Election Day

Election Day in the US is the day set by law for the election of public officials. Currently it occurs on the first Tuesday following the first Monday of November--so the earliest possible date is November 2 and the latest November 8.

Since 1792, the U.S. Congress permitted the states to conduct their presidential elections any time in a 34-day period before the first Wednesday of December, which was the day set for the meeting of the the Electoral College. For the early colonials, an election date in November ensured that the harvest would have been completed and the winter storms would not interrupt travel. In 1845 Tuesday was selected as the day of voting, so that farmers and people traveling by horse and buggy could get to the county seat, have a day to vote, and a day to return home without interfering with the Sabbath. As Wednesday was market Day, Tuesday was the final choice. Tuesday is ruled by Mars, and Mars rules the 10th house -- the house of the public -- in the Scorpionic America chart.

Initially I thought it inauspicious that we would select our leaders on a day in which the planetary karaka, or significator, for the leader of our country, the Sun, is debilitated. The Sun is debilitated in the sign of Libra, for the time period between October 16 and November 15. As I mentioned in my previous post the Sun signifies the self, authority, the government, and royalty. It is uncomfortable in the sign of Libra which confers an accommodating nature that is useful when dealing with groups and relationships, but not for taking its right place of authority. The Libra Sun of election day annually conjoins the exhalted chart ruler, Saturn, of the Scorpionic US chart. This intriguing configuration reveals the underlying source of power in the US -- the people. It is indicative of a democracy in which the majority of the people rule through negotiation and checks and balances (Libra). Our leaders are public servants, not kings, who enact the will of the people.

Today we have many choices around how and when to vote, making it a little tricky for Vedic Astrologers to cast an event, or Prashna chart. But for the Presidential elections, I always like to set the chart data for election day at the time that the polls open in Washington, DC. As this event chart always has the Sun and Ascendant rising in the constellation of Libra, the key to interpreting the chart comes from the Moon which to me represents the the public, the will of the people. On November 4, 2008 the moon will just barely be in the sign of Capricorn and the nakshatra Uttara Ashada. This moon is within 4 degrees of John McCain's natal moon and within 2 degrees of Barack Obama's chart ruler, Saturn, and 7 degrees of dasha Lord Jupiter.

Uttara Ashada is called the "universal star" that reflects its humanitarian influence. Abraham Lincoln had his moon in this nakshatra which is ruled by the Vishvadevas, the ten sons of the god Dharma. The power of this asterism is to grant an unchallengable victory (apradhrisya shakti); so which candidate will this energy bless?

I believe the stars favor Barack Obama, with his chart ruler AND dasha lord in Uttara Ashada. In addition Obama's natal Moon in the 5th house of past life karma is within one degree of the exhalted Moon in Taurus in the US chart. The Moon is a karaka indicator for the public as well as an individual's mind, so Obama's mind and karma is tied to that of the US. And he is running Jupiter-Moon Dasha. Jupiter is the great benefic, and it's dasha brings much success. Currently Jupiter is in its own sign of Sagittarius, but it will shift to Capricorn, its sign of debilitation on December 9, 2008, the day the Electoral College meets for the Determination of Controversy as to Appointment of Electors.

Obama's rising sign, chart ruler Saturn and Jupiter are all in Capricorn. Usually Jupiter is debilitated in Capricorn, but in this case its retrograde motion reverses the debilitation in what's called a Neecha Banga Raja Yoga. Jupiter also gets dik bala or what's called directional strength in the first house AND I believe its placement in the first house also confers a Hamsa Yoga. A Hamsa Yoga is formed when Jupiter is in its own sign or exhalted (in this case through a Neecha Banga Raja Yoga) in a Kendra House (angle 1,4,7,10) and it confers fairness, philosophical nature, and very good luck.

In addition, it is conjunct the chart ruler Saturn in its own sign or mulatrikona in the first house, an angle, giving another Pancha Mahapurusha raja yoga -- "yoga of very important people". A Shashya Yoga is formed when Saturn is in its own sign or exhalted in a Kendra House and it confers power, discipline and authority. These Pancha Mahapurusha Raja Yogas elevate Barack Obama's chart, and since he is currently Jupiter's grand cycle, all of this energy lines up at a very significant moment. It means that the Electoral College will have a clear winner that day: Barack Obama.