The U.S. Presidential Election Process

One Year Before the Elections candidates from the two main political parties the Democrats and the Republicans begin their campaign trails. They set up their team and start “going on tour” around the country to rally(=join) for support and to fundraise for their campaigns. 

 At the Start of the Campaigns candidates from both parties participate in televised debates. During the debates each candidate will have to answer tough questions about their policies as well as defend their stance(=opinion) on issues and policies against other candidates. 

 Then the Elections Process begins... 

 

Step 1️⃣: Primaries And Caucuses 

 There are many people who want to be President, each with their own ideas about how the government should work. People with similar ideas belong to the same political party. This is where primaries and caucuses come in. Candidates from each political party campaign through the country to win the favor of their party members. Beginning in February the main voting events Primaries and Caucuses will lead to a selection of delegates who will represent the people at the upcoming conventions(=meetings). The main focus will be on the results from Iowa New Hampshire Nevada and South Carolina which can usually determine who the final presidential nominee for each party will be. 

 In a Caucus: party members select the best candidate through a series of discussions and votes. 

In a Primary: party members vote for the best candidate that will represent them in the general election. 

 

Step 2️⃣: National Conventions 

 Each party holds a national convention to select a final presidential nominee. State delegates from the primaries and caucuses selected to represent the people will now “endorse” their favorite candidates and the final presidential nominee from each party will be officially announced at the end of the conventions. The presidential candidate also chooses a running mate (Vice Presidential candidate). The presidential candidates campaign throughout the country to win the support of the general population. 

 

Step 3️⃣: General Election 

 People in every state across the country vote for one President and Vice President. When Americans go to the polls in November they will select their favorite presidential candidate and their running mate. When people cast their vote, they are actually voting for a group of people called electors. Except in the states of Maine and Nebraska, if a candidate receives the majority of the votes from the people of a state then the candidate will receive all electoral votes of that state. The presidential nominee with the most electoral votes becomes the President of the United States. 

 

Step 4️⃣: Electoral College 

 The Electoral college is a process in which electors or representatives from each state in number proportional to the state’s population cast their vote and determine who will be president. Each state gets a certain number of electors based on its representation in Congress. There are a total of 538 electors selected according to each state’s policy. Each elector casts one vote following the general election, and the candidate who gets more than half (270) wins. 

 The newly elected President and Vice President are inaugurated in January. 

caucus = a meeting of the local members of a political party to select delegates to the national party convention. A caucus s a substitute for a primary election. 

delegate = a person authorized to represent others as an elected representative to a political party conference. 

elector = a member of the electoral college. 

electoral сollege = the voters of each state, and the District of Columbia, vote for electors to be the authorized constitutional members in a presidential election. 

natural born citizen = someone born with U.S citizenship includes any child born "in the United States, the children of United States citizens born abroad, and those born abroad ofone citizen parent. 

primary = an election where voters select candidates for an upcoming general election, Winning candidates will have delegates sent to the national party convention as their porty's U.S presidential nominee. 

endorse = to make a public statement of your approval or support for something or someone 

campaign trail = a series of planned events in different places taken part in or given by a politician who is trying to be elected 

running mate = an election candidate for the lesser of two closely associated political offices