U.S. electoral process??

[sherryc]

Hi American friends, I would love to understand how you actually vote for a President. I don't even know what the primaries are. How many times do you have to vote before a President is declared. I would just like to understand this process a little better because there is so much coverage of it here in Canada. Could someone explain in really simple terms?
Thanks
A Canadian friend
Sherry

 

[NY25]

Unfortunately the US election process and "simple terms" cannot be used in the same sentence. Each state and even each party within the state may have different rules as to when their primary is, how votes are counted (actually, awarding of delegates - a completely insane process). So, someone could win the popular vote but not the delegate count. It's all very confusing.
Right now we're in the "narrowing it down" process. Sometime in the next few months, these primary elections should lead to a Democratic and a Republican candidate. Then, in November, we elect one of them to be President.
(and sometimes the Supreme Court steps in to tell us who "won").