Election of President of the US
1) Introduction
● The American constitution provides a presidential form of government. The U.S constitution spent a lot of time in deciding the method of electing the president. After a good deal of discussion they adopted a plan of indirect election of the president by electoral college which is mentioned in Article 2 sections 1,2 and 3 of the constitution. An election for President of the United States is held every four years on Election Day. And the president is indirectly elected by electors who are members of the national parliament . American president is not directly elected by the people of the U.S.A
2) History
● For the original method of electing the president and the vice president, see Article II, Section 1, of the Constitution. The election of 1804 was the first election in which the electors voted for president and vice president on separate ballots.
3) Qualification for the president
Following of the three qualifications have been shared for the election of U.S president
I. Age
● The candidate for president must not be less than 35 years of Age. If his age will less than 35 so that he will not be considered for election
II. Citizenship
● A candidate must be a natural born citizen of the U.S.A. By birth if a candidate will not be citizen of the U.S.A he will not be considered for election
III. Residence
● A candidate must a resident of the United States for a period of no less than 14 years
I. Age
● The candidate for president must not be less than 35 years of Age. If his age will less than 35 so that he will not be considered for election
II. Citizenship
● A candidate must be a natural born citizen of the U.S.A. By birth if a candidate will not be citizen of the U.S.A he will not be considered for election
III. Residence
● A candidate must a resident of the United States for a period of no less than 14 years
4) Mode of election
● The United States presidential election is the indirect election in which citizens of the United States cast their votes for members of the Electoral College, known as electors.
● Then these electors cast their votes, known as electoral votes for President of the United States. Each of the states casts as many electoral votes as the total number of its Senators and Representatives in Congress
● Then these electors cast their votes, known as electoral votes for President of the United States. Each of the states casts as many electoral votes as the total number of its Senators and Representatives in Congress
5) Stages of Presidential election
Following are the stages of the election of U.S president
I. Nomination of presidential candidates
● The candidate for the presidency is nominated by the parties. Since 1832 the two parties e.g. Democrats and Republican have established the practice of choosing their representative in national conventions
II. Campaign
● After the nomination of the presidential candidate , parties start nationwide presidential campaign
1) The parties set up national and states committee and open their headquarters in two great cities
2) Each party issues a campaign text-book which contains the party platform,
Reserved: explanation about the candidate ,and other material for required propaganda
purpose
III. Nomination of presidential electors
● The next stage is nomination of the presidential electors in several states. These electors are important party leaders and are selected by the parties
IV. Election of presidential electors
● These elections falls in the November of the election year when presidential electors are to be elected
● The United States presidential election is the indirect election in which citizens of the United States cast their votes for members of the Electoral College, known as electors
V. Number of presidential electors
● Because electors are the members of the congress and at present, there are 100 members of senate who casts their votes and 438 members of the House of representative who casts their votes for election of president
⮚ Representatives made by each state
● Each state is to appoint as many electors as it has senator and representatives in the congress
⮚ Method of election of elector
● In start, they were elected by the state legislature. Now they are elected by the people of the state
⮚ Election of president by electors
● The presidential electors meet in the capital of each state on the first Monday after the 2nd Wednesday in December and record their votes for the presidential candidate
⮚ Voting
● Each state sends a summary of the election of the president to the chairman of senate on 6th January, then congress holds a joint session, where votes are counted. The person who gains the majority of votes is declared elected for president. The ratio of majority is 270 votes out of 537 votes
I. Nomination of presidential candidates
● The candidate for the presidency is nominated by the parties. Since 1832 the two parties e.g. Democrats and Republican have established the practice of choosing their representative in national conventions
II. Campaign
● After the nomination of the presidential candidate , parties start nationwide presidential campaign
1) The parties set up national and states committee and open their headquarters in two great cities
2) Each party issues a campaign text-book which contains the party platform,
Reserved: explanation about the candidate ,and other material for required propaganda
purpose
III. Nomination of presidential electors
● The next stage is nomination of the presidential electors in several states. These electors are important party leaders and are selected by the parties
IV. Election of presidential electors
● These elections falls in the November of the election year when presidential electors are to be elected
● The United States presidential election is the indirect election in which citizens of the United States cast their votes for members of the Electoral College, known as electors
V. Number of presidential electors
● Because electors are the members of the congress and at present, there are 100 members of senate who casts their votes and 438 members of the House of representative who casts their votes for election of president
⮚ Representatives made by each state
● Each state is to appoint as many electors as it has senator and representatives in the congress
⮚ Method of election of elector
● In start, they were elected by the state legislature. Now they are elected by the people of the state
⮚ Election of president by electors
● The presidential electors meet in the capital of each state on the first Monday after the 2nd Wednesday in December and record their votes for the presidential candidate
⮚ Voting
● Each state sends a summary of the election of the president to the chairman of senate on 6th January, then congress holds a joint session, where votes are counted. The person who gains the majority of votes is declared elected for president. The ratio of majority is 270 votes out of 537 votes
6) Installation of President
● After all the process of election, the new president is installed into office on January 20 by taking the oath of office
7) Term of office
● The presidential term is four years and according to the 22nd amendment, a president can stand re-election only one more time.
● According to this amendment a single person can become the president America only for two times and more than 2 times the U.S constitution not give permission
● According to this amendment a single person can become the president America only for two times and more than 2 times the U.S constitution not give permission
8) Qualifications for vote casting
● Anyone who is 18 years of age. There is no national list of eligible voters, registered voters are eligible to cast their votes in their residential areas, if they move to a new location, and they typically have to register again. Registration system has been designed to eliminate fraud.
9) Remuneration of president
● The U.S president receives a salary of $200,000 in a year and extra $ 50,000 for official expenses as well as enjoy other privileges such a travel and official entertainment allowances
10) Succession
● The Article 2 section 1, clause 5 of the U.S constitution provides that if president office falls vacant due to his death, resignation, impeachment or inability to discharge the powers and duties of said office, the vice-president will perform his duties as acting president of this office within the period of his term
11) Conclusion
In practice the American president is indirectly elected by the people. The presidential election campaign begins a year and four months before the election day, campaign cost approximately is more than 1 billion dollars and perhaps this the longest and complicated process for election of U.S president
Ikyan Shah (Advocate High Court)
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US Constitution