Context:

The process of electing the U.S. President is a multi-step journey that begins long before the general election in November.

Details

To be eligible for US President, a candidate must:

Be a natural-born U.S. citizen
Be at least 35 years old
Have been a U.S. resident for at least 14 years

Candidates must also register with the Federal Election Commission after raising or spending more than $5,000 for their campaign.

Primaries and Caucuses

The process starts with primaries and caucuses, state-level elections used by political parties to select their presidential candidates.

Primaries involve secret ballots, while caucuses involve debates and discussions. These can be open, closed, or semi-closed, depending on the state's rules.

National Conventions

During National conventions, parties officially select their presidential and vice-presidential candidates. Delegates, pledged and unpledged, vote to confirm their choices. If no candidate gains a majority, additional voting rounds happen.

Election

The general election happens on the first Tuesday of November, every four years. Major party candidates are listed on the ballot, along with any qualifying third-party candidates. Registered voters can vote for any candidate, regardless of party affiliation. Some states allow early voting or absentee/mail-in voting.

Electoral College

The President is ultimately elected by the Electoral College, not the popular vote. Each state has electors equal to its congressional representation, plus three for Washington D.C., totaling 538 electors.

Voters indirectly choose electors who then vote for the President in December. A candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes to win.

Congress counts the electoral votes in early January. The new President's term begins on January 20, Inauguration Day.

Comparison of India and US Election

Electoral Structure and System

India functions under a parliamentary system. The President is the ceremonial head of state, while the Prime Minister holds executive power. The Indian Parliament has two houses: the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States). Lok Sabha members are elected every five years, while Rajya Sabha members are selected by state legislatures and the President.

The United States follows a federal system with a presidential model. The President is both the head of state and government, elected through the Electoral College. The U.S. Congress consists of the House of Representatives, with members elected every two years, and the Senate, where Senators serve six-year terms with staggered elections.

Election Cycle and Campaigning

India's election cycle includes national and state-level elections, regulated by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The United States has a decentralized system where state governments manage elections.

Voting Systems

India holds general elections every five years. The U.S. presidential elections are held every four years.

India uses a first-past-the-post (FPTP) system, where the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins.

The United States uses the FPTP system for congressional elections but includes the Electoral College for presidential elections. Voters cast ballots for electors pledged to vote for their chosen candidate.

In the U.S., voters face barriers like gerrymandering: political manipulation of electoral district boundaries with the intent to create undue advantage for a party, group, or socioeconomic class within the constituency.

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Source:

The Hindu