Presidential Elections

Question 1

Timeline

Answer 1

Presidential elections take place every four years. Each party selects a candidate in the party’s primary process. An election campaign follows this and the public vote for the president based on the electoral college system.

Question 2

Constitutional requirements

Answer 2

The Constitution states that candidates must be natural-born US citizen. Presidential candidates must have lived in the USA for over 14 years. Candidates must be over the age of 35. The 22nd Amendment of the Constitution limits the president to two four year terms.

Question 3

Candidate announcement

Answer 3

In the invisible primary, candidates announce they will run for president.
These announcements can often come months before the primary election.
E.g. Ted Cruz announced his campaign for president 10 months before the Republican primary started.

Question 4

Media exposure

Answer 4

In the invisible primary candidates aim to increase their recognition by appearing in the media and visiting important states for the primary election.

Question 5

TV debates

Answer 5

Televised debates take place between candidates standing in the primary election.
TV debates offer candidates the chance to speak to voters before the primary voting starts. In the 2015-16 invisible primary, Republican candidates had seven tv debates and Democrat candidates had ten.

Question 6

Campaigning

Answer 6

Candidates put together their campaign team during the invisible primary. Candidates start fundraising to fund their election campaign, and need enough money to campaign and advertise.

Question 7

Fundraising examples

Answer 7

Jeb Bush raised $33.5 million in the 2015-16 invisible primary.

Donald Trump raised $25.5 million in the 2015-16 invisible primary and donated $18 million himself.