The Scheme by which a Presidential Vacancy is filled in the USA

The election process for a president in the United States is quite unique and most probably confusing to outsiders ignorant of the nitty-gritty. Indeed, unlike most of the democratic countries of the world, here in the US, an Electoral College is set up for electing a president. This article would cover everything from the primaries to the inauguration, which would certainly be helpful in clearing out the air about how the president is chosen.

How the President is elected in the USA

1. Primaries and Caucuses

The road to running for president begins with primary elections and caucuses all over the United States- including all 50 states of America and as far away as Puerto Rico. Primarily, such events are organized by political parties that include the Democratic and Republican parties as such hosts to help figure out which candidates will eventually become the party's official nominee for president.

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During a primary election, voters cast their ballots for a candidate of choice. The primary results thus determine the number of delegates possessed by each candidate at national party conventions.

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In the caucus, voters meet and deliberate before voting on the selection of their preference. Caucuses are less common and are generally more public and discussion-oriented as opposed to the privacy usually enjoyed in a primary.

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2. National Conventions

Once primaries and caucuses are over, each party holds a national convention. In most cases, these national conventions occur in the summer prior to the November election. After the election of the nominees, delegates will formally push the candidate with the top vote total in the primaries. 

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At this event, the party's presidential candidate is formally nominated along with the vice-presidential candidate. The general election campaign is officially on, whereby the party's nominee competes with another party candidate for president.

3. The General Election

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The general election always falls on the first Tuesday of November in every election year. This is when all voters in the U.S. cast their ballot for one or the other candidate for president. However, this is not a direct presidential election. The voters are actually voting for electors who comprise the Electoral College and are pledged to vote for a certain candidate.

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According to the population size of a particular state, each state gets a different number of electors. so, in general, the bigger the state, the more electors it has. There are a total of 538 electors; to win the presidency, a person is required to win as much as possible, the minimum level of 270 electoral votes.

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4. The Electoral College

The system for electing the president, which is unique to the U.S., is known as the Electoral College. Each state has a number of electors corresponding to the total number of congressional representatives that the State has, that is, the State's senators and House members in a combined total. Because of its large population size, California has 55 electors, while Wyoming, being a smaller State, has only three.

Most states implement a winner-takes-all system whereby the candidate winning the state popular vote is awarded all of that state's electoral votes. Maine and Nebraska are exceptions. 

On Election Day, once voters have cast their ballots, electors in each state are bound to vote according to the results of their state's popular vote. In December, these members meet in their state capitals and cast their official votes for president and vice president. The electors then send their votes to Congress for certification.

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5. Congress Certifies the Vote

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The joint session of Congress is convened on 6th January for the official counting of the electoral votes. The Vice President presides over the process as President of the Senate. A candidate who received majority of the electoral votes-for example, 270 or more is elected.

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In very extraordinary cases, where there is a dispute or challenge over the electors, it becomes a matter for Congress to settle. Such challenges are rare in occurrence and seldom change the course of elections.

6. Inauguration

So basically, the inauguration is the last step of the presidential election process; it occurs on January 20th after the elections. On this date, the newly inducted president takes the oath of office and, with that, becomes the 46th president (or whatever number it is). In the same vein, the day sees the induction of the vice president into office.

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This day marks the beginning of the statutory four-year term for the president. The inauguration ceremony has traditionally included speeches and parades.

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Conclusion

Election of a president in the United States is not a simple matter; it involves primary elections, a national convention, a general election, and the final step known as the Electoral College. The system was made to balance the power of a larger state versus a smaller one; however, it finds its way sometimes in choosing an un-popular president.

The Electoral College system has been battered and bruised, yet still hardy after more than 200 years; it is still an institution shaping how Americans elect their leaders. It must be understood in order to understand how U.S. democracy and its elections unfold every four years.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Electoral College?

The president is elected through the Electoral College by electors representing the population in each state. Each state gets a fixed number of electors, and basically, the winner in a state gets all electoral votes from that state (except in Maine and Nebraska).

How many votes should a candidate get in order to win an election?

Over half of votes, that is, of at least 270 of the 538 votes, should be needed for a presidential candidate to win the presidential polls.

Could a contestant win while losing the popular vote?

Indeed, the Electoral College can be won by a candidate who wins a requisite number of states and loses the popular vote, as happened in both the 2000 and 2016 elections.

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