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U.S. presidential elections are based upon a nomination process, the popular vote of the public and the Electoral College vote. Elections are governed by federal and state laws; however elections are mostly controlled and regulated at the state level. Here is a brief summary of how presidential nominations and voting works.
- The Nomination Process
There are two components of nominating a presidential candidate. These include primary elections and caucuses held in each state and nomination conventions held by each party. Each state regulates its own primary elections and caucuses. The nomination process is an indirect selection where voters are not directly voting for a potential nominee, but usually a group of delegates who have pledged to vote for specific candidates at their party’s nomination convention.
- Popular Vote
In a presidential election, voters are also not directly voting for their candidate of choice. Instead, they are voting for a group of electors who have pledged to vote for a particular candidate. The more votes a certain group of electors get, the more power they have in choosing the candidate they want.
- Electoral Vote
The electoral voting system is mostly mandated by each state. Each state is allotted a number of Electoral College selectors that is equivalent to its number of Senators and Representatives in Congress. The U.S. Constitution grants each state the right to determine its own process for choosing electors. Once electors are chosen, Congress makes the final determination on which electors will represent each state.
Understanding how the presidential nomination and voting system works can help you make more informed decisions when casting your ballot.
