Executive leadership
Informal Qualifications
Informal Qualifications is personal qualities or experiences voters commonly look for in a presidential candidate, although they are not required by the Constitution.
Amendment
Amendment is an official addition or change to the United States Constitution.
Formal Qualifications
Formal Qualifications The constitutional requirements a person must meet to serve as President.
Electoral College
Electoral College: The constitutional system through which electors formally elect the President and Vice President.
Executive Branch
Executive Branch: The branch of government responsible for enforcing the nation's laws.
Removal from Office
Removal from Office The process of forcing an official to leave office, which can occur after the Senate convicts the official following impeachment.
20 Amendment
20th Amendment is the amendment establishing January 20 at noon as the beginning and of presidential and vice-presidential terms.
Rarified
Ratified Formally approved. A constitutional amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states.
Electoral Vote
Electoral Vote: An official vote cast by an elector for President or Vice President.
Term of office
Term of Office: The amount of time an elected official is authorized to serve. A presidential term is four years.
Natural Born Citizen
Natural-Born Citizen A person who was a United States citizen at birth.
22 Amendment
22nd Amendment is the amendment limiting a person to being elected President twice.
Impeachment
Impeachment The House of Representatives' formal accusation that a federal official committed serious misconduct. Impeachment alone does not remove the official.
Elector
Elector: A person selected to cast an official Electoral College vote for President and Vice President.
Presidential Succession
Presidential Succession: The legal process that determines who assumes presidential duties when the President cannot serve.
Vice President
The official who becomes President if the President dies, resigns, is removed, or is permanently unable to server
12th Amendment
12th Amendment: The amendment requiring electors to cast separate votes for President and Vice President.
Resignation
Resignation The formal act of voluntarily leaving an office or position.
Popular Vote
Popular Vote cast directly by the people during an election.
Line of succession
Line of Succession: The official order of individuals who may assume the presidency when both thePresident and Vice President cannot serve
President
The head of the executive branch and the leader of the United States government
25 Amendment
25th Amendment is the amendment explaining presidential succession, presidential disability, and how a vacancy in the vice presidency is filled.
Vacancy
Vacancy An elected or appointed position that is temporarily unoccupied.
Majority
Majority: More than half of the total votes. A presidential candidate currently needs at least 270 of 538 electoral votes to win
Incapacitated
Incapacitated: Unable to perform official duties because of a serious illness, injury, or other condition.