A presidential election determines the President and Vice President of the United States. During the election, people in each state vote for their preferred candidate. Candidates campaign throughout the country to win support. In addition, candidates usually choose a running mate.
Before a candidate can become the official nominee for a political party, they must first win a majority of the votes in their party’s primary or caucuses. After that, each party holds a national convention where they will officially select their final presidential nominee. During the convention, the candidate will also announce their running mate.
During the presidential campaign, the candidates will travel around the country to meet with voters and talk about their ideas for the nation. They will also use different media to communicate with the public including radio and television advertisements. Historically, campaigns have become increasingly expensive as advances in technology and media have allowed candidates to reach larger audiences with their message.
USA In Brief: ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Each state has a number of electoral votes equal to its two U.S Senators and its House of Representatives representatives. These votes are split based on the state’s population size. A state’s electors (or voters) assemble in December to cast their votes. The candidate who receives a majority of the electoral votes is declared the winner.
Some critics of the Electoral College system argue that it is unfair because states that are traditionally Democratic or Republican tend to have all their electoral votes go to one candidate, while those in the middle go to a different candidate. This encourages candidates to focus exponentially more time, money and energy on winning so-called swing states. The Electoral College votes are sealed and transmitted from each state to the President of the Senate who, on January 6, opens and reads them before both houses of Congress.