When you vote, you’re choosing the people who will decide your future. They’ll determine what your health care looks like, how many potholes get repaired on your street, and the rules that govern immigration. They’ll also make important decisions about the country’s foreign policy and national security. These are big decisions that require a lot of knowledge and experience. That’s why it’s so important to vote.
Candidates run for president by competing in a series of primaries and caucuses to earn the support of their political party. Those who are endorsed by the majority of their party’s delegates become the presidential nominee. Once a candidate is nominated, they begin campaigning around the country to convince voters that they are the best choice to be president.
The winner of the presidential election is determined by the number of electoral votes a candidate receives. Each state has a certain number of electoral votes (except Maine and Nebraska, where votes are allocated by congressional district). A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.
Once all the votes are counted, Congress announces that a winner has been declared. Unless six electors object to the results, the new President is then sworn in by Congress. The armed attack on the Capitol in 2021, during which five people were killed, made this process more dramatic than usual. But even before the attack, six Republican electors had already decided not to go along with their party’s nominee.
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