US Presidential Election | India vs US Presidential Election

• Context (IE): Donald J Trump was elected the 47th president of the US defeating incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris.

• The US President is both the head of state and the head of government of the United States of America. In addition, S/he is the head of the executive branch of government and the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.
• Eligibility for US President:
  • Natural-born citizen of the country
  • 35 years of age or older
  • Resident of the U.S. for 14 years
• Tenure of US President: Four Years. In the US, a person can be the President for only two terms.

US Presidential Election

• The two main parties (Democrats & Republicans) nominate a presidential candidate by holding a series of votes called state primaries and caucuses. Independent candidates, too, run for the post of President.
  • The Democrats are a liberal political party whose agenda is defined largely by its push for civil rights, a broad social safety net, and measures to address climate change.
  • The Republicans, known as the Grand Old Party, is a conservative political party. It advocates for lower taxes, shrinking the size of the government & tighter restrictions on immigration and abortion.
• US citizens who are aged 18 or over. Every state except North Dakota requires people to register before they can vote. U.S. votes for its President on the first Tuesday of November, every four years.

Election Process

Credits: LM

Primaries and Caucuses

• Primaries are State-level elections in which political parties select their presidential candidates. They are usually held 6-9 months before the general election, and voters choose their candidates anonymously through secret ballots.
• Caucuses are run by political parties. Here, party members select the “best candidate” through voting.

National Conventions

• National conventions are where parties select their presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
• State delegates confirm their choices through votes, and the person who gets the majority becomes the party’s presidential candidate. In case no candidate gets the majority, convention delegates participate in additional rounds of voting to choose a nominee.
• The chosen presidential candidate also announces their running mate – the vice-presidential candidate – at the national convention.

General Election

• Candidates of major political parties are listed on the ballot.
• Registered voters can participate in the general election even if they did not vote in the primary elections. They can also vote for any candidate, their registration with the party does not matter.

Electoral College

• The President is not elected through the votes cast by citizens but through the electoral college process.
• It consists of electors from each state who officially elect the President and Vice President.
• The number of electors from each state corresponds to its congressional representation (Senators and Representatives). A candidate must secure a majority of electoral votes (270) to win the presidency.

India vs US Presidential Election