Wait a minute George, I’m confused a little?

So just how does the US election system work?

If you’re like many educated, (but, “I just didn’t want to have to ask”) people, you may have always wondered just how the US electoral system actually works.

Like all things American it seems to be far too much razzmatazz and far too little common sense. I mean why don’t they have one big Election Day like the UK or Australia, and why don’t the party’s choose their representatives?
It often seems more of a charade, a mere popularity contest between actors vying to create the next American Political dynasty.

Nominating your candidate:

At the start of each 4 year cycle, both the Republicans and Democrats put in motion a process that will ultimately result in choosing who will be their candidate.
The candidates are chosen by delegates from each State. To put it in layman’s terms, each State has a requisite number of delegates that can nominate their preferred candidate.

The first to reach the majority figure of 2,025 (this figure can vary for each election, however that is the magic number for the 2008 version) is declared their party’s presidential candidate.

If it is a second term Presidency, as it was for George Walker Bush in 2004, then the President will usually (assuming he is not stepping down, in which case it is usually the sitting Vice-President) be the candidate for their party. The last time this was not the case was when Eisenhower ran in 1952.

Delegates nominate their preferred candidate at either a Primary or a Caucus (unless you’re Texas, which has both….they love to do things bigger and better in Texas). The difference between the two, is as follows: 

A Primary is open to all registered voters from any party (expat votes are also allowed) including independents…Ralph Nader/ Ross Perot, is that you.
 
A Caucus on the other hand is only open to registered voters from the particular party  hosting the caucus.

It gets more intricate. The Democrats have a proportional representation of delegates, so if you win 40% of a State that has 100 delegates available, you add 40 to your total. The Republicans on the other hand have a winner takes all system. You win by one vote, you take all the available delegates for that State.

To add further complexity, there are also pledged and unpledged delegates!

80% of all delegates are won through Primaries and Caucuses; the remaining 20% (796 delegates) are known as “Superdelegates” (no I am not making this up!) who are allowed to pass votes at the Party convention (since 1982, the Democrats have conferred ‘Superdelegate’ status upon all its Governors and Congressman).

In this election the Superdelegates will be crucial as neither Senator Obama nor former First Lady Clinton can attain the 2,025 majority without them.

Each State can choose when to hold its Primary or Caucus, from January (Iowa was on January 3rd) until June (Puerto Rico is June 7th). Most however are pretty spread out although the first Tuesday in February is known as, “Super Tuesday’, as there are 24 primaries and caucuses across the country on that day. 

Election Day: November 4th 2008

The actual election itself operates in a similar way to the individual party candidate nominations. A particular State has a specified amount of Electoral College votes available: in 2008 there are 539 in total.  The first to win the majority number - 270 – becomes the President elect.

The number of ECVs is predetermined by the State’s population, meaning that some States have more votes to win. If you win the State you win all the votes (except for Maine and Nebraska, which use the District method – lets not go there as they are only worth 9 ECVs between them) available for that particular State.

California is the most populous State and has 55 ECVs available, followed by Texas with 34, New York 31 and Florida 27. The smallest States by population (e.g.: Alaska and Montana amongst them have 3). 

It is theoretically possible to win the election by winning just 11 States; California (55), Texas (34), New York (31), Florida (27), Illinois (21), Pennsylvania (21), Ohio (20), Michigan (17), Georgia (15), New Jersey (15) and North Carolina (15)…it has never occurred though.

Swing States are usually all powerful in the US election. The “Big 3” are Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida. Win these and you can win 68 ECVs and be in within a Field goal of the White House. Texas is usually safely Republican and California and New York safely Democrat.

So that, all in all, is an idiots guide to what is currently going on and what will occur come November 4th…..

I am not sure if I have a better understanding, or am more confused than before!