The American Presidential Elections Explained (1èreG_Gr1)

The American Presidential Elections Explained

The document under study is a video from The Telegraph (a British media) explaining the American Presidential Elections process in 2016. We have learned that there are four different stages in this process: the first one is the Primaries that take place from January to June in the same year before the election. It is when people from the two parties, the Republicans and the Democrats, choose their candidates. Then, there are the Conventions, it is when the two parties officially announced their candidates, at the same time, the candidates introduce their running mates. Then, Election Day happens: it is always on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November. Every American citizen votes on that day: it is called the popular vote. The Electoral College will vote as well to elect the winner: in a state when people vote for a candidate, the candidate who has the more votes will make the entire electoral votes go for that candidate; it is called the “winner-take-all” system.

A swing state is a state where people do not vote every time for the same party. Therefore, for the candidates these states are battleground states.

A caucus state is a state in which people vote publicly by raising their hands to choose a candidate. This process takes place during the Primaries.

Finally, Inauguration Day takes place in January in front of the White House. It is when the president elect officially take office.  

Homework: Learn the lesson.