how to elect US president美國總統選舉

HowtoelectaUSpresident?

RepublicanParty(共和黨)

Democraticparty(民主黨)JohnMcCain（約翰·麥凱恩）AbrahamLincoln（亞伯拉罕·林肯）GeorgeBush（喬治·布什）BarackObama（貝拉克·奧巴馬）WilliamJeffersonClinton（威廉·杰弗遜·克林頓）HillaryClinton（希拉里·克林頓）TheUSConstitutionspecifiesthatapresidentmustbeelectedeveryfouryears.Candidateswantingtogoforthemostpowerfuljobintheworldmustbeatleast35yearsoldandaUScitizenbornintheUSA.Potentialcandidatesforman"exploratorycommittee"togarnersupportfromsympatheticpartyfollowersandlobbydonorsforthevitalcampaigncontributions.Iftheybelievetheyhaveenoughsupport,theyinformfederalauthoritiesthattheyareintheraceandgetonwithseriousfundraisingandstate-to-statecampaigningfortheirparty'snomination.TherulesAmericanpoliticianssaythewaytheyelecttheirpresidentisoneofthemostopenanddemocraticprocessesintheworld.Buttooutsidersitcanalsobeoneofthemostbaffling.★IntroductionTheelectionraceinsomecountriestakesjustafewweeks,butUSpresidentialcandidatesundergoapoliticalmarathon,negotiatingprimaries,partyconventionsandanelectoralcollegesystemalongtheway.Step1ThePrimaries

Theprimaryisthefirststepinchoosingaparty'spresidentialcandidate.TheprimaryseasonbeginsintheJanuarybeforetheelectionandlastsuntilaboutJune.Thisiswherecandidatesfightwithinthetwomainparties,RepublicanandDemocratic,fortheirparty'snomination.Inmostcountries,thepartypicksthecandidate.ButintheUS,voterswhodeclaresupportforonepartyoranothergettochoosefromthelistofcandidates.Thecandidates,campaigningagainstothermembersofthesameparty,mustwinenoughstateprimariestogivethemamajorityofdelegatesatthepartyconventioninthesummer.Step2TheConvention

ThepartyconventionsareoneofthegreatsetpiecesofAmericanpolitics.Eachstatearrivesatthehallwithitsowndelegatesandbannersdeclaringwhichpresidentialcandidateitsupports.Bythisstage,thepartynormallyknowswhohaswon.Thedelegatesfromeachstateformallychoosetheirchampiontogoforwardaspresidentialcandidate.Thecandidatewiththemostdelegateswins-andnormallysecuresthesupportofpartyrivals.Thewinningcandidatealsonamesavice-presidentialrunningmate.Step3TheCampaign

Therivalcandidatessquareupforthepresidentialcampaignproper.Policiesarerefined,oftentotakeintoaccountthesupportersofthecandidateswhohavebeeneliminated.Thisstageofthecampaignisshorterthantheslogthroughthestateprimaries.Thereisheavyspendingonnationwidetelevisionpublicity,andthereareusuallyteleviseddebatesbetweenthecandidates.Inthefinalweeks,thecontenderstypicallyconcentratetheirattentiononthebigso-called"swingstates"astheybattleitoutforthecriticalelectoralcollegevotes.Step4ElectionDay

Everyfouryears,onElectionDay,(TuesdayafterthefirstMondayinNovember),registeredvotersintheUnitedStatescasttheirvotesforpresidentialelectors.Collectively,theseelectorsformtheElectoralCollege(選舉團).ThenumberofelectorsperstateisequaltothenumberinitsCongressionaldelegation.Thus,eachstatehasatleastthreeelectors.KansashassixelectorsandMissourihaseleven.TheseelectorsmeetonthefirstTuesdayafterthesecondWednesdayinDecembertoelectthePresidentandVice-President.Fullname:BarackHusseinObamaBirth:OnAugust4,1961Graduation:ColumbiaUniversity(哥倫比亞大學)andHarvardLawSchool(哈佛法學院)Election:OnFebruary10,2007,ObamaannouncedhiscandidacyforPresidentoftheUnitedStatesinfrontoftheOldStateCapitolbuildinginSpringfield,Illinois.Throughoutthecampaign,ObamahasemphasizedtheissuesofrapidlyendingtheIraqWar,increasingenergyindependence,andprovidinguniversalhealthcare.Andhepromised“change”intheca