Consulate General of the United States Sao Paulo, Brazil

Americans go to the polls on November 6, 2012 to elect their 45th president. We have selected material on the electoral process in the U.S. We hope you find it useful:

• U.S. Elections: 2012 Primary Schedule
  The 2012 Republican primary/caucus schedule below is based on the most current information available from state election boards. (President Obama’s nomination by the Democratic Party is not contested.)
• USA Elections in Brief
  This revised 2012 edition sketches the way primary and general elections work, not only the role of political parties, but also the nuts and bolts of voting machines and poll workers, opinion polls and campaign finance.
• 2012 U.S. Elections the First Influenced by “Super PACs”
  The American electoral system is accustomed to political action committees (PACs), which are private groups that can raise up to $5,000 from individuals to support particular candidates or issues. But the 2012 elections are the first to have so-called “super PACs.”
• Road to the White House Is Paved with Delegates
  Democratic and Republican parties set their own rules for selecting delegates and for allocating votes among participating jurisdictions.
• Glossary of U.S. Election Terms
• U.S. Elections: Frequently Asked Questions
• Federal Election Commission
  The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is an independent, bipartisan commission created by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002.
• Campaign 2012. Council on Foreign Relations
  This page provides resources to understand the foreign policy and national security issues at stake in the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign.
• Gallup daily tracking
• 2012 Primary Schedule
• 2012 Presidential Debate Schedule
• eJournal USA: Youth Votes! The 2012 U.S. Elections