I’ve spent the past month scouring various astrologers predictions for their take on the elections. One entire day of ISAR’s conference was dedicated to the mundane astrologers interpretation. Participants had one job: evaluate the conditions for the US Election in 2020. It’s a thorny subject for certain. A good mundane astrologer has to work hard to keep a blank slate as they look at the data without letting their own beliefs and viewpoints cloud predictions.
Many very good astrologers were left holding an empty bag in 2016. It was a hard one to come back from. It is oh so tempting to be that guru and all knowing person, especially when the spotlight is on. But it’s also damn scary when you are forced to pick a side in front of an audience. With an election, it’s a 50/50 shot.
A good astrologer will delineate out the meanings of what is possible or even probable, but will not tell you what the outcome will be. Astrology is not deterministic, as everyone has free will, but it describes what are the likely conditions in which decisions get made. For example, I can see if someone is going to have a year that has emphasizes his home, but I will not tell a pauper he’s moving into a castle. The person’s circumstances and environment are critical.
To help my readers, I’ve completed a summary of my time at ISAR with J.Lee Lehman, Lynn Bell, Caroline Casey, and Christeen Skinner. All of these individuals are incredible mundane astrologers. I’ve also included notes from my mentor, Kelly Surtees, who was the opening speaker for Astrology University’s summit last week. They all used a variety of lenses by looking at the planetary cycles, the election day chart, the inauguration chart, and how each of the candidate’s birth charts interact. Spoiler alert: no one made a prediction on who the winner would be; everyone described the factors and energy at play.
Factors for the Election on November
Impending Pluto Return for the USA
Everyone agreed that whoever holds power for the next term is in for one doozy of a ride. This is because the US is in the beginning of its Pluto return. This is when Pluto comes back to its exact same place it occupied when it was born. We mere mortals will never know what it’s like to experience this in our lifetime, as it only happens every 248 years. So we look to countries and see how they ride the waves. For the US, our Pluto return will hit at 27 Capricorn from February 2022 to October 2023 when it goes direct. Every astrologer agreed that whoever holds the job of presidency will have one difficult job over the next few years holding things together as the nation redefines itself. Although Pluto is only about half the size of our moon, it lands a big punch. You can not go through a Pluto transit and expect to be the same person on the other side. It is a time of renewal and rebirth.
Saturn/Pluto squaring Mars
When you have the two malefic planets challenging each other, it can be game of, “I dare you”. Everyone is testing the boundaries. Saturn will reign supreme here and people will vote out of fear vs. hope. Transiting Saturn is also sitting on the United States natal Pluto. Clinging to the past is a big theme. Tradition, safety, patriotism, and leadership are challenged.
Mercury Stationing Direct on Election Day
Bottom line: don’t expect the results on election day. Mercury will be at a standstill, ready to move direct after 3 weeks of retrograde. The planet’s energy intensifies anytime it changes direction. The last time we had Mercury stationing on an election day was 2000. If you remember, that was the epic Bush v. Gore. “Hanging chad” became part of our daily conversation and it finally went to the Supreme Court. Every astrologer agreed that confusion would reign supreme. I wouldn’t count on knowing the victor that night. The emotional hangover will hit the next day as the moon moves into Cancer. Cancer is the sign that rules the home, homeland, and patriotism. We begin to feel the aftermath of the vote and make meaning of it.
Mars in Retrograde
Mars will finally turn direct on November 13th. In a recent Astrology Podcast, Austin Coppock mentioned that it doesn’t change the fact that we have a war, but the war will move forward. The legal battles may intensify.
Uranus moving from Taurus to Gemini
During the next four years, Uranus our planet of change is riding through the Taurus, sign of values. It’s job right now is asking, “Are we living our values, and if not, what changes can we make?” We can see this as police reform hits a peak and the political parties become entrenched in what exists vs. what could be. Everyone is grasping to keep things status quo and remember a time when America was considered “great”. Either way, that is looking to the past for cues. This is a key signature for any earth stronghold. Earth signs like Taurus and Capricorn build on existing success which requires us to examine the past. Both are very resource driven. However, as Uranus shifts into the Air of Gemini in 2026, our adaptability gets tapped and we can see all the possibilities. Uranus in Gemini is a bit rogue and hungry for options. It is a giant social experiment.
Kamala Harris
She is one to watch. Regardless of how the election shakes out, her star is bright and on the rise. Leadership and visibility are key for her.
Timing and My Take
Going against my own advice, I’m going to apply my political science here and see what lines up with the astrology. Keep in mind I am not a mundane astrologer so please take it with a grain of salt. I too do not have a solid prediction for who the winner will be, but I can lay out the stages of unfolding.
Lunar Eclipse: November 30th
Lunar eclipses bring about endings. Emotions are going to be high today, but I wouldn’t expect resolution. Emotional fatigue is going to be setting in. I think we will all be feeling like the events put into motion are taking on a life of their own. Personal power will feel diminished.
Solar Eclipse: December 14th
I will own my bias and say I think this is the day to watch for the election to be decided. Astrology aside, the law requires electors to be chosen for the Electoral College, the constitutionally established body that elects the president, no more than 41 days after Election Day. This year, that date is December 14, which is exactly 41 days after the November 3 vote. Solar eclipses bring about a start of a new chapter in a dramatic new way.
I will say that a big factor will be the electoral college. On July 6, 2020 (one day after the lunar eclipse in Capricorn), the Supreme Court upheld that faithless electoral college voters could be penalized by the States. This means that if an individual went against the popular vote, the State could impose justice against that person. The eclipse in this series (4 North) is all about restricting the individual and blocking their overestimation of power. Wait to see if there are faithless electors and how the States exercise their power.
Mars Entering Taurus: January 6th
The electoral college votes are due to Congress the following day. All through the 2020 election season Mars has been in Aries which set up a big battle between the Cardinal pile up of Saturn, Pluto, and Jupiter. This is the day the planet of war will leave the sign based battle. The fight feels over.
In Summary
Astrology definitely has it’s limitations. It primarily is a study of timing. While it is extremely tempting to be the all knowing guru and predict the winner, it is a fool’s errand. Instead one has to look at the circumstances of the planetary energy, which is exactly what I did. I looked at the practical key dates of the election process and lined up the timing to describe what is possible. Caroline Casey summed it up beautifully at the ISAR summit when she said, “What is available, of which we can participate with, is a better question than who will win.”