When a presidential race is on, the candidates go head-to-head in televised debates and travel around the country to rally support. They also meet with voters, answer questions about their plans and policies and explain how they would implement them. People with similar ideas about how the government should work usually belong to the same political party. They vote in primaries and caucuses to select the party’s candidate for president. These elections are important because they allow voters to choose delegates who will attend the party’s national convention and later vote for the final presidential nominee.
After the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, candidates from both parties continue campaigning. Typically, they debate each other to convince voters that they are the best choice for president. In the end, the candidate with the most electoral votes is elected President and Vice President of the United States. In order to win, a candidate must have the support of 270 electors. Generally, this means that he or she must be on the ballot in enough states to win a majority of the national popular vote and have a reasonable chance of winning in all the states that have an election.
Kamala Harris has been making a big splash in the Democratic race. Many voters have a lot of hope for her candidacy, especially in swing states. Despite this excitement, though, many voters have no idea who she is or what her views on policy are. To break through this confusion, Harris needed to create a clearer picture of herself and show why she is uniquely qualified to govern.