Steps in the Presidential Election Process
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Step 2: Primaries and Caucuses - Voters who are registered by political party select their party's candidate. In primary states, elections are held for each party. In caucus states, people meet to discuss the issues and select a candidate.
Step 3: National Conventions - The major political parties each hold a national convention to select their presidential candidate. The candidate's running mate (the vice presidential candidate) is also nomimated at the national convention.
Step 4: The Campaign - Candidates travel the country giving speeches and interviews, holding debates and running ads to tell people about their position on important issues.
Step 5: The General Election - On the first Tuesday of November, registered voters vote for their choice for President of the United States.
Step 6: The Electoral College - Whoever wins the majority of votes in each state wins that state's electors. Each state has a number of electors based on their representation in Congress. The electors vote the first week in December.
Step 7: The Inauguration - On January 20th, the new president is sworn into office and begins his new term.
Important Words:
Candidate: a person running for public office
Electoral votes: number of votes each state has for president
Election: process of choosing a person for office
