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Campaigning and Fundraising
This includes your debates (pre-primary as well as pre-election). Campaigning would include exposure on the internet, all sorts of ads, direct mail, social media, and blog posts. It costs money to run for president. over 1 billion dollars was spent on the race in 2004, and that number is raising every year. -
Caucuses and Primaries (Delegate Nomination)
Next is the primaries and cuacuses. The purpose of these are to narrow the field down to the final candidates. there are multiple types of primaries: Open primaries, closed primaries, semi-closed, semi-open, blanket, and run-off. And there are Caucusses in some states as well. Support is dropped for some candidates because of lack of funds. -
Political Party Convetion
At the political party conventions, delegates are selected by the state primaries to the winning candidates. Whoever wins that party's majority of delegate votes gets their nomination for President. -
Election day
Now that its down to a couple main candidates (and the minor parties), it's time to vote. People don't have to be part of a party to vote in the election, they just need to be a citizen, and meet other criteria. -
Vote of the Electoral College
When citizens are voting, they are actually voting for what they want their representatives to vote for. Each states electors gather in their state capital to cast their vote for President and Vice President in mid December. Those votes aren't counted until Janurary. The Electors don't HAVE TO vote the way they are supposed to.
