The presidential race involves the selection of a president and vice president for the United States. The election is decided by a vote of electors, who are formally known as the Electoral College. The candidate who receives a majority of electoral votes is the winner. Electoral votes are cast by the citizens of each state and the District of Columbia. The process of electing the president can be confusing. In this article we explain the basic principles of how the system works.
Candidates from the two major political parties, the Democrats and Republicans, begin their campaign trails early in the election year. They organize teams and begin fundraising for their campaigns. In addition, they participate in televised debates. During these events they have to answer questions about their policies and defend them against their opponents’ positions.
Both Trump and Biden faced a series of challenges to their candidacy in the primaries and caucuses. But despite his erratic behavior and a series of controversial comments, Trump managed to amass enough support to secure the Republican nomination.
In the Democratic race, Harris defeated Biden in a popular vote by almost three-to-one. Both candidates had strong support from women, Latino voters, and Asian voters. They also had competitive margins with voters who attended religious services regularly. However, Trump held a wider advantage among voters without four-year college degrees.
In the general election, the presidential candidate who receives a majority of the electoral votes becomes president. The Electoral College has 338 votes and is used in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.