The Campaign Season & Electoral College 2026

Campaign Season

January through November of an election year where candidates for POTUS work to inform the public and gain support prior to the election

Primary Elections

Election in which voters choose the candidates from each party who will run in the general election

Open Primary Election

a party-nominating election in which any qualified voter can take part, regardless of party affiliation

Closed Primary Election

voting in a party's primary is limited to registered members of that party, Dems or Repub only

Ticket

Official nomination of President & VP candidates for a party to run for election

Debates

a formal setting for candidates to discuss their views, beliefs, and values (their platform) while answering questions and responding to the opponent's criticisms

Platform

a series of statements expressing the party's principles, values, beliefs, and positions on election issues

Political advertising

the use of ad techniques to promote a candidate's image and persuade the public to adopt a particular viewpoint of that person; sometimes leads to mudslinging

Mudslinging

a method in election campaigns that uses gossip and lies to make an opponent look bad; playing dirty

People person

someone who is good at dealing with other people and putting themselves on that level

Meet & Greets

opportunities for citizens to meet and get to know candidates somewhat personally and sharing their experiences

General election

An election held to choose which candidate will hold office of the POTUS

Electoral College

a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.

Electors in the Electoral College

Each state has as many electors as it has senators and representatives in Congress (equal representation in the Senate, population based representation in the House)

538

Total number of electoral votes

270

minimum number of electoral votes needed to win the presidency

Winner Take All

a system in which the candidate with the most electoral votes in a state gets all of the electoral votes from that state

Inauguration

ceremony in which the President officially takes the oath of office