Please explain America Presidential Election process to Canadian ...

[Qianglong]

So, there are two parties, democrats and republican. Each party has in this case 4 presidential nominee.

However, only one person can represent a party. So all the candidates have to run for state election. So i guess that is why lets say Clinton and Obama is battling out in each state to win votes?

The candidate with the highest vote in each state wins, and if the candidate wins more than half of the states, he/she gets to represent the party for the official presidential election?

So in the end, there are only two candidate battling out for a spot at the white house?

So what is this super tuesday thing? Is it because the state involved today is a crucial state? If the candidate wins in that state, that is a good predictor he/she will eventually win all the state voting?

 

[Mo0o]

super tuesday is the day a lot of states hold their primaries. So if you win by a landslide (a lot of states), you're basically a lock for the nomination. and its not by state wins, each state has a certain # of delegates (how many delegate sa state has is representative of the state's population i believe, correct me if im wrong). So this is a battle for delegates, you need 2000 or so for the dem nomination. A win in a state gives you a certain proportion of that state's delegates. Different states have different rules on delegate distribution as well.


please correct me if im wrong on any of this. this will be the first election i get to vote in woot woot

 

[Farang]

Super Tuesday is because more states are voting today than on any other day. States decide what day their primary is, today happened to have a lot of them.

Delegates determine who will be the party nominee. Delegates are awarded differently for each party. For the Republican party, it is usually win a state, win all of that states delegates. The amount is determined by population of party members. With the Democrats, delegates are awarded proportionally per congressional district in the state. So a 51/49 race will likely yield equal delegates to both candidates.

If a candidate wins a state it is not a great indicator for the general election, because many states trend heavily towards a party rather than a candidate. So Obama can win Utah against Clinton but he has no chance against a Republican in November.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Qianglong
So, there are two parties, democrats and republican. Each party has in this case 4 presidential nominee.

However, only one person can represent a party. So all the candidates have to run for state election. So i guess that is why lets say Clinton and Obama is battling out in each state to win votes?

The candidate with the highest vote in each state wins, and if the candidate wins more than half of the states, he/she gets to represent the party for the official presidential election?

So in the end, there are only two candidate battling out for a spot at the white house?

first, primaries are really about assigning delegates who vote for a particular candidate at the party convention in late summer. so, you're not really voting for a candidate, but for a delegate who has pledged to vote for the candidate.

the candidate who gets the highest vote in each state wins the state, but in primaries that aren't winner take all that doesn't really matter. no state democratic primary is winner take all on a state level. a few republican primaries (notably floriduh) are winner take all on a state level. so, if obama loses to hilldawg in california by a few hundred votes, he'll still get a number of delegates. each state assigns delegates slightly differently, so i can't hope to explain that. some may be straight proportional representation, some may be winner take all by congressional district, some may be proportional by congressional district, some may be proportional by congressional district with winner take if a supermajority is reached. some don't use regular elections but have a wacky process called a caucus.

so, no, you don't have to win half the states to be the party's nominee. especially on the democrats side it'd be possible for someone who comes in consistently close second to beat a slate of candidates who alternate on who comes in first.

Originally posted by: Farang
For the Republican party, it is usually win a state, win all of that states delegates. The amount is determined by population of party members.

i was unaware that 20% constituted 'usually' (there are only 10 states that are winner take all by state for republicans)

 

[KK]

this is when republicans vote for the most hated democrat.

 

[akshatp]

This has been discussed in the P&N forum

 

[DangerAardvark]

Screw Canadians, someone please explain it to the Americans.

 

[Epic Fail]

Originally posted by: Qianglong
So in the end, there are only two candidate battling out for a spot at the white house?

No, other parties can nominate their candidates and anyone can run as write in candidate without appearing on the ballot.

 

[Modelworks]

I'm not surprised you don't understand it.
90% of Americans don't either

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark
Screw Canadians, someone please explain it to the Americans.

:thumbsup: