But making investment decisions based on politics usually isn't a sound strategy. It would take a constitutional amendment to change the process. The best strategy is to ignore the election altogether when it comes to investing decisions. Perot drew more votes than any other third-party candidate since Theodore Roosevelt's campaign in 1912. Primaries, Caucuses, and Political Conventions. There are many people who want to be president. Delegate: A person authorized to represent others as an elected representative to a political party conference. Regardless of whether a Republican or a Democrat is president, stock market returns tend to be below average for the first two years of their term and above average for the last two, according to a Fidelity analysis of stock market returns going back to the first presidential election in 1789. "@type": "Answer", These are two methods that states use to select a potential presidential nominee This usually happens through the party&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.usa.gov/election#item-37162">primaries and caucuses</a>. "@type": "Answer", Though it&#39;s rare, electors have challenged those laws and voted for someone else. They let the states choose the major political parties&rsquo; nominees for the general election.</p><h3>2020 Presidential Primary&nbsp;and Caucus Dates</h3><p>Many states have delayed their presidential primaries or caucuses due to the coronavirus. A lock ( This is where primaries and caucuses come in. The president-elect and vice president-elect take the oath of office and are inaugurated in January. Elector: a person who is certified to represent their state's vote in the Electoral College. In the event no candidate receives a majority, the House of Representatives chooses the president and the Senate chooses the vice president.</p><h3>What is a Typical Presidential Election Cycle?</h3><p>The presidential election process follows a typical cycle:</p><ul><li><p>Spring of the year before an election &ndash; Candidates announce their intentions to run.</p></li><li><p>Summer of the year before an election through spring of the election year &ndash; Primary and caucus debates take place.</p></li><li><p>January to June of election year &ndash; States and parties hold primariesand caucuses.</p></li><li><p>July to early September &ndash; Parties hold nominating conventions to choose their candidates.</p></li><li><p>September and October &ndash; Candidates participate in presidential debates.</p></li><li><p>Early November &ndash; Election Day</p></li><li><p>December &ndash; Electors <img class="tooltip- icon-beta" src="/sites/all/themes/usa/images/Icon_Tooltip_sm02.png" alt="tooltip"><span class="text">Elector: a person who is certified to represent their state's vote in the Electoral College.</span></span> cast their votes in the Electoral College.</p></li><li><p>Early January of the next calendar year &ndash; Congress counts the electoral votes.</p></li><li><p>January 20 &ndash; Inauguration Day</p></li></ul><p>For an in-depth look at the federal election process in the U.S., check out <a href="https://staticshare.america.gov/uploads/2016/04/Elections-USA_In-Brief-Series_English_Lo-Res.pdf">USA In Brief: ELECTIONS</a>.</p>" } "@context": "https://schema.org", They’re held at the county, district, or precinct level. "mainEntity": [ Omissions? This Mistake Could Cost You $230,000 in Your 401(k), Copyright, Trademark and Patent Information. Meanwhile, money market funds deliver returns on par with interest from a CD or high-yield savings account. Many analysts agree that the biggest risk to Wall Street isn't who wins -- it's not having a clear winner. But the tally of those votes&mdash;the popular vote&mdash;does not determine the winner. "logo": "https://app-usa-modeast-prod-a01239f.s3.amazonaws.com/Logo_USAGov.png" Maine and Nebraska assign their electors using a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.archives.gov/electoral-college/faq#ecpopulardiffer">proportional system</a>.</p><p>A candidate needs the vote of at least 270 electors&mdash;more than half of all electors&mdash;to win the presidential election.</p><p>In most cases, a projected winner is announced on election night in November after you vote. Caucuses are private meetings run by political parties. In the Electoral College system, each state gets a certain number of electors based on its total number of representatives in Congress. The Senate elects the vice president from the remaining top two candidates.</p><p>This has only happened once. December – An official website of the United States government. The Senate elects the vice president from the remaining top two candidates. The next presidential election will be November 3, 2020. accordionify({id: "item-212587"}); At the convention, the presidential nominee officially announces their selection of a vice presidential running mate. "text": "<p>An election for president of the United States happens every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. In the event no candidate receives a majority, the House of Representatives chooses the president and the Senate chooses the vice president. "@type": "Organization", See you at the top! For information about your state's presidential primaries or caucuses, contact your state election office or the political party of your choice. See how the stock market has performed over the years during election cycles, and what it means for you. "text": "<p>The president must:</p><ul><li><p>Be a natural-born citizen of the United States</p></li><li><p>Be at least 35 years old</p></li><li><p>Have been a resident of the United States for 14 years</p></li></ul><p>Anyone who meets these requirements can declare their candidacy for president. Even then, the effect on the stock market would probably be short-lived. When people cast their vote, they are actually voting for a group of people known as electors. Who is chosen to be an elector, how, and when varies by state. Electoral College: The voters of each state, and the District of Columbia, vote for electors to be the authorized constitutional members in a presidential election. Official websites use .gov Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Unpledged delegates don't. Each party holds a national convention to finalize the selection of one presidential nominee. &nbsp;This happened in 2016, in 2000, and three times in the 1800s.</p><h4>What Happens if No Candidate Wins the Majority of Electoral Votes?</h4><p><a href="https://www.archives.gov/electoral-college/faq#no270">If no candidate receives the majority of electoral votes</a>, the vote goes to the House of Representatives. But in July 2020 the <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/19-465_i425.pdf">Supreme Court ruled</a> that those state laws are constitutional.