UNDERSTAND THE UNITED STATES ELECTION PROCESS

UNDERSTAND THE UNITED STATES ELECTION PROCESS:

The US Presidential elections are due on November 3rd, 2020.

The world is eagerly watching as President Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden slug it out in the final phase of campaigning.

In this article, let us understand how the process of electing a US President is different from Indian elections.

An election for President of the United States happens every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. This year's presidential election will be November 3, 2020.

In other U.S. elections, candidates are elected directly by popular vote. But the President and Vice President are not elected directly by citizens. Instead, they’re chosen by “electors” through a process called the Electoral College.

The process of using electors comes from the Constitution. It was a compromise between a popular vote by citizens and a vote in Congress.  

Before the general election, most candidates for president go through a series of state primaries and caucuses. Though primaries and caucuses are run differently, they both serve the same purpose. They let the states choose the major political parties’ nominees for the general election.

Presidential Primaries and Caucuses

Before the general election, most candidates for president go through a series of state primaries and caucuses. Though primaries and caucuses are run differently, they both serve the same purpose. They let the states choose the major political parties’ nominees for the general election.

U.S. Constitutional Requirements for Presidential Candidates:

The president must:

Be a natural-born citizen of the United States 

Be at least 35 years old 

Have been a resident of the United States for 14 years 

Anyone who meets these requirements can declare their candidacy for president. Once a candidate raises or spends more than $5,000 for their campaign, they must register with the Federal Election Commission. That includes naming a principal campaign committee to raise and spend campaign funds.

National Conventions

After the primaries and caucuses, most political parties hold national conventions.

Each state gets as many electors as it has members of Congress (House and Senate). Including Washington, D.C.’s three electors, there are currently 538 electors in all. See the distribution of electors by state.

Each state’s political parties choose their own slate of potential electors. Who is chosen to be an elector, how, and when varies by state.

The Electors

Each state gets as many electors as it has members of Congress (House and Senate). Including Washington, D.C.’s three electors, there are currently 538 electors in all. See the distribution of electors by state.

Each state’s political parties choose their own slate of potential electors. Who is chosen to be an elector, how, and when varies by state.

During the general election tooltip, Americans go to their polling place tooltip to cast their vote for president. But the tally of those votes—the popular vote—does not determine the winner. Instead, presidential elections use the Electoral College. 

To win the election, a candidate must receive a majority of electoral votes. In the event no candidate receives a majority, the House of Representatives chooses the president and the Senate chooses the vice president.

How Does the Electoral College Process Work?

After you cast your ballot for president, your vote goes to a statewide tally. In 48 states and Washington, D.C., the winner gets all the electoral votes for that state. Maine and Nebraska assign their electors using a proportional system.

A candidate needs the vote of at least 270 electors—more than half of all electors—to win the presidential election.

In most cases, a projected winner is announced on election night in November after you vote. But the actual Electoral College vote takes place in mid-December when the electors meet in their states.

While the Constitution doesn’t require electors to follow their state's popular vote, many states' laws do. Though it's rare, electors have challenged those laws and voted for someone else. 

But in July 2020 the Supreme Court ruled that those state laws are constitutional. Electors must follow their state's popular vote, if the state has passed such a law. 

The US Presidential election follows a typical cycle:

• Spring of the year before an election – Candidates announce their intentions to run. 

• Summer of the year before an election through spring of the election year – Primary and caucus tooltip debates take place. 

• January to June of election year – States and parties hold primaries tooltip and caucuses. 

• July to early September – Parties hold nominating conventions to choose their candidates. 

• September and October – Candidates participate in presidential debates. 

• Early November – Election Day - victor indicated after counting.

• December – Electors tooltip cast their votes in the Electoral College. 

• Early January of the next calendar year – Congress counts the electoral votes. 

• January 20 – Inauguration Day. New President takes oath.

In a nutshell, the above is the US Presidential election process.

- Dayanand Nene.