars sextile Jupiter, and also Sun square Mercury, which has to do with communicating.

She also has her progressed Moon sextile Venus, which is a time of friendship.

So again, very much a draw, but with a slight edge to Harris this time.

Summing Up

If you add all those up like points in a match, Harris wins three to one. But Trump wins on the most important date, Election Day, and that’s got to count at least five points by itself.

Fortunately, that’s not how one does astrology, but by looking at long-term patterns and the charts of all those involved.

And so, before we get to our decision, we need to look at the nation’s transits in Part 3 and see what kind of clues we can find there.

Part 4: Laying Down the Cards

So how will it turn out? It's the end of August now, and I have to make a choice here because the entire purpose of this blog is to test to see if astrology can give useful insights about political events.

As you’ve already seen, both candidates have a lot going for them. Here’s a quick review of the most important points.

By The Numbers

1) Trump has Uranus conjunct his Midheaven all this year, and that’s an incredibly strong, once-in-a-lifetime transit to be campaigning under. Soon as I saw that four years ago, I figured it was done. Even as he set his followers to rioting at the Capitol, it was clear that he’d be back.

But the thing about Uranus transits is they’ve very unpredictable. Things can go good or bad quickly, and in ways you don’t see coming. This transit leads to unusual changes to your public status, like being reelected after already being voted out of office. Or it could lead to a turn in his career, where things suddenly go downhill.

Harris, meanwhile, has Uranus conjunct her Jupiter, which also comes just once a lifetime. And Jupiter, as long as you don’t take things too far, is a real blessing in a transit like this. Lots of new opportunities coming into your life, lots of expansion and travel.

So she could well have an edge on him with that one.

2) When I was looking at the last election, Trump had his progressed Moon square Uranus for November, and I figured that meant him being emotionally in turmoil. This time around he has his progressed Moon square Pluto, which is even more turmoil and resentment.

If he loses, watch out. He’ll send his squads out to wreak havoc, claiming the election has been stolen again, and people will get hurt. If he wins, he'll claim that this proves the last election was rigged, and use that to justify his extreme agenda.

 

3) Finally, the nation’s strongest transit right now is Uranus square its Moon, and it can mean sudden changes in the home front. I thought sure it meant all the emotional chaos Trump’s going to put the nation through.

But as I wrote earlier, it could just as well mean how the role of women will be changed by Uranus. This transit went into effect in May and runs for two years, and already we’ve had a sudden change in the election that has stirred up women voters.

So all those together point to one way this story could unfold. It may not be the actual way it will go. Just like in a mystery, the clues that point so surely to one person can always be flipped and be just as valid in pointing at another. All you need is to find the hidden connections.

I don’t know if I’ve done that. I’d like to think so, but I’m fully aware of how easy it is to read into transits what you want to see or are afraid to see. Just this morning I read an article about the world’s best dark matter detector, and the coordinator of the project felt the same way, saying, “There’s a human tendency to want to see patterns in data, so it’s really important when you enter this new regime that no bias wanders in. If you make a discovery, you want to get it right.”

What I can say for sure is that the path ahead will be rough for some time, especially if Trump prevails. And that’s because his transits show nothing but anger and abuse of power. Which is especially worrying when the Inauguration chart, as I wrote of here, is so loaded with potential for an authoritarian government.

Riled Up Uranus

Let’s take a quick look at those transits again, which you can see in this chart, with his birthchart in the middle and where Uranus is now at the top.

 

 

Uranus Conjunct Midheaven    Jun 2023 - Mar 2025

    With this transit you can look for sudden changes....in your profession, your social position and your reputation in the eyes of others. Events may force you to change your line of work altogether.
    This transit can signify a revolt against authority figures of all sorts, but especially employers.
    - Robert Hand, Planets in Transit

Two years ago I mentioned this.

    The first time Trump had Uranus aspect his Midheaven was a square for 1959-1962. 1959 was the year he was sent to a private military academy. From The Washington Post: “He was a 13-year-old with a history of trouble at school, and his father sent him to the academy to be straightened out.” That's the kind of unexpected, life-altering event we might expect from this transit.

And at the same time he has this one.

Uranus Square Mars    Aug 2023 - May 2025

    Watch out for impulsive actions, rash decisions and other actions that may have sudden, unexpected consequences and undesirable results in the future. You may feel that your ego is at stake in some way and that you have to assert yourself now regardless of the risk.
    It may be difficult to avoid disputes and "blowing up" at others.... The more insecure you are, the more likely you are to do something rash as a way of saying to the world that you are a person to be reckoned with. Authority figures who limit your freedom of movement and self-expression are very likely targets for your rebellion, which may be through petty acts or through larger actions that could get you into difficulties.
    - Robert Hand, Planets in Transit

That’s what made me think he’d be a wrecking ball once back in office, lashing out and demanding to get everything his way.

But it fits just as well with the outcome if he loses the election. And so does the last transit he’s getting from Uranus right now, which is Uranus square his Ascendant. It runs from July 2024 - May 2026 and makes one reckless and unpredictable, going off the rails as you try to hold onto the world you knew.

Wrapping Up

As we’ve just covered, when viewed from the perspective of Trump losing, all these transits make even more sense than before.

If this is the right interpretation, Harris will win this election. It will be close, and it may take time to sort it all out, but it is one way this election could go. That's not exactly ringing with confidence, of course, but there's no real clarity that I can see about how this will turn out.

Our progressed Moon will be opposite our Midheaven for all of December, so that’s a sign that the next election might not even be validated until then, or something will happen to cause people to be emotionally charged in regard to the government. If it does take that long, here's wishing you well as we fumble our way through our nation's grand experiment in democracy.