Astrology and the 2024 U.S. Election: Are the Stars Aligning for Kamala Harris?

Is the outcome of Election Day predestined by the cosmos? According to some astrologers, it might be. When political events and planetary movements intersect, the forecasts can be compelling.

In July, the political landscape was shaken when President Joe Biden unexpectedly announced he would not seek re-election, instead endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor. With less than four months until Election Day, this news was a bombshell in American politics — but not for many astrologers.

Some astrologers claim they foresaw this exact scenario in Harris’ and Biden’s natal charts, which are astrological tools based on the planetary positions at the time of a person’s birth. These astrologers have long been informing their audiences about Harris’ ascendant fortune and Biden’s waning influence. In fact, some even predicted the exact weekend of a major political shift, tied to a full moon. For these astrologers, the notion of Biden’s exit from the race was a long time coming.

“Astrologers have observed signs of illness in Biden’s chart for many years,” said astrologer Catherine Urban, who predicted in June that Biden’s health might deteriorate this year, potentially leading him to endorse Harris.

Predictive astrology involves various techniques to arrive at conclusions, many of which include analyzing a person’s birth date, time, and place to construct their natal chart. Astrologers then track planetary and star movements to predict how a person’s life might unfold, including critical moments in their career.

Mo, an astrologer who co-hosts the “Fixed Astrology” podcast and asked to keep her full name private due to her job, predicted Harris would be a “wartime president” back in May. She explained that Harris’ natal chart shows she would rise to power under challenging circumstances, due to an “enemies of the moon configuration” in her fall solar return. This configuration suggests that Harris will face slander and criticism, which is indicated by planets like Mars or Saturn forming a “difficult aspect” with the moon. A “difficult aspect” in astrology refers to the geometric angles between planets that suggest turmoil or conflict.

Even if you are skeptical of astrology, many others are captivated by the narratives it spins. A quick search on TikTok will reveal astrologers’ predictions about Election Day, including potential outcomes like candidate deaths and election results, drawing tens of thousands of views. One TikTok user, commenting on a video that accurately predicted Biden’s exit from the race, said, “This is my whole FYP [for you page] AND I CAN’T GET ENOUGH.”

The influence of astrology in politics is not a new phenomenon.

Urban attributes the growing interest in political astrology to the high stakes of this U.S. election, noting that “people often look to modalities like astrology to give us hope.”

However, the intersection of astrology and politics is far from new; it’s an ancient tradition. Alexander Boxer, a data scientist and author of *A Scheme of Heaven: The History of Astrology and the Search for Our Destiny in Data*, contends that astrologers were the first data scientists.

“Mapping the emotions of the stars onto politics is the original use of astrology. And it hasn’t ever really gone away,” Boxer told HuffPost.

During the reigns of Roman emperors like Augustus and Tiberius, astrologers wielded considerable power, as their predictions influenced who would become the next emperor and how long they were likely to live.

Astrologers have often been part of rulers’ inner circles. For example, Queen Elizabeth I had a court astrologer who advised her during her reign. In the U.S., Nancy Reagan famously consulted an astrologer after the 1981 assassination attempt on her husband, using astrology to determine auspicious dates for President Ronald Reagan’s trips and public appearances.

“Astrology, I’d say, both invented and in many ways perfected the art of taking a bunch of data, which maybe by itself is meaningless, and putting it together in a very compelling story,” Boxer explained.

Boxer compares ancient astrologers to modern-day election forecasters like Nate Silver. Using complex mathematical models that are difficult for the average person to understand, both astrologers and forecasters can craft a convincing narrative, even when their predictions are wrong. “There’s a particular seduction we have to a story told with data and numbers,” Boxer said.

As for who astrologers believe will win in November, the consensus points to a period of nationwide upheaval.

Pluto is returning to the same celestial configuration it held on July 4, 1776, the day the U.S. was founded. This means Pluto is moving toward the same position in the universe as it was during the nation’s birth. Urban explains that this final phase of the nation’s Pluto return marks a time of “massive death and rebirth,” signaling a restructuring of the current system.

Urban predicts Harris will win the election over former President Donald Trump by a “narrow margin,” based on how the planets and signs in her natal chart align with Election Day and the inauguration.

Both Harris and Trump have Jupiter — the planet associated with luck, opportunity, and abundance — near significant points in their natal charts. However, since Harris is a Gemini rising and 2024 is a “Gemini-ruled year,” she is expected to benefit more from Jupiter’s influence. “Jupiter helped her be in the right place at the right time,” Urban said.

Conversely, Urban forecasts that Trump will feel “crushed” around Election Day, but his influence won’t disappear. “There are signs in his chart that the things he becomes known for haven’t even happened yet,” Urban noted, adding that Trump’s chart appears “very authoritarian,” and he’s already leading a movement. The question remains, “What would happen to that movement?”

Mo adds that astrologers like herself consider the charts of both running mates when making predictions. Trump’s choice of Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) has not boosted his chances, according to her. “If Trump picked someone with better activations… maybe we would be having a different conversation,” she said, referencing the idea that Vance’s chart doesn’texhibit “taking the helm” energy. In astrology, “activation” refers to times when a zodiac sign or planet gains significance due to the timing of certain events.

Astrologer Lisa Stardust, who has long predicted Biden would be a one-term president, suggests the outcome of November’s election will hinge on the chart of Harris’ running mate.

Stardust predicts that by September 17, the winner of the November election should be clear, as Harris will experience a lunar eclipse in Pisces, affecting her 10th house of public image. This, she says, will be the “tipping point” for Harris.

Astrology can have as much meaning as you choose to give it. It can be entertaining, but it’s important not to let it dominate your life.

Mo notes that while astrology can provide themes, it cannot predict every detail of your life. “I can’t tell if you had a matcha latte for breakfast,” she said. “But I could say that maybe you had a very energetic start to your day Tuesday morning based on whatever [planetary] transits you were having.”

Boxer, who does not believe in astrology, warns against placing too much trust in predictions, especially regarding the November election. “Astrology is the template of data science and, in particular, the template for how we tell stories with numbers and data and how we can easily deceive others and ourselves.”

Jess Holt, an astrologer and licensed clinical social worker in New York, advises that astrology can be a helpful tool for coping with uncertainty. However, if reading election horoscopes “makes you feel anxious, if it compels you to constantly check for updates, or if it leads to despair, then it’s probably not the right tool for you.”

In essence, use astrology to align with your values, but don’t let it trap you in a cycle of endless information. As Holt said, “That’s not a helpful use of the tool.”

Moreover, don’t rely on astrological predictions to excuse yourself from political action. Urban emphasizes the importance of active participation in shaping the nation’s future.

“There are certain things that are written,” Urban acknowledged. “However, there’s also free will, and when it comes to deciding the fate of a nation, everyone needs to participate. Everyone’s will isparticipating.”