The Presidential Election Process

Introduction

The U.S. presidential election is the process, governed by rules in the Constitution of the United States, which allows electors to choose the president and vice president. The appointment of electors and the choice of candidates follow the rules established by each state. According to the Constitution of the United States, the presidential election is held every four years.

The last U.S. presidential election was held in November 4, 2008, however, about a third of voters had voted in advance. Not one of the two candidates, in reality, but for a group of electors, meeting in a body called the Electoral College. This is what the Electoral College, Constitutional relic of the nineteenth century, which actually elects the president and vice president. Electoral College was created by the 12th Amendment to the Constitution in 1804; the Electoral College has 538 members (Nicosia, pp. 132-139). Each state is represented by electors equal in number to the number of Senators and Representatives representing this state in Congress.

Who is Eligible to contest in Presidential Elections?

In accordance with the Article II of the US Constitution and amendments thereto set out the eligibility criteria for the president and vice president.  According to eligibility criteria, to be eligible for the U.S. presidential election, a person must be/have: 

Aged over 35 years

A citizen of the United States by birth 

Resided in the United States for at least 14 years 

Not be a candidate for a third term. 

However, since the adoption of Amendment XXII in 1947, a President cannot contest in the presidential election for more than two terms. The method of appointing electors varies from state to state. The electoral votes are often chosen from the elected officials, leaders of the Democratic and Republican parties and those close to the presidential candidate. The U.S. Constitution is very concise regarding the qualifications ...