First the person who wishes to run for president must make an official announcement that he or she is running for president and then file papers with the federal elections commission to get his or her name on the ballot.
STEP 2: Popularity (Making Yourself Heard)
Once the candidate is official he/she must work very hard to keep their name out in the open. they will make trips all over the country, they will make ads (billboards , tv ads, ect.), and they will as always, kiss babies.
STEP 3: Primaries & Caucuses
Primary elections are when people vote for who will be THEIR PARTY'S presidential candidate. Caucuses are when people debate who will be their party's presidential candidate. If the candidate is an independent party they do not have to do this.
STEP 4: Convention
In the summer each party holds a national convention. In these conventions, the selection of the presidential candidate is finalized and the candidate chooses a running-mate (vice-presidential candidate).
STEP 5: Some More Popularity (Campaigning)
Now that the names are officially "out there" the candidates work to get people accross the nation to vote for them. they go on more trips, make more advertisements, and kiss more babies.
STEP 6: General Election
This is held in November all over the country. This is when YOU get your say in who should be our next great leader. You go into your local voting booth and cast your vote.
STEP 7: Electoral College
When you cast your vote, what you are really voting for is a group of people called electors. Then in turn they cast their vote for who ever got the most general election votes. Each state gets a number of electors. That numbers is based on how many state representatives that state has. Who ever gets more than half of the total electoral votes (270) wins the election. Yay for him/her.
STEP 8: Inauguration day
Time for parties!!! Now that the new president is elected, they take the oath of office and start their new job on January 20th.
IMPORTANT TERMS
1. Electoral College: The electoral college is a group of people that get votes to cast votes for the next president.
2. Inauguration: On this day the president signs the oath of office and throws a BIG party.
3. Caucus: A meeting where people discuss who their party's candidate will be.
