| Every
election year, many people aspire to be president, but only one candidate
from each political
party will be named on the final ballot.
How do we choose the candidates who will be in the running for the White
House?
Those
who decide they want to run for president begin by raising money for their
campaigns. The more money a person raises, the more confident he or she
feels that there's a chance to win some votes at the polls. Those who don't
raise much money often drop out of the race early and lend their support
to the candidates who have better chances of winning.
Usually,
several candidates from each party appear on the primary
and caucus ballots in the spring before the final election. These preliminary
elections are important because they indicate which candidates the citizens
most support. Because each party's goal is to get its own candidate elected
to the presidency, the candidates who win the most primary votes usually
receive their parties' formal nominations at the national
conventions. These official nominees are the only candidates who appear
on the final ballot on Election Day in November.
So
who are this year's Democratic and Republican nominees? Click on the tabs
above for facts and biographies about Al Gore and George W. Bush, as well
as information on the folks who initially ran against them. Or, for an
in-depth look at the process the candidates go through to become president,
jump to our Path to the White House.
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