03 March 2008

How America Elects: A multi-segment VOA series

Every four years, the United States undertakes choosing a president. The structures of the electoral process go back, in large part, to the founding of the country. In many respects, it is a unique process and one that is often complex. Because of that, every four years the Voice of America makes special efforts to explain it to the world.

How America Elects provides that explanation, by going in-depth on topics that collectively make up the US electoral system. Each segment provides not only information on a particular aspect, but also, analysis to put things in context.

The series began in August, 2007, with coverage of the first significant political event of the election season, the Iowa Republican Straw Poll --- a non-binding vote considered by most political analysts as a kind of beauty contest for candidates.

From that start, How America Elects has explored the structures and processes that comprise the electoral system. Segment #2 was on Voter Registration, followed by other reports on third parties, campaign financing laws, electronic voting, and public opinion polling, as well as caucuses and primaries, outside interest groups, debates, and other topics.

Producer-reporter Jeffrey Young says the series will continue to follow the political process as it progresses through the party nominating conventions later this year, the November presidential election, the meeting of the Electoral College, and the formal transition that takes place between outgoing and incoming presidential administrations.

You can also get a sense of the day-to-day politicking by visiting our main Race for the White House page and also the VOA Election Blog.

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