How does the presidential election process work? Is it done per state?

I just came to the US and I am very interested to learn about the voting process of its citizens. What is the basic difference between Democrats and Republicans? Why do I hear in the news that ballots are now being cast when I read that the election is not until November? Please enlighten me.

Public Comments

1. just read this http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/election/index.html
2. Democrats are your typical liberal party, pro abortion, for gay rights (I find that name deceptive myself, since gays already have equal rights), anti death-penalty, big on the environment, pro gun control, for a stronger central government, and general reformers. Their trademark is the donkey. Republicans are more traditionalists, more for state rights, gun rights, pro life (in regard to abortion), dislike taxes, and generally more hawkish, general conservatives. Their trademark is the elephant. Really, they're total opposites, who half the time seem to take viewpoints solely to spite one another. If one started advocating breathing, the other would stop. This coming election is held on November 4, 2008. Elections are held on Election Day—the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every fourth year. Voters are required to vote on a ballot where they select the candidate of their choice. The presidential ballot is actually voting "for the electors of a candidate" meaning that the voter is not actually voting for the candidate, but endorsing members of the Electoral College who will, in turn, directly elect the President. In effect however, few Americans are actually aware of the Electoral College. Each state holds a number of electoral votes that correspond to electors in the Electoral College, so it done per state.
3. Elections in this country are run by state and local governments. The laws governing elections are passed by the state legislature and a state official is responsible for combining the local results to get the state-wide results. In most states, the actual officials responsible for conduct of the election is a locally-elected official. The laws of most states limit access to the ballot to "established political parties," "new qualified political parties," and "qualified independents." "Established political parties" are parties which participated in the last election and received enough votes (typically around 1%). If parties are "established," they must comply with state laws regarding the selection of candidates. One of the typical state laws requires candidates to be elected in primaries (though some state allow conventions). In all states, the Democratic and Republican Parties meet the requirements to be an established party. In most states, at least one other (and sometimes several other) parties qualify as "established" parties. The most common "other" established parties are the Libertarian, Green, and Constitution Party, though none of these parties is established in all states. In addition, many states hold presidential primaries (which is what you are hearing about now). Presidential primaries are used to select delegates to the national conventions of the two major parties (as are caucuses in the states that do not require presidential primaries). The date of the individual primaries is a matter of state law. These primaries began earlier this month and will continue until early June. The delegates chosen in these primaries will meet in late August/Early September to choose the nominee of the two parties. Most of the delegates will be pledged to a certain candidate based on the results of the primary (or the caucuses) in their state. To be nominated, a candidate must receive the votes of a majority of the delegates. If no candidate receives a majority, additional ballots will be taken until some candidate receives a majority. The other two categories "qualified new parties" and "qualified independents" are for parties and candidates outside the established party. To qualify, these parties or candidates typically must submit a petition in proper form signed by a certain number of registered voters by a certain date (the numbers and the date vary by state). In November, the names of the nominees of the established party for President and Vice-President will be on the ballot (as well as any other qualified tickets). However, while the names of these individuals are on the ballot, the voters in each state will actually be voting for a slate of "electors" pledged to vote for the nominee of their party (or for an independent candidate, if any). In most states, the slate that gets the most votes state-wide is elected in its entirety. In two small states (Maine and Nebraska), only two of the electors are chosen based on the state-wide vote with the other electors chosen based on the results in each congressional district. The winning electors will meet in their respective state capitols in mid-December and formally vote for a president or vice-president. Almost all electors vote as pledged (typically no more than one or two cast a ballot contrary to their pledge -- there are 538 electors). These votes are mailed to Congress and are opened in a joint session in early January where the offical winner is declared. Because almost all electors vote as pledged, however, it is typically clear in November who will be the winner.
4. As a sidenote about the electoral college. The popular vote is supposed to be represented by the electoral votes in each state. This unfortunately is not always the case. The popular vote is the votes of the people in a given state, however it is the electoral votes that determine the winner of the election.