The U.S. President is elected through an indirect election process involving the Electoral College. Below is the step-by-step process:
1. Primaries and Caucuses
- Candidates for each major party (Democratic and Republican) compete in primary elections and caucuses in each state. These elections determine each party’s nominee.
2. National Conventions
- Each party holds a national convention to officially select its presidential nominee and vice-presidential running mate, based on the results of the primaries and caucuses.
3. General Election
- The general election occurs on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every four years. In this election, citizens vote not directly for a presidential candidate but for a slate of electors who pledge to support that candidate.
4. Electoral College
- The U.S. has an Electoral College system with 538 electors. Each state is assigned a number of electors equal to its total number of Representatives and Senators in Congress.
- Most states use a winner-takes-all approach, where the candidate with the majority vote in a state wins all its electoral votes. (Nebraska and Maine allocate some votes proportionally.)
- To win, a candidate needs a majority of electoral votes—at least 270 out of 538.
5. Electoral Vote Counting
- In December, electors meet in their respective states to cast their votes for President and Vice President.
- In January, Congress convenes to count these votes. If a candidate receives the majority, they are officially declared President-elect.
6. Inauguration
- The President-elect is inaugurated on January 20th, officially beginning their four-year term.
If no candidate receives a majority in the Electoral College, the House of Representatives selects the President, with each state delegation having one vote.
