Path to the Presidency: Election Center 2008

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Edition: U.S. | Arabic | Set Pref

Elections 101: Path to the Presidency

Intro

Primaries and Caucuses

Party Conventions

Election Day and Beyond

January 3 - February 4

Super Tuesday

February (other dates)

March

April

May - July

January 3 - February 4

The early primary season did little to determine a solid front-runner for either party's nomination. Each of three Republican front-runners won somewhere in the early races, while Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton traded states, each seemingly capable of winning the party's nod.

January 3:	Iowa caucuses
January 5:	Wyoming caucuses
January 8:	New Hampshire primaries
January 15:	Michigan primaries
January 19:	Nevada caucuses
	South Carolina primary
January 26:	South Carolina primary
January 29:	Florida primaries
February 2:	Maine caucuses
States to Watch:	IA \| NH \| NV \| SC \| FL

Party conventions were once smoke-filled settings for backroom deals where the nominees emerged after long negotiations and multiple floor votes. See how conventions work

With nominations sewn up during the primaries and caucuses, the modern convention is essentially an opportunity for party activists to network and for the party to unify after the primary season and get its message out ahead of the final sprint to Election Day. See some memorable moments in convention history

Delegates wave signs during the Republican National Convention in August, 2004.

More Information

Conventions 101
From roll call votes to nominations, learn the language and process behind modern party conventions.

Why they're still relevant
Conventions may not hold much suspense anymore, but they still help the parties sell their hopefuls.

Memorable moments
Check out some highlights from past conventions, including riots, a 'smoke-filled room' and a kiss.

Talking Democracy
A guide from CNN Student News to help you understand political conventions.

The lay of the land

CNN Electoral College Map
Which states are toss-ups, which are "safe" and which are leaning toward Obama or McCain. See who's ahead

The Issues

Abortion • Energy • Health care • Housing • Iran • Iraq
Same-sex marriage • Taxes

All Campaign Issues

From the Blogs: Controversy, commentary, and debate

iReport Film Festival: Campaign 2008!

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Campaign News and Analysis

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CNNPolitics Video

Introduction
The road to the White House, as the Beatles might have said, is long and winding -- and the 2008 contest is no exception. Campaigning started earlier than ever, with candidates running at a breakneck pace a year before any votes were cast. The road includes major stops in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada, a semi-national primary on February 5, national party conventions in Denver, Colorado, and Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, a national		Election Day in November and a meeting of the Electoral College in December -- with dozens of filing deadlines and thousands of fundraisers, chicken dinners and campaign stops along the way. And it all leads to Inauguration Day in January 2009, when the new president and vice president take office on the steps of the Capitol in Washington.

From the Blogs: Controversy, commentary, and debate

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