Matthew D. Smith, Chargé d’Affaires of the United States of America in Cameroon, talks on the ongoing primaries.
How do you appreciate the ongoing primaries and caucus elections organized by the Republican and Democratic parties in order to select their party candidates for the November Presidential election in your country? The American people will elect the next and 45th President of the United States on November 8, 2016. The ongoing primaries and caucus elections are essential steps in this process and part of the American political tradition. Not only will the next President be elected, but also U.S. senators, members of the House of Representatives (Congress), governors, mayors, and local officials. They are all part of our democratic fabric. Whoever wins in the elections will celebrate, whoever loses will concede defeat gracefully, and perhaps prepare to compete again. But results and the will of the American people will be accepted peacefully under our democratic tradition.
The U.S. presidential election system is considered by many people as being cumbersome and complicated. How does someone become a presidential candidate in your country?
The requirements to become President of the United States are only for native-born U.S. citizens. Candidates must also be at least 35 years of age to be President. Finally, one must live in the United States for at least 14 years to be president, in addition to being a natural-born citizen. There are many roads to the White House. Former presidents have been senators, governors, vice presidents, farmers, lawyers, actors, and from other professions. But, many historians argue, to win they must capture the imagination of the American people with a message that resonates for their times.
How credible is the system and what does the electoral calendar look like?
The system is credible and tested. It does not mean that it has been flawless. Historically there have been grievances peacefully expressed about the disenfranchisement of some voters, hence the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed by Congress and signed into law by then President Lyndon B. Johnson to ensure the right to vote to all African Americans.
Allow me to explain the primaries and caucus processes. Americans who follow politics wait for “Super Tuesday,” which is important because the major U.S. political parties — Democratic and Republican — select their presidential and vice presidential candidates at a party convention to which each state (and several U.S. territories) send delegates. During February 2016, four states selected their delegates. So far, on the Republican side, Donald Trump and on the Democratic side Hillary Clinton are leading candidates for their parties’ nomination.
On March 1, Super Tuesday, 14 U.S. states and territories held primaries and caucuses to choose more than 1,000 Democratic and 600 Republican delegates pledged to one or another of the presidential candidates. Since a Democrat needs 2,382 delegates, and a Republican 1,237, to capture the party nomination, Super Tuesday states play a big role in choosing each party’s standard-bearer. Super Tuesday also serves to narrow the field of contenders.
Super Tuesday states include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming.
The next step is the General Election. Unlike in most elections, the person who becomes president is not necessarily the candidate who wins the most votes on Election Day. Instead, the election of the President of the United States is a two-step process.
First, voters cast ballots on Election Day (the Tuesday after the first Monday in November) in each state. In nearly every state, the candidate who gets the most votes wins the "electoral votes" for that state, and gets that number of voters (or "electors") in the "Electoral College.“ It is a winner takes all system.
Second, the "electors" from each of the 50 states gather in December and they vote for president. The person who receives a majority of votes from the "Electoral College" becomes President.
