United States presidential election facts for kids

The election of the president and the vice president of the United States is an indirect election in which citizens of the United States who are registered to vote in one of the fifty U.S. states or in Washington, D.C., cast ballots not directly for those offices, but instead for members of the Electoral College. These electors then cast direct votes, known as electoral votes, for president, and for vice president. The candidate who receives an absolute majority of electoral votes (at least 270 out of 538, since the Twenty-Third Amendment granted voting rights to citizens of D.C.) is then elected to that office. If no candidate receives an absolute majority of the votes for president, the House of Representatives elects the president; likewise if no one receives an absolute majority of the votes for vice president, then the Senate elects the vice president.

United States presidential elections (also known as United States general elections) differ from many republics around the world (operating under either the presidential system or the semi-presidential system) which use direct elections from the national popular vote ('one person, one vote') of their entire countries to elect their respective presidents. The United States instead uses indirect elections for its president through the Electoral College, and the system is highly decentralized like other elections in the United States. The Electoral College and its procedure are established in the U.S. Constitution by Article II, Section 1, Clauses 2 and 4; and the Twelfth Amendment (which replaced Clause 3 after its ratification in 1804). Under Clause 2, each state casts as many electoral votes as the total number of its Senators and Representatives in Congress, while (per the Twenty-third Amendment, ratified in 1961) Washington, D.C., casts the same number of electoral votes as the least-represented state, which is three. Also under Clause 2, the manner for choosing electors is determined by each state legislature, not directly by the federal government. Many state legislatures previously selected their electors directly, but over time all switched to using the popular vote to choose electors. Beyond the parameters set in the U.S. Constitution, state law, not federal, regulates most aspects of administering the popular vote, including a majority of the voter eligibility and registration requirements.

Almost all states mandate the winner of the plurality of its constituent statewide popular vote ('one person, one vote') shall receive all of that state's electors ("winner-takes-all'). Eighteen states also have specific laws that punish electors who vote in opposition to the plurality, known as "faithless" or "unpledged" electors. In modern times, faithless and unpledged electors have not affected the ultimate outcome of an election, so the results can generally be determined based on the state-by-state popular vote. In addition, most of the time, the winner also wins the national popular vote. There have been four exceptions: 1876, 1888, 2000, and 2016 produced an Electoral College winner who lost the popular vote due to the outsized effects of close and narrow pluralities in numerous swing states. In addition, the 1824 election was the only presidential election under the current system ever decided by a contingent election in Congress, which elected a different president than the candidate with a plurality in both the electoral and popular vote.

Presidential elections occur every four years on Election Day, which since 1845 has been the first Tuesday after November 1. This date coincides with the general elections of various other federal, state, and local races; since local governments are responsible for managing elections, these races typically all appear on one ballot. The Electoral College electors then formally cast their electoral votes on the first Monday after December 12 at their state's capital. Congress then certifies the results in early January, and the presidential term begins on Inauguration Day, which since the passage of the Twentieth Amendment has been set at January 20.

The nomination process, consisting of the primary elections and caucuses and the nominating conventions, was not specified in the Constitution, but was developed over time by the states and political parties. These primary elections are generally held between January and June before the general election in November, while the nominating conventions are held in the summer. Though not codified by law, political parties also follow an indirect election process, where voters in the fifty states, Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories, cast ballots for a slate of delegates to a political party's nominating convention, who then elect their party's presidential nominee. Each party may then choose a vice presidential running mate to join the ticket, which is either determined by choice of the nominee or by a second round of voting. Because of changes to national campaign finance laws since the 1970s regarding the disclosure of contributions for federal campaigns, presidential candidates from the major political parties usually declare their intentions to run as early as the spring of the previous calendar year before the election (almost 21 months before Inauguration Day).

A 2016 general election ballot, listing the presidential and vice presidential candidates

History of US Presidential Elections

The Electoral College: How it Started

The way presidents are elected was first set up in Article Two of the Constitution. This included creating the Electoral College. It was a compromise between those who wanted Congress to choose the president and those who wanted a national popular vote.

The Constitution says each state gets a number of electors equal to its total number of Senators and Representatives. In 1961, the 23rd Amendment gave the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) electors, equal to the smallest state. However, U.S. territories do not get electors.

How States Choose Electors

The Constitution states that each state's legislature decides how its electors are chosen. In the first presidential election in 1789, only 6 of the 11 states allowed people to vote for electors.

Over the years, states gradually started holding popular elections to choose their electors. By 1824, 18 out of 24 states chose electors by popular vote. This move towards more democracy happened as voting rights expanded. By 1840, only one state, South Carolina, still had its state legislature choose electors.

The Role of Vice Presidents

The original system had electors vote for two presidential candidates. The one with the most votes became president, and the second-place candidate became vice president. This caused a problem in the 1800 election when Aaron Burr tied with Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was eventually chosen as president.

Because of this, the Twelfth Amendment was passed. It made electors cast separate votes for president and vice president. This solved the tie issue. Today, the president and vice president are usually chosen together as a team by their political party.

What Happens in a Tie Vote?

The Twelfth Amendment also set rules for when no candidate wins a majority of votes in the Electoral College. In the 1824 election, Andrew Jackson won the most votes, but not a majority. The election was decided by the House of Representatives, and John Quincy Adams was elected president.

The Popular Vote's Importance

Since 1824, the popular vote in each state generally decides how its electoral votes are given out. Although the nationwide popular vote doesn't directly decide the winner, it usually matches the Electoral College winner. In 54 out of 59 elections (about 91%), the winner of the national popular vote also won the Electoral College. Differences only happen in very close elections.

However, candidates have won the presidency without winning the most votes nationwide. This happened in 1824, 1876, 1888, 2000, and 2016. Many ideas have been suggested to change the Electoral College to a direct popular vote, but none have passed Congress.

Comparison of the popular vote totals since 1900.      Republican     Democrat     All other candidates together

Election Dates Explained

Presidential Election Day was set for a Tuesday in November because of old factors like weather, harvests, and worship. Back when people traveled by horse, Tuesday was ideal. It allowed them to worship on Sunday, travel to their county seat on Monday, and vote on Tuesday, all before market day on Wednesday. November fit well between harvest time and harsh winter weather.

The Electoral Count Act of 1887

Congress passed the Electoral Count Act in 1887 after the disputed 1876 election. This law set up rules for counting electoral votes. It also includes a deadline for states to resolve any issues about their electors.

Inauguration Day Changes

Until 1937, presidents were sworn in on March 4th. This was because it took a long time to count votes and for the winner to travel to the capital. With better transportation and the Twentieth Amendment, presidential inaugurations were moved to January 20th. This allows presidents to start their duties sooner.

Campaign Spending Rules

The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 made it necessary to reveal contributions for federal campaigns. Later changes to the law require candidates to file a Statement of Candidacy if they receive or spend more than $5,000. This is why presidential candidates often announce their plans to run very early, sometimes almost two years before Inauguration Day, so they can start raising money.

Political Parties' Role

The U.S. Constitution doesn't mention political parties, as the Founding Fathers didn't plan for American politics to be partisan. The first president, George Washington, was elected as an independent. Since then, all presidents have represented one of the two major parties. Third parties have rarely come in second place.

Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions

In the first two elections, the Electoral College handled nominations and elections. Starting in 1796, party groups in Congress or state legislatures chose presidential candidates. This system changed by 1832, and since then, national conventions have been the main way to nominate candidates.

Later, during the Progressive Era, reformers pushed for primary elections to get more public input on candidates. Florida had the first presidential primary in 1901. The idea of binding primaries, where delegates must support the primary winner, gained strength after the 1968 Democratic National Convention. After this, many states adopted primaries to allow wider participation.

How the Election Process Works

Who Can Run for President?

The hand-written copy of the natural-born-citizen clause as it appeared in 1787

Article Two of the Constitution says that to be president, a person must be a natural-born citizen of the United States, at least 35 years old, and have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years. A candidate can start campaigning before meeting these age or residency rules, but they must meet them by Inauguration Day. The Twenty-second Amendment also limits a president to two terms.

The Constitution also has rules for other federal officials, which may also apply to the presidency. For example, if someone is removed from office through impeachment, the Senate can vote to stop them from holding any public office in the future. Also, Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment stops anyone who engaged in rebellion after holding a federal or state office from being elected to federal office, unless two-thirds of Congress agrees.

The Twelfth Amendment also states that the vice president must meet all the same qualifications as the president.

While not required, federal campaign finance laws mean that candidates who plan to raise or spend more than $5,000 must file a Statement of Candidacy. This is why major party candidates often announce their plans to run very early, sometimes a year before the election, to start raising money.

Decentralized Election System and Voter Eligibility

The U.S. presidential election, like all other elections in the United States, is very decentralized. While the U.S. Constitution sets some basic rules, state law, not federal law, controls most parts of elections. This includes primaries, voter eligibility (beyond the basic constitutional rules), and how each state's Electoral College meeting is run. All elections are managed by individual states.

So, the presidential election is really a collection of separate state elections. Candidates must file separate paperwork in each of the 50 states to get on the ballot, and the rules for filing vary by state.

Voter eligibility is set by the Constitution and state laws. The 15th, 19th, and 26th Amendments say that citizens cannot be denied the right to vote based on race, color, sex, or age (for those 18 or older). Beyond these, state legislatures set other rules for voter eligibility and registration. For example, some states prevent people with certain criminal convictions from voting.

The Nominating Process

A 2008 Democratic caucus meeting in Iowa City, Iowa. The Iowa caucuses are traditionally the first major electoral event of presidential primaries and caucuses.

Madison Square Garden in New York City, the site of the 1976, 1980, and 1992 Democratic National Conventions; and the 2004 Republican National Convention.

The floor of the 2008 Republican National Convention at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

The modern way U.S. presidential candidates are nominated has two main parts: a series of presidential primary elections and caucuses in each state, and the presidential nominating conventions held by each political party. This process wasn't in the Constitution but developed over time.

Primary elections are run by state and local governments, while caucuses are run by the political parties. Some states have only primaries, some only caucuses, and some use both. These events are usually held between January and June before the federal election. Iowa and New Hampshire traditionally hold the first caucus and primary.

Like the general election, presidential caucuses or primaries are indirect elections. Major political parties officially vote for their presidential candidate at their nominating conventions, usually in the summer. When voters cast ballots in a primary or caucus, they might be voting for delegates who are "bound" to vote for a certain candidate at the convention, or they might just be expressing an opinion.

Unlike the general election, voters in U.S. territories can also elect delegates to the national conventions. Each political party decides how many delegates to give to each state and territory. For example, in 2012, the Democratic and Republican parties used different ways to assign delegates.

Along with delegates chosen in primaries and caucuses, state and U.S. territory groups at both Democratic and Republican conventions also include "unpledged" delegates who can vote. For Republicans, these are the top three party officials from each state and territory. Democrats have a larger group of unpledged delegates called "superdelegates," who are party leaders and elected officials.

Each party's presidential candidate also chooses a vice presidential nominee to run with them. This choice is usually approved by the convention.

If no single candidate gets a majority of delegates, a "brokered convention" happens. All pledged delegates are then "released" and can switch their support to a different candidate. The nomination is then decided through more voting and political deals.

Conventions have historically been held in convention centers, but more recently, both parties have used sports arenas and stadiums to fit more people.

Campaign Strategy

A big part of getting elected is running a good campaign. Candidates use many different strategies to get elected. The main goal is to get their supporters to vote and convince undecided voters.

Political scientist Joel Bradshaw suggests four key ideas for a successful campaign:

• First, divide eligible voters into three groups: undecided voters, voters for your opponent, and your own supporters.
• Second, use past election results and surveys to figure out who belongs in each group.
• Third, it's not necessary or possible to get every voter's support. Campaigns should focus on keeping their supporters and using data to win over undecided voters.
• Fourth, once the campaign knows its main strategy, it needs to use its resources (like money and people) wisely to make that strategy work.

Campaign tactics are also important. These depend on the campaign's resources and how they use them for advertising. Most candidates use many tactics to get their message out everywhere, but they don't always have enough money. Running ads on TV is the most expensive way to advertise, but it reaches the most potential voters. However, personal contact is believed to be the most effective way to convince voters. It works much better than contacting people by email or phone.

Voting on Election Day

A Texas voter about to mark a selection for president on a ballot, 2008 Election Day

The U.S. Constitution says each state's legislature decides how to choose electors for the Electoral College. Even though all states now use a popular vote, other methods are allowed. For example, some states used to have their state legislature directly choose electors.

However, federal law says all electors must be chosen on the same day: "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November" (a Tuesday between November 2nd and 8th). Today, states and Washington, D.C. hold their own popular elections on Election Day to decide their electors.

Generally, voters mark their choice on a ballot. Voting for president means you are supporting a group of electors who have promised to vote for a specific presidential and vice presidential candidate.

Many ballots allow voters to choose all candidates from a particular political party at once, or to select individual candidates. Which candidates appear on the ballot is decided by a legal process called ballot access. Usually, only major party candidates or those with enough support are listed. Laws allow other candidates to be listed if they get enough voter signatures.

The last way to be elected president is to have your name written in as a write-in candidate. This is for candidates who didn't meet the rules to be pre-listed. However, for a write-in candidate to win, a group of electors must be ready to vote for them, which is very rare. No write-in candidate has ever won a state's presidential election. Sometimes, people write in alternative candidates like Mickey Mouse to show they don't like the listed choices.

Because U.S. territories are not part of the Electoral College, U.S. citizens in those areas do not vote in the general election for president. Guam has held straw polls for president since 1980 to highlight this fact.

The Electoral College Process

Democrat Joe Biden won the popular vote in 25 states (blue) plus D.C. and Nebraska's 2nd congressional district to capture 306 electoral votes. Republican Donald Trump won the popular vote in 25 states (red) and in Maine's 2nd congressional district to capture 232 electoral votes.]] Most state laws use a winner-take-all system. This means the candidate who wins the most votes in a state gets all of that state's electoral votes. Maine and Nebraska are different; they give two electoral votes to the statewide winner and one electoral vote to the winner of each Congressional district.

Each state's winning electors meet in their state's capital on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December to cast their electoral votes for president and vice president. Although Electoral College members can vote for anyone, 32 states and the District of Columbia have laws against "faithless electors" (electors who don't vote for the person they promised). The Supreme Court ruled in 2020 that states can punish or replace faithless electors.

In early January, the sitting vice president (who is also the president of the Senate) opens and reads the total Electoral College vote count to a joint session of the new Congress. Members of Congress can object to any state's electoral votes, but both houses must agree to invalidate those votes.

If no candidate gets a majority of the electoral vote (at least 270), the president is chosen by the Twelfth Amendment rules. The contingent election for president is decided by the House of Representatives, where each state gets one vote. The Senate chooses the vice president, with each senator getting one vote. The House has chosen the president only twice (1800 and 1824), and the Senate has chosen the vice president only once (1836).

If a president is not chosen by Inauguration Day, the vice president-elect acts as president. If neither is chosen, Congress decides who acts as president, according to the Twentieth Amendment.

Unless there are faithless electors or disputes, the events in December and January are mostly formal. The winner is usually known based on the state-by-state popular vote results. Between the general election and Inauguration Day, this apparent winner is called the "president-elect."

Election Calendar

Here are the typical periods for the presidential election process, with dates for the 2024 election:

• Late 2022 to early 2023: Candidates announce they plan to run and file paperwork.
• June 2023 to January 2024: Primary and caucus debates happen.
• January to June 2024: States hold primaries and caucuses.
• Late May to August 2024: Parties hold their nominating conventions.
• September and October 2024: Presidential candidates have debates.
• November 5, 2024: This is Election Day.
• December 17, 2024: Electors cast their electoral votes.
• January 6, 2025: Congress counts and certifies the electoral votes.

Trends in Presidential Elections

Previous Experience of Presidents

John Adams was the first of 26 presidents who have been lawyers.

Among the 45 people who have been president, only Donald Trump had never held a position in government or the military before taking office. The only previous experience Zachary Taylor, Ulysses S. Grant, and Dwight D. Eisenhower had was in the military. Herbert Hoover was previously the Secretary of Commerce. Everyone else served in elected public office before becoming president, such as being vice president, a member of Congress, or a state governor.

Fifteen presidents also served as vice president. Six of them won their first term after winning an election. The other nine became president because their predecessor died or resigned. Of these, four were later elected to a full term of their own.

Sixteen presidents had previously served in the U.S. Senate, but only three were sitting senators when elected president. Eighteen presidents had served in the House of Representatives, but only one was a sitting representative when elected president.

Four of the last seven presidents were state governors. The most common job for U.S. presidents has been a lawyer; 26 presidents were attorneys. Twenty-two presidents also served in the military. Eight presidents served as Cabinet Secretaries.

After leaving office, one president, William Howard Taft, served as Chief Justice of the United States. Two others later served in Congress.

Technology and Media's Impact

Advances in technology and media have greatly affected presidential campaigns. The invention of radio and then television led to important national political advertisements.

Since the mid-1990s, Internet activism has become a very important part of campaigns, especially since 2000. The internet was first used in the 1996 elections, but mostly just for basic information. The potential of the internet was really seen in the 2004 election. By summer 2003, many candidates had campaign websites. Howard Dean's website was seen as a model for future campaigns. It allowed supporters to learn about his platform, donate, get involved, and connect with others. A 2004 poll showed that almost half of Americans used the internet for candidate information.

The internet has also become a powerful tool for raising money from many small donations. In 2016, social media was a key part of Donald Trump's campaign. He used it to post many times a day, keeping his opinions "trending" and strengthening his online influence. Internet channels like YouTube were used by candidates to share speeches and ads and to criticize opponents.

A 2010 study showed that over half of U.S. adults used the internet to get information about the 2010 midterm elections and candidates. Also, many used social networking sites or Twitter to discuss elections.

E-campaigning (online campaigning) has very few rules. In 2006, the Federal Election Commission decided not to regulate political communication on the Internet, including emails, blogs, and websites. This means only paid online ads are subject to campaign finance limits.

A key part of U.S. presidential campaigns is how media is used to "frame" (present) opponents and issues. This is called "priming." For example, during the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump successfully influenced how voters thought about Hillary Clinton, by calling her "Crooked Hillary." The media often focused on her email scandal. Trump appealed to voters' anti-government feelings, while Clinton focused on the country's future. Trump's slogan, "Make America Great Again", made Americans feel the country was in decline, making them willing to take a risk on a candidate without political experience. Trump's message reached voters with the help of the media.

Electoral College Results Table

This table shows the results of past presidential elections. Candidates who received at least one electoral vote or at least five percent of the popular vote are included.