Presidential Elections

Six Steps to the White house

Step 1 Declaration of CandidatesCandidates step forward and announce their candidacy for president.

Step 2 Primaries and CaucusesTo thin out the number of candidates running, parties hold practice elections called primaries in the early part of the election year.

36 states have primaries. States that don’t have primaries have special party meetings called caucuses. A caucus is held to choose a candidate for office.

Step 3 National ConventionIn the summer, both parties meet separately and hold their national conventions. At conventions,

1) the party chooses one candidate to run for president2) the party discusses and agrees on its platform

Step 4 Pre-Election campaignsEach candidate for their party now campaigns before election day. The candidates may debate, and there are lots of ads, and propaganda.

Step 5 Election DayVoters go to the polls to vote. Election Day is always the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

Step 6 Electoral CollegeElectors in the Electoral College meet to cast their votes in early December. It is these votes that will determine who wins as the new president.