Electing the United States President - Essay Example

Electoral Process The purpose of this paper is to discuss the electoral process of electing the United s president. The election process, though seemingly complicated to many outside of the political process, is a very necessary set of steps to insure that a suitable candidate is chosen as the president of the U.S. Many of us became more interested in news updates as the date of the actual presidential election drew closer. On November 4, 2008, registered voters secured a place in line all over the country to ensure that their vote for the next American President, was counted and heard. Prior to this, however, the process of elimination was extensive. It was in fact during the electoral primaries and caucuses that the final three contenders for president were narrowed down. To better understand what takes place during the caucuses, it is helpful to know that the term caucus simply refers to a set of meetings which take place in order to discuss policies and protocols for varying political parties. The way in which caucuses are defined by today’s political climate in the United States government is separated into two definitions depending on the party. After meeting eligibility requirements, filing the appropriate paper work, and declaring their candidacy, candidates begin campaigning and preparing for caucuses (Times 1). The democratic party divides into subgroups under candidates which represent platform variations. This is essentially a preliminary process of elimination which serves to select a democratic candidate who represents the policies and standards of the majority. In the event that one or more of the candidates fails to achieve 15% or more of the support of the overall group of party members, the members under that candidate must be absorbed into another subgroup represented by one of the candidates who received more than 15% of the overall support. This effectively narrows down the candidates. The republican party holds its caucuses in a slightly different manner. In fact, the republican method of caucuses is simply the act of individuals within the party, aligning themselves under the candidate of their choice. It is integral to mention here that each state does not hold a caucus and also a primary; it is in fact one or the other depending on the state. As we can see, each and every step along the way is meant to further and further narrow down the field of candidates. The caucuses and primaries are essentially designed to allow for each political party to narrow down their choice of candidate to one individual. It is the primaries however, which are considered to be more official in that the voting process is structured in a more anonymous manner as opposed to the potential open forum provided in the caucuses. Though all primaries and caucuses earn delegates for candidates, some are seen as more important than others as a matter of momentum: “Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Florida—four early primary and caucus states—are key in order to gain momentum going into Super Duper Tuesday” (Time 2). The format of how the primaries are conducted is actually more complex than it sounds because primaries take place in individual states and are thus governed by varying rules and protocols regarding who is eligible to vote (within those states which hold a primary as opposed to a caucus). In the states where closed primaries are held, only those who are registered within the respective political party of the candidate for which they are choosing to vote, may in fact be allowed to vote. Some states within the union have what is termed open primaries which simply put, means that any individual who is old enough to vote, may have the opportunity to vote in the primaries. The two major electoral parties represented in United States Presidential elections is of course the republican party and the democratic party. It is essential for each party to adequately hear out all of the policies and views of their potential representative in order to narrow down a candidate which represent their party in the election. Another process which is no stranger to recent news media coverage is the national conventions. An appropriate parallel can be made between national conventions and high school pep rallies. For example, on can view a political party as a sort of team of individuals all aspiring to see their representative(s) win the competition or election. A convention is held for the two major parties, republican and democrat; respectively. Other parties may also hold conventions for their respective parties but are usually not as publicized. Parties such as the green party, the social party and the independent part may hold national conventions for the purpose of electing a representative. The two major parties afore mentioned however, generally have already completed the nomination process. The democratic and republican conventions are usually a time for their nominated representative to discuss his/her platform while hearing from their supporters. This is usually a very energy meeting among like minded individuals who are essentially hearing from their chosen candidate while showing their support of said candidate. Candidates usually attempt to differentiate themselves from each other through campaign advertisements and debates: There are usually one or two Presidential debates between the Republican and Democratic nominees, and one debate between the vice presidential candidates” (Times 2). This last leg of the election can be considered to be the final round of elimination between the final two candidates. Once these outlined processes of the presidential election are completed, the general election may then take place which results in a president elect. On a fundamental level, the general election can be explained by saying that American citizens who are registered to vote may go to the voting polls in their designated area in order to be counted in the voting process by electing the representative within the party in which they are registered. For example, if one has registered to vote as a republican, they must then vote for the republican candidate who is named on the ballot. In the event that an individual has elected to vote for a representative of another party from which they are registered as siding with, they must re-register within that new candidate’s respective party. The process of electing the president of the United States is much more complicated than many may realize. It is easy to assume that registered voters make a trip to the polls on election day to decide the outcome of the next American president when in fact the process is long and complex. This past election was perhaps an excellent example of the process at work as America watched the outcome of individual state primaries. Each state within the Union weighs in a bit differently in the overall outcome. Large states such as Texas and Ohio are critical to candidates who are running for office. Though many do not like the electoral college process because it has allowed presidents who received fewer total votes to win the presidency, it is still a part of the process. As it stands, there is a very concrete number of electoral college votes for candidates to win: “A candidate must receive at least 270 electoral votes to win” (Time 3). Many view the electoral college as one of the mistakes in the process of the election of the most suitable person for president. Winning the primaries in larger states almost guarantees a presidential candidate the office of the presidency. Overall, the people do have a voice but it is a process set in motion in such a way that the final verdict arrives after a rigorous process of elimination. It is a certain means, however, to determine that the next President elect is in fact the best candidate for the position according to the citizens of the country. Work Cited: --------------------, “The Process Explained“, Times Online, retrieved January 1, 2009 from website at: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_election s/article2779303.ece Read More