The presidential race is a contest between two candidates, one from each major party, to become the President of the United States. The candidates campaign throughout the country for votes from people who live in every state. The candidate who wins a majority of electoral votes becomes the President.
The Electoral College process is controversial because voters in small states like Iowa and New Hampshire often have a big impact on the presidential race. In contrast, the large states that hold their primaries later tend to have a lesser effect on the race. Critics also argue that the Electoral College encourages candidates to spend exponentially more time and money in so-called swing states, where neither party has overwhelming support.
Once all the states have held their presidential primary and caucuses, the Democratic and Republican parties will gather for national conventions to select their final presidential nominees. The conventions will also select delegates to represent their state at the Electoral College. Delegates are bound by party rules to vote for their assigned candidate (s), even if they change their minds after they’ve been selected.
The winner of the election will be announced on November 8, 2016. Voters will also choose members of Congress, who are responsible for passing laws and serving as a check on the president’s plans. A “trifecta sweep” where a single party takes the presidency, the House and the Senate is unlikely, but the possibility remains alive.
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