318. How Does the US Presidential Election Work? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
Nov 4, 2024
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The upcoming US presidential election is heating up, featuring Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Dive into the candidate selection process and get acquainted with essential electoral vocabulary. Discover the intricacies of the two-party system and the pivotal role of the Electoral College. Learn how delegates influence campaign strategies and what happens on election day. Explore evolving voting methods, especially post-pandemic, and understand the significance of key states. This whirlwind tour reveals what makes US elections uniquely complex!
The US presidential election process involves an Electoral College system where candidates are elected through a designated group of electors rather than direct votes.
Each election features a unique candidate selection process through primaries and caucuses, reflecting distinct strategies and party dynamics within the two-party system.
Deep dives
Understanding the Electoral Process
The electoral process in the United States hinges on a unique system known as the Electoral College, which complicates the way votes translate into election outcomes. Voters cast their ballots not directly for candidates, but for a designated group of electors who ultimately decide the presidency. To win, a candidate must secure a majority of the 538 electoral votes, with 270 required for victory. This system can lead to scenarios where a candidate wins the presidency despite receiving fewer raw votes, as evidenced by the 2016 election where Donald Trump triumphed over Hillary Clinton despite losing the popular vote by three million.
The Structure of US Politics
The political framework of the United States is characterized by a federal republic system, which allows both the national and state governments to exercise authority over various matters. Responsibilities are divided among three branches of government: the executive, led by the president, the legislative, comprising Congress, and the judicial, including the Supreme Court. This separation of powers is designed to prevent the concentration of power within a single branch, ensuring a system of checks and balances. The two-party system, dominated by the Democratic and Republican parties, plays a central role in shaping the political landscape, with each party embodying distinct ideological values.
Election Campaigns and Candidate Selection
The candidate selection process involves primaries and caucuses, where party members help determine their nominee for the presidency. Democrats and Republicans engage in a series of contests across states to select delegates who will formally vote at their respective national conventions. The approach taken in primaries, which is more straightforward and voter-focused, contrasts with the communal nature of caucuses, where participants publicly show their candidate preferences. Following this selection process, the candidates launch extensive campaigns to appeal to a broader electorate, employing various strategies including public rallies, debates, and social media engagement to gain support leading up to Election Day.
On November 5th, the United States of America will elect their next President. The two candidates this year are former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris.
The election has been controversial and close. There have been assassination attempts against Donald Trump, the original Democratic candidate Joe Biden dropped out of the race, and the United States seems relatively politically unstable.
This episode is not going to focus specifically on this year’s US election, but on the US presidential election in general. My aim is to explain how candidates are selected, the key features of US elections, and what makes them unique.
Hopefully, after listening to this episode, you will be able to understand the events of this year’s election day!