How Does the U.S. Election Process Work?

For those who aren’t familiar with it, the U.S. election process appears quite complicated to follow. There are many different steps involved and the entire process takes months to play out – which is all quite different compared to the pace of elections in countries like the UK.

So, for those who are considering the next US president odds and want to have a better idea of how the entire process works, read on for a comprehensive guide to the US election process.

An overview of the federal election system

The U.S. operates on a federal system where elections are held at three different levels – local, state and federal. Most high-profile of these are the federal elections which focus on the office of President and the members of Congress (both the Senate and House of Representatives).

Elections for Congress occur every two years, while the presidential election is held every four years. Midterm elections always cause a lot of discussion as they can cause a shift in the composition of Congress in the middle of a president’s four-year term, with implications for policy and budget decisions.

The presidential election process

The presidential election cycle is a prolonged one, spanning months from the start of early campaigning and candidate selection to the election day itself.

Primaries and caucuses are the first stage of the election, where each of the two major parties will put forward a pool of candidates for voters to choose from. These are state-level, taking place in each of the 50 states, the federal district of Washington D.C. and the five US territories.

Once the results of the primaries and caucuses are in, the Democrats and Republicans hold their national conventions. This generally happens during the summer and is where each party officially nominates their candidates for president and vice president.

At this point, the election kicks into full swing, with the Democrat and Republican candidates campaigning across the nation along with any third-party candidates.

The election itself always takes place on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, meaning that the exact date will vary from election to election. On that day all eligible citizens can cast their votes, which will be used to determine the identity of the next president.

The Electoral College system

Votes cast in the general election do not go directly towards the presidential candidates, even though the outcome of the popular vote is also often reported. Instead, each vote goes towards the electors who make up the Electoral College. 

Each state is allocated a set number of electors based on its presence in Congress – the total number of Senators and Representatives it has – while Washington D.C. is allocated three electors, and none of the US territories are represented by electors.

Most of the states (other than Maine and Nebraska) use a winner-takes-all approach, with whichever candidate secured the majority of that state’s popular vote receiving all its electoral votes. To become president a candidate needs to have at least 270 elector votes.

The Electoral College vote takes place in December – with the result typically being announced on the night of the vote – and its results are certified by Congress in January. 

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There are many stages to the US election process, culminating in the Electoral College vote in December. So, there’s still a little while to go before the 2024 election season and politics betting is over and the next president is decided.