2024 US Presidential elections: How is the U.S. President elected Explained

2024 US Presidential elections: How is the U.S. President elected Explained


the story So Far: The United States of America is all set to elect the next President of the country in the 2024 general elections to be held on November 5, 2024. While the contest is largely between Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein has also made progress. In some voter communities. However, no third-party candidate has ever won a US presidential election.

How is the US President elected?

America votes for its President every four years on the first Tuesday of November. Candidates must meet certain criteria to be eligible to contest elections, and the process begins months or even years in advance.

Who can contest the US presidential election?

According to the US Constitution, to be eligible to run for president, a candidate must be a natural-born citizen of the country, 35 years of age or older, and a resident of the US for 14 years. Once they raise or spend more than $5,000 for their campaign, they must also register with the Federal Election Commission. It usually takes place in the spring of the year before the election.

Federal candidates are required to appoint a major campaign committee, which is responsible for managing donations and expenditures for the campaign.

What are presidential primaries and caucuses?

Once candidates have announced their intention to run for president, the primary and caucus debate process begins.

Primaries are state-level elections that political parties use to select their presidential candidates. They are usually held about 6–9 months before a general election, and voters choose their candidates anonymously through secret ballot. Some states may require voters to declare their political affiliation in order to vote in a presidential primary election.

Caucuses differ from primaries in that they are run by political parties, not states. Participants vying to become their party’s presidential nominee engage in debate and discussion, and then other participants decide which candidate they want to choose and support. The number of delegates each candidate earns to support them at the party convention is based on the caucus votes they receive.

Primaries and caucuses can be of three types – open, closed and semi-closed.

in one Open Primary or CaucusVoters do not need to be registered with a particular political party to be able to vote.

one in closed primaries or caucusesVoters can only vote in the primaries of the party with which they are registered.

Semi-closed or semi-open primaries or caucuses There are variations of both of the above.

The number of delegates given to candidates varies from state to state depending on the rules set by political parties at the state as well as national level. Selected delegates represent their states at national party conventions.

What are the national conferences?

National conventions are where parties select their presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

Two types of delegates attend national conventions: those who have pledged their support to a candidate in the primaries or caucuses, and those who are not pledged and can support any candidate of their choice.

State delegates confirm their choices through votes, and the person who receives a majority of votes becomes the party’s presidential nominee. If no candidate receives a majority, convention delegates participate in an additional round of voting to choose the nominee.

The presidential candidates-elect also announce their running mates – the vice-presidential candidates – at the national convention.

voting in elections

Voting for US President usually takes place on the first Tuesday of November every four years. Candidates from the major political parties are listed on the ballot paper. Candidates from smaller parties can also appear on the ballot in different states if they meet eligibility requirements such as obtaining a certain number of signatures on a petition.

Registered voters can participate in the general election even if they did not vote in the primary election. They can also vote for any candidate, no matter their registration with the party.

The voting period may be extended for absentee voters or those who choose to vote via mail. These rules vary across states, and voters usually have to request an absentee vote or a ballot via mail. This is usually done before election day. Some states also allow in-person voting before the scheduled Election Day.

electoral College

The Electoral College is the final stage in the election of the US President. The President is elected not through a popular vote cast by citizens, but through the Electoral College process.

The Electoral College consists of 538 electors who indirectly elect the US President. Each state gets the same number of electors as members of Congress, both Houses and the Senate. There are three electorates in Washington DC.

Selecting electors is a two-step process: First, parties select potential electors in the states before the election. Then, voters in each state select their electors by voting during the general election. However, this is the case when the names of potential electors may or may not appear on the ballot along with the name of the presidential candidate. Therefore, when a voter casts his vote in a general election he actually elects an elector and not the President directly.

Votes cast by US citizens are counted statewide. In all states except Nebraska and Maine, the winner gets all the electoral votes. To win the presidential election, a candidate needs the votes of at least 270 electors.

While the general election is held in November and a presumptive winner is announced shortly thereafter, the Electoral College casts its vote in mid-December.

counting of electoral votes

The US Congress counts electoral votes in early January. The new President’s term begins on January 20, also known as Inauguration Day.



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