Each year the people of the United States elect a president and vice president to serve for four years. Unlike many other countries the US elects its president through a process known as the Electoral College, in which each state and the District of Columbia receives a number of electoral votes based on their population. A candidate must win a majority of electoral votes in order to become president.
The campaign for the presidency begins when candidates form political parties with similar ideas about how government should work. Then they begin touring the country and meeting voters. They also participate in televised debates where they are asked to explain their positions on various issues.
As the campaign heats up, a candidate’s weaknesses can be exploited by their opponents. For example, Trump went after Harris’s support for stricter gun laws. In a series of exchanges, she defended her position by pointing out that she is an armed citizen and supports background checks.
During the debates, a candidate’s image and message are often shaped by the media. Television and radio advertising are common, with campaigns spending millions of dollars to promote their messages. In the past, radio and television ads were more influential than today’s Internet-based advertisements.
After the presidential primaries and caucuses conclude, a candidate must win delegates from the political parties in order to be nominated for president. Once the delegates are selected, they gather at national conventions where they vote for the party’s presidential nominee.
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