The Presidential election this fall is a major contest and the outcome can be determined astrologically.  To do it, we need to consider a wide variety of techniques.  In this post I’ll look at the Solar Returns for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

The contest has changed recently, since Trump has a new Solar Return that began on his birthday in June.  Trump was in NYC for a campaign rally on June 13, 2016 (the exact time of the return may fall on the day before the calendar birth date), and I’ll assume he was also in NY that morning, when his Sun returned to its natal place.  At this writing, many reporters suggest that he’s become more controversial in recent months.

Trump has won support by being a political outsider, but as the Republican presidential candidate, he has alienated party leaders.  A Latino judge who Trump criticized recently ruled that the fraud suit against Trump University would go to trial.  These events show issues with authority figures, and Trump has Uranus conjunct the Midheaven this year.  It forms a stressful yod with the Sun conjunct Venus in the 11^th house and Mars in Scorpio in the 4^th, a combative pattern.

The T-square of Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune is very close in Trump’s Solar Return, indicating his controversies involving minorities and immigrants (afflicted Jupiter).

Hillary Clinton is closer to the end of her Solar Return year, which also fell a day before her birthday, when she attended a private event in NYC.  Questions of Clinton’s trustworthiness continue to dog her, her e-mail scandal seems to have a life of its own, and she has flip-flopped on a number of issues.  Her Solar features Neptune conjunct the Midheaven, showing a questionable reputation.  While Neptune squares Saturn in the Return, it also has some excellent aspects, forming a grand trine with the Cancer Ascendant and the Sun in Scorpio in the 5^th house.  Neptune also sextiles Pluto in her 7^th, which might ease the public’s skepticism of her somewhat.

Hillary’s 10^th house of status and position ends up being more favorable than Donald’s.

The Ascendant is a significant point as well, representing the candidate.  Trump has the Moon in the 3^rd closely sextiling his Solar Ascendant in Leo (the same sign rising in his birth chart).  Hillary also has favorable quintile aspects between the Ascendant and the benefics Venus and Jupiter in her 4^th house, in addition to the grand trine involving her Solar Ascendant.  While the Ascendant is also inconjunct Saturn, highlighting her emotional reserve and keeping many from warming up to her, the flowing aspects add more weight.  Hillary’s Ascendant also ends up being more favorable than Trump’s.

Angularity adds power to planets and both candidates have angular planets in their Solar Returns:  Trump has Uranus conjoining the Midheaven and Mars in the 4^th house; Clinton has Venus, Mars and Jupiter conjunct in her Solar 4^th house, Neptune on the Midheaven and Pluto in the 7^th.  Hillary’s Solar Return is more powerful with more angular planets.

I always like to consider essential dignity as well.  In his Return, Trump has Mercury in Gemini and Mars in Scorpio, strong in their ruling signs, but Mercury opposes Mars and Mars is also the focal point of the yod.  While Clinton has Venus in its fall in Virgo, it forms a mutual reception with Mercury in Libra (each other’s ruling signs), and disposes of the rest of the planets.  Mercury, though, is part of a T-square with the Moon, Uranus and Pluto.  Neither candidate appears much stronger through essential dignity.

But Hillary Clinton’s Solar Return ends up being more favorable overall, with a better aspected Midheaven and Ascendant and more angular planets.  There’s much more we could say about the Solar Returns, and this is only one part of the analysis we need to do to forecast the outcome of the election.

Note:  I use relocated SR charts in the Tropical zodiac and do not correct for precession.