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General election day today in the UK, and of course, we know , we are split into 635 or so constituencies in a first past the post system.

I`m currently reading The Broker by John Grisham (excellent author, BTW, written some truly great books) and it led me to think.

I don`t really know about the American system!

For example - what are `electoral votes`, `electoral colleges`, `voting for a leader`, super Tuesday or whatever, all about>

information please!!!

The electoral college system applies to Presidential elections in America.

Each individual State has a preset number of these votes with the States having the larger populations having the most number of votes.

Each State will then cast their entire number of electoral college votes in favor of the candidate who received the majority of popular votes in that State.

This is why you will often see the Presidential candidates spending much of their time in the largest States and in 'swing' States (those where the outcome of the popular vote is too close to call) in the hope that they can win the popular vote and thereby receive all the electoral college votes of that State.

The 3 largest States in the Union (by population) are California, Texas and Florida.

A President serves a 4-year term and can be reelected for one further 4-year term.

Do you not vote for more than just a President and running mate, when you vote for them? I've just voted directly for my national government representative, and I voted directly for my local city representative at the same time.

We don't vote here for our Head of State, unlike you. The only people who can vote for our Prime Minister are the electorate in his home town (which is about 80,000 voters). Whether he's returned to the House of Commons or not is entirely up to them, nobody else.

Thanks for the info, Eagle. What really puzzles me is seeing people in each state voting for the leaders of both the democratic and republican parties. Who is actually voting? Party members? Everybody? ANybody who wants to? Then they vote for the running mate, and I`ve actually seen this happen, people are holding up, say, "Smith /Brown" posters, and the result is announced, say, Doe will be Smith`s running mate, then suddenly these same folk are holding up Smith / Doe posters. Very strange and confusing to us Britons!

I'm not quite sure if I understand your question correctly, John8 but here goes.

When the Presidential elections take place everyone who is entitled to vote may do so. Like you we have a 'universal sufferage 18 and over' system.

Each qualified voter who wishes to do so casts his/her ballot in favor of their chosen 'ticket' The 'ticket' comprises the Presidential candidate and his chosen running mate.

So, in the last presidential election you had the choice of voting for either the Bush/Cheney ticket or the Kerry/Edwards ticket. These were the main choices although there were others.

In some States the Bush/Cheney ticket won and in others the Kerry/Edwards ticket was successful.

The States in which the Bush/Cheney ticket received most votes then sent all their electoral college votes to that ticket and similarly those States in which the Kerry/Edwards ticket was successful awarded all their electoral collage votes to that ticket.

When all the electoral college votes were totalled up the Bush/Cheney ticket had more than their opponents and so George Bush was re-elected President and Dick Cheney Vice-President.

Despite the fact that both men had previously filled those positions, George Bush could have chosen a different running mate this time around if he had wished.

Neither person can compete for their respective positions for a third term.

Individuals can, if they wish, register with the political party of their choice but are not duty bound to vote for that party in an election.

At the same time as voting for President/VP you may vote for other officials who are up for reelection e.g. some Senators, Representatives, City Mayors etc.

In these cases the electoral college system is not used but rather a straight 'simple majority' is required.

As far as elections to Congress are concerned each State has its own rules governing how many times a Senator or Representative may run for office.

In some States a Congressman may run for office as many times as he/she wishes and in others there is an age limit.

Elections for State Governors are sometimes held at the same time but not always.

The successful Presidential candidate and the VP are confirmed at a convention held in November of the year in which the election takes place and the President and VP take uo office the following January.

I hope that answers some of your questions.

If not, please tell me and I'll do my best to fill in any gaps.

Philadelphia Eagle:

You put it it in laymans terms and to me said in few just a words what some take hours to explain..........

Nice job.

When you say "We go and vote for our party members", flopstock, is this everyone over the age of 17, or is the franchise restricted tighter than that?

I'm sorry, flopstock, I was obviously unclear in my question. It isn't "who can be a delegate", it's "who can elect the delegates" - everyone in the state over the age of 17? People on a list of electors? I remember that many Americans had problems in the 1960s getting onto electoral lists, for example.

So if a qualifying citizen wants, she can vote in both the Republican and the Democrat primaries, to elect the delegates to both of the conventions?

The US electoral system is tooled to guarantee either of the two corporate financed capitalist parties will win and third parties heartily discouraged. Voting here is seen as a "God Given Right" and duty, an honor, blah blah blah. Our 2 'choices' in elections are about as fundamentally different as two identical doghouses; One is painted Red, the other Blue. A small minority of Americans do vote and they are the Christian Jihadists, that won the last election. Rotting Reagan lifted up the rock that sent all the fundamentalist worms scrambling. Now they are in power. Our entire political & electoral system needs overhauled. And the twin party system put to death once and for all.

flopstock wrote: Nope. In a primary, when i walk in I have to ask for a Democrat or Republican ticket. I can vote republican this year, and next year democrat in the primary, so once I choose a ticket I am not locked in for the rest of my life, just for this day.So... let me get this straight... if half the Democrats agree beforehand to ask for a Republican ticket, and they all select by agreement the dorkiest, most witless party animal on the entire continent to be the next Republican candidate, there's nothing to stop them from jinxing the opposition...

You know, either I have a great plot for a novel here, or I've discovered how George got to where he is today.

flopstock wrote: Crazy as it may sound, we even allow david a vote. Not at all sure he would return the privilege. However, doesn't matter- so long as he meets the requirements.





And yes david, I not only vote I've been to church in the last year..or was it 1996??

Get over yourself already, dear...relax. Speak calmly enough and hell -I may even listen to your views. But you've really got to quit being so belligerent if you hope to convert the masses..don't you think?I don't see where I've been belligerent at all. Just expressing my unpopular point of view. Frustration attached, as most Americans feel unrepresented.

Democrats are doing their best to appease southern rednecks and religious reactionaries. The Dems have sold out and haven't had any direction since the Johnson Administration. Republicans are no longer true conservatives as they have been seized by the neo-cons. Clinton was very conservative. His anti-union stance, anti abortion, pro death penalty poses moved the Dems into the laps of the Republicans. Now the identical twins argue over gay marriage and Terri Schiavo. See where the frustration comes from Spot? Supposedly the greatest nation on Earth and the very very best we can come up with as leaders are Clinton and Bush! Appalling.