United States presidential election
A United States presidential election is held every four years to choose the president and vice president. Voters select slates of electors who then cast the formal votes in the Electoral College.
Timing
- General election: first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of years divisible by four.
- Electors vote in December; Congress counts electoral votes in early January.
Ballots and tickets
Presidential and vice-presidential candidates run on joint tickets nominated by political parties through primaries and conventions (or by petition for independents).
Outcome
A majority of electoral votes is required to win. If no candidate secures a majority, the House chooses the president by state delegations and the Senate chooses the vice president.