US democracy is one of the oldest in the modern world. The head of state is the president, who is elected by indirect vote for 4 years and cannot hold this position for more than 2 terms. An amendment to this prohibition was adopted in 1951.
There are certain requirements for presidential candidates: age at least 35 years old, US citizenship by birth, residence in the United States for the past 14 years.
The procedure for presidential elections in the United States is two-stage. At the first stage, citizens elect a college of electors, who, in fact, decide by voting which of the candidates will occupy the highest post of the state. The number of electors from each state corresponds to the number of its representatives in Congress. The larger the staff, the wider it is represented in Congress and, accordingly, the more electors it nominates for the College.
Political parties, based on the results of internal party voting, nominate candidates for two positions - the president and vice president. Then a list of electors is formed - usually party activists, to whom the law makes the following demands: they must not work in executive bodies and cannot fulfill the duties associated with the distribution of funds. Electors undertake to vote for candidates nominated by the party. Citizens vote for lists submitted by parties on the first Tuesday of November.
40 days after its election, the Electoral College elects a president. Electors vote in the capitals of their states. To win, the candidate must get 50% + 1 votes. If none of the candidates has received an absolute majority, it is the turn of the House of Representatives of Congress. Congressmen must select one of the three candidates with the highest number of votes, on the principle: "One state - one vote."
If the House of Representatives fails to make a choice, then the Senate votes. Senators make the choice of two candidates with the maximum number of votes. The winner will be determined by a simple majority. In the entire history of the United States, only twice has the President been elected by the House of Representatives: in 1800 and 1824.
