U.S. Elections 2012

Road to The White House

On November 6, 2012, Americans will go to the polls to cast their ballots for the man (or woman) who will serve as U.S. president for the following four years, but first they must select delegates who will vote at national conventions to determine which candidates appear on those ballots.

The road to the White House seems to lengthen with each successive election cycle. For months, prospective candidates have been testing the waters with exploratory committees, fundraising events and tours of states holding early primaries.

Achieving the U.S. presidency almost certainly will involve first winning the nomination of one of the country’s major political parties by securing the votes of a majority of the delegates attending a national convention.

So-called “third party” candidates — those not affiliated with either the Democratic or the Republican party — could affect the outcome of the race by depriving the major candidates of votes, but, based on U.S. history, are unlikely to be elected themselves.

Democratic and Republican parties set their own rules for selecting delegates and for allocating votes among participating jurisdictions. However incumbency (already holding the office you seek) is such an advantage in any U.S. campaign. President Obama’s nomination by the Democratic Party is not contested.

Background materials for the election and election process in the United States of America:

 • 2012 Primary Schedule
 • Campaign Finance Reform and the 2004 Election  (McCain-Feingold)
 • FAQs
 • Federal Election Commission Regulates Presidential Campaigns
 • Financing Campaigns
 • Glossary of U.S. Election Terms
 • The Role of Political Parties
 • USA Elections in Brief or e-Book (PDF, 3.8Mb)

U.S. Elections News:

January - The U.S. Elections 2012 - E-Spotlite (PDF, 454Kb)

January 21 - From U.S. Ambassador Huebner's Blog:
2012 Presidential Primaries: South Carolina Votes.Every four years — conveniently, in years divisible by four — Americans turn our attention to electing our President. In broad outline, political parties each nominate a single candidate, and then those candidates are put to a general vote on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November. [read blog post]

Links for Journalists

Foreign Press Centers Elections 2012 web site
Election-related announcements, transcripts of FPC events, and information about the U.S. electoral process and the 2012 race.

Foreign Press Centers Recent Briefings on the 2012 Elections
Transcripts and video of the latest election-related FPC briefings.

Foreign Press Center Battleground State Tours
Information for signing up for reporting tours to Michigan, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Mexico.

Iowa Caucuses Media Resource Guide
Candidate information and guidance on covering the January 3 Iowa Caucuses.

New Hampshire Primary Media Resource Guide
Candidate information and guidance on covering the January 10 New Hampshire Primary.

Elections 2012 Foreign Press Center Email Service
Sign up here for the FPC’s election newsletter, which will keep you abreast of the latest developments in covering the 2012 elections.