Intro:
The U.S. presidential election is the biggest event in American politics. It’s an exciting and complicated process that begins immediately after the preceding election and doesn’t end until you, the voter, have your say. (And as we learned in the amazing aftermath of the 2000 presidential election, it’s possible for the campaign to continue even after Election Day.)
What happens during this extended campaign is a quest not just for votes, but also for political contributions, favorable media coverage, Internet attention, endorsements, and all the other makings of a winning candidacy for the highest elected office in America.
Key events along the way include the primaries and caucuses, the party conventions, and the debates—not to mention all the speeches, polls, and focus groups, plus the barrage of radio and television commercials imploring you to vote this way or that.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed. And that’s why the League of Women Voters produced this book. Trying to follow the presidential election without an understanding of what’s going on and why is like watching a foreign-language film without the subtitles. You may get a general idea about the plot and characters, but you’ll miss out on what’s really happening. You’ll miss a lot of the drama as well.
The presidential election process is constantly evolving. The advent of television and then the Internet, the increasing role of money in politics, an ever-accelerating schedule of primary elections, and ups and downs in voter interest are just a few of the developments that have transformed the way we choose the president.
From the book, Choosing the President 20008: A Citizen’s Guide to the Electoral Process.Copyright 2008 by the League of Women VotersUsed by permission of Globe Pequot Press, www.globepequot.com
