US citizens are eligible to vote if they are at least 18 years old and currently reside in one of the 50 states or Washington, DC. US citizens must also register to vote in advance, as there is no central registration office in the Unites States. Each person may vote only once in the state in which he or she currently resides or last resided (for U.S. citizens living abroad).
This registration hurdle is seen as one of the reasons for the relatively low voter turnout in the USA. There are also different procedures from state to state.
To be eligible to run for President of the United States of America, a candidate must meet three key requirements: be a natural born citizen, be at least 35 years old, and have lived in the United States continuously for at least 14 years. In addition, a President can only be re-elected once, i.e. the term of a US President is limited to eight years.
The Americans do not elect their president by direct vote, but by an electoral college of electors.
There are four phases to the lengthy election process:
1) January/February: Pre-elections
The official pre-election period usually begins in January of the election year and lasts until June. However, the actual campaign between the candidates begins with the first televised duels in the summer of the previous year.
The pre-election process has evolved historically and is not specified in the Constitution. Therefore, there are different procedures in each state, i.e. elections are held either in primaries or caucuses.
Primaries
Primaries are held at public polling places and are organized by the state. They involve voting by secret ballot for a candidate to be chosen by delegates at the national convention in the summer. There are open primaries, in which all eligible voters in a state can vote, regardless of party affiliation. Closed primaries, on the other hand, require voters to declare their allegiance to a party when they vote or register, but they do not have to be members of a party.
Caucuses
The caucus is a closed-door meeting that only registered party members can attend. After much discussion, they elect delegates to represent them at the national convention in the summer. Traditionally, the caucuses begin in Iowa in January.
Super Tuesday
Super Tuesday“ is a Tuesday in February or March on which a large number of states hold their primaries and caucuses. It is particularly important for the outcome of the election, as about one-third of all votes are cast here.
2) July/August: National Conventions
The delegates elected in the primaries meet in the summer at the national conventions of their respective parties to vote for the final presidential nominee. The presidential candidate, in turn, nominates his or her vice president. Each state sends a certain number of delegates, usually based on the state’s population.
3) Early November: Election Day – Electoral College Vote
Election Day in the United States is always the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, i.e. between the 2nd and the 8th of November. At that time, the harvest season was at an end. Other weekdays are not included because these are considered church or market days, e.g.
On Election Day, Americans do not vote directly for president. They do (in most states) mark their choice of presidential candidate and vice president on the ballot. However, these votes go to the candidates‘ selection committee, the Electoral College. The Electoral College then chooses the president in December.
The Electoral College is made up of a total of 538 electors, with each state receiving a certain number of electors based on its population (or representation in Congress).
4) December: Meeting of the Electoral College
In December, exactly 41 days after Election Day in November, electors gather in their respective state capitals to vote for the new President and Vice President of the United States.
In 48 of the 50 states, elections follow the winner-take-all system. This means: The candidate who receives the majority of the popular vote in a state automatically receives all of that state’s electoral votes.
Congress counts the Electoral College votes on the first day of session in early January. To win the election, an absolute majority of at least 270 votes is required.
Inauguration of the new President of the United States of America
On January 20 at noon, the new President of the United States and his Vice President will be officially sworn in and move into the White House in Washington D.C.. This marks the end of the long election process and the beginning of a new term.
To the German translation of this article: Das amerikanische Wahlsystem