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Basic requirements for running for US president -

To run for president of the United States of America there are certain constitutional requirements. Those requirements are as follows: be a natural-born US citizen, be at least 35 years old, and have been a resident of the US for at least 14 years.

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The fine print -

Candidates who raise or spend over $US5,000 must register with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to run officially.

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The path to becoming a presidential nominee -

Presidential primaries are elections held by states where voters choose their preferred candidate for each party.

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Caucuses -

Caucuses are similar to primaries but involve local gatherings of voters who discuss and vote for their preferred candidate in a more hands-on way. There are two types of caucuses: traditional and modified. 

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Types of primaries -

There are four types of primaries including open, closed, semi-closed, and top-two primaries. In open primaries, any registered voter can participate regardless of party affiliation while in closed only registered party members can vote in their respective party's primary.

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Semi-closed primaries -

Semi-closed primaries are where a registered party member can vote in their own party's primary and unaffiliated voters can choose which party's primary to vote in. 

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Top-two primaries -

In top-two primaries, all candidates run in the same primary regardless of the party they're affiliated with and the two who receive the top number of votes then advance to the general election.

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Awarding delegates -

Delegates are individuals who represent their party at the national conventions and candidates win delegates based on votes in primaries or caucuses.

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National conventions -

National political conventions are where parties officially nominate their candidate for president. They often include speeches, voting, and more.

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Types of delegates -

There are pledged delegates who are bound to a candidate based on the primary results and then there are unpledged/superdelegates who are free to vote for any candidate.

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Presidential general election - The general presidential election includes the major party nominees (from the conventions) and third-party or independent candidates.

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Voting in the presidential election -

Registered US citizens who are 18 years of age and older can vote. Voting usually takes place in person at polling places.

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Exceptions -

There are some exceptions and circumstances where individuals are unable to vote on election day. The options that remain for most are absentee voting (for those unable to vote in person) and early voting.

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The Electoral College -

The Electoral College is not a physical place but rather a process that includes the selection of electors, a subsequent meeting of electors who cast votes for the president and vice president, and then a final counting of their votes by Congress. In short, candidates are not chosen directly by popular vote but through the Electoral College process. 

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Who is in the Electoral College? -

Each state has as many electors as it has members of Congress (House and Senate). There are currently 538 electors in total, including Washington D.C.'s three.

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How does the Electoral College work? -

After you cast your ballot for president, it then goes to a statewide tally. In 48 states and Washington D.C., whoever wins will get all the electoral votes for that state. In the remaining states of Maine and Nebraska, electors are assigned using a proportional system.

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Step two -

A candidate needs to earn the votes of at least 270 electors or more than half of the total to win the presidential election.

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Step three -

A projected winner is usually announced on election night in November after voting closes. However, the Electoral College vote takes place later in mid-December.

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What happens if no candidate wins the majority of electoral votes? -

If no candidate wins a majority of electoral votes in the US presidential election then the winner is decided by the House of Representatives in a process outlined in the 12th Amendment to the US Constitution.

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Election cycle timeline -

The timeline is a year-long process, more or less, and the Spring before an election year is when potential candidates usually announce their campaigns and start fundraising.

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Summer before an election year -

In the summer before an election year, campaigns really start ramping up, and candidates will attend debates.

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January to June of the election year -

From January to June of an election year, states and parties will hold presidential primaries and caucuses.

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July to September of the election year -

Parties will hold nominating conventions where they'll choose their presidential candidates. Around this time, the presidential candidate will also announce their vice presidential running mate.

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September and October of the election year -

During the months of September and October, the presidential candidates will participate in debates and discuss top issues.

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Early November -

In early November, specifically the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, the presidential election will occur and those registered and able to vote have the opportunity to do so.

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December -

In December, electors will cast their presidential votes in the Electoral College.

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Early January of the next calendar year -

Following the election, Congress will count the electoral votes received and come to a final decision.

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January 20 -

January 20 is the presidential inauguration day or the official day when the newly elected president takes office for their four-year term.

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When is the next presidential election? -

The next US presidential election will be held on November 5, 2024, and the two major parties are represented by Kamala Harris (Democrats) and Donald Trump (Republicans).

Sources: (BBC) (USAGov) (Britannica)

See also: How NASA astronauts vote from space

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