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| US election 2016: All you need to know | US election 2016: All you need to know |
| (7 days later) | |
| In January 2017, the most powerful nation on earth will have a new leader, after a drawn out and expensive campaign - but how does a US presidential election work? | In January 2017, the most powerful nation on earth will have a new leader, after a drawn out and expensive campaign - but how does a US presidential election work? |
| When the US picks its president, it is not only choosing a head of state but a head of government and a commander-in-chief of the largest military on the planet. | When the US picks its president, it is not only choosing a head of state but a head of government and a commander-in-chief of the largest military on the planet. |
| It's a big responsibility. So how does the process work? | It's a big responsibility. So how does the process work? |
| Who can be president? | Who can be president? |
| Technically, to run for president, you only need to be "a natural born" US citizen, at least 35 years old, and have been a resident for 14 years. Sounds easy, right? | Technically, to run for president, you only need to be "a natural born" US citizen, at least 35 years old, and have been a resident for 14 years. Sounds easy, right? |
| In reality, however, nearly every president since 1933 has been a governor, senator, or five-star military general. And that's before you even consider getting a party nomination and securing national media attention. | In reality, however, nearly every president since 1933 has been a governor, senator, or five-star military general. And that's before you even consider getting a party nomination and securing national media attention. |
| In this 2016 election, at one stage there were 10 governors or former governors and 10 who are or were senators, although many have since dropped out. | In this 2016 election, at one stage there were 10 governors or former governors and 10 who are or were senators, although many have since dropped out. |
| One person is nominated to represent the Republican and Democratic parties in the presidential election. | One person is nominated to represent the Republican and Democratic parties in the presidential election. |
| How to become the president of the US | How to become the president of the US |
| Who gets to be the presidential pick for each party? | Who gets to be the presidential pick for each party? |
| A series of elections are held in every state and overseas territory, starting in February, which determine who becomes each party's official presidential candidate. | A series of elections are held in every state and overseas territory, starting in February, which determine who becomes each party's official presidential candidate. |
| The winner of each collects a number of "delegates" - party members with the power to vote for that candidate at the party conventions held in July, where candidates are formally confirmed. | The winner of each collects a number of "delegates" - party members with the power to vote for that candidate at the party conventions held in July, where candidates are formally confirmed. |
| The more state contests a candidate wins, the more delegates will be pledged to support them at the convention. | The more state contests a candidate wins, the more delegates will be pledged to support them at the convention. |
| Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump were the clear winners in 2016 and were officially nominated at their party's conventions in July. | Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump were the clear winners in 2016 and were officially nominated at their party's conventions in July. |
| They also officially unveiled their vice-president picks - Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia for Mrs Clinton, and Indiana Governor Mike Pence for the Republicans. | They also officially unveiled their vice-president picks - Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia for Mrs Clinton, and Indiana Governor Mike Pence for the Republicans. |
| What are primaries and caucuses? | What are primaries and caucuses? |
| The big talking points of the campaign | |
| There has been a slew of controversies generated by Donald Trump, from the moment the New York businessman launched his campaign with the description of Mexican immigrants as "rapists and criminals". His candidacy has rarely gone a few weeks without sparking some uproar. He's waged wars of words with a judge, a Miss Universe, a Fox News anchor and the Muslim family of a fallen soldier. And he's had to defend his refusal not to release his tax returns and the suggestion he has paid no federal income tax for 18 years, plus questions surrounding his charitable foundation. | |
| And Hillary Clinton has had her share of anxious moments too. The damage wrought by her private email arrangement to her reputation is thought to be significant, and questions have been raised about the foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation. The New York Times, which has endorsed her, has been looking into the part she played in pushing back at the women who claimed to have affairs with her husband Bill. | |
| Trump's unwise battles - or were they? | |
| What's the deal with the Trump Foundation? | |
| Why is Clinton's foundation so controversial? | |
| Clinton's 'emailgate' diced and sliced | |
| Hillary's campaign and Bill's women | |
| Who won the first debate? | Who won the first debate? |
| The first debate in New York in September saw the two candidates sharing a stage for the first time, and as a spectacle it did not disappoint. | |
| Trump and Clinton locked horns for 97 minutes, with the Democrat seeming to get under Trump's skin at times, by accusing him of ripping off contractors, dodging his federal taxes, being a misogynist and promoting "the racist, birther lie". | Trump and Clinton locked horns for 97 minutes, with the Democrat seeming to get under Trump's skin at times, by accusing him of ripping off contractors, dodging his federal taxes, being a misogynist and promoting "the racist, birther lie". |
| New Yorker Trump landed some blows on Clinton on trade deals, her emails and the Middle East, framing her as a political insider who had achieved nothing after three decades of public life. | New Yorker Trump landed some blows on Clinton on trade deals, her emails and the Middle East, framing her as a political insider who had achieved nothing after three decades of public life. |
| The fact-checkers were busy, and the BBC has done its own homework on some of the key claims. | The fact-checkers were busy, and the BBC has done its own homework on some of the key claims. |
| They weren't the only ones who had their work cut out - the Twitter mischief-makers also made hay, in 140-characters or less. | They weren't the only ones who had their work cut out - the Twitter mischief-makers also made hay, in 140-characters or less. |
| Reality Check: Who told the most fibs? | Reality Check: Who told the most fibs? |
| Five Twitter takeaways | Five Twitter takeaways |
| What are the key dates between now and the election? | What are the key dates between now and the election? |
| It might feel like we've already been through a long election campaign, but in truth it has only just started - sorry. | It might feel like we've already been through a long election campaign, but in truth it has only just started - sorry. |
| Hold on to your hats for a manic, mammoth journey whizzing across the country with the two candidates as they make their case. | Hold on to your hats for a manic, mammoth journey whizzing across the country with the two candidates as they make their case. |
| There are three more televised debates in the last five weeks: | There are three more televised debates in the last five weeks: |
| Then - finally - votes are cast on Tuesday, 8 November. | Then - finally - votes are cast on Tuesday, 8 November. |
| How does the vote in November work? | How does the vote in November work? |
| The candidate with the most votes in each state becomes the candidate which that state supports for president. | The candidate with the most votes in each state becomes the candidate which that state supports for president. |
| It's all down to a system called the electoral college, a group of people who choose the winner - 538 of them, in fact. Just half of them - 270 - are needed to make a president. | It's all down to a system called the electoral college, a group of people who choose the winner - 538 of them, in fact. Just half of them - 270 - are needed to make a president. |
| But not all states are equal - California, for example, has more than 10 times the population of Connecticut, so they don't get an equal say. | But not all states are equal - California, for example, has more than 10 times the population of Connecticut, so they don't get an equal say. |
| Each state has certain number of these "electors" based on their population in the most recent census (it so happens that it's the same number of districts in a state, plus two senators). | Each state has certain number of these "electors" based on their population in the most recent census (it so happens that it's the same number of districts in a state, plus two senators). |
| When citizens vote for their preferred candidate, they're actually voting for the electors, some of which are pledged to one candidate, some for another. | When citizens vote for their preferred candidate, they're actually voting for the electors, some of which are pledged to one candidate, some for another. |
| But here's where it gets interesting. In almost every state (except Nebraska and Maine), the winner takes all - so the person who wins the most electors in New York, for example, will get all 29 of New York's electoral votes. | But here's where it gets interesting. In almost every state (except Nebraska and Maine), the winner takes all - so the person who wins the most electors in New York, for example, will get all 29 of New York's electoral votes. |
| In the race to get to the magic number - 270 - it's the swing states that often matter most. | In the race to get to the magic number - 270 - it's the swing states that often matter most. |
| The US electoral college explained | The US electoral college explained |
| What are swing states? | What are swing states? |
| So, we've got two candidates, both in a race to get to 270 electors by winning whole states at a time. | So, we've got two candidates, both in a race to get to 270 electors by winning whole states at a time. |
| Both parties think they can bank on certain states, big and small. Republicans will count on Texas, and not waste their money campaigning to a great extent there. Similarly, California is likely to sit in the Democrats' column. | Both parties think they can bank on certain states, big and small. Republicans will count on Texas, and not waste their money campaigning to a great extent there. Similarly, California is likely to sit in the Democrats' column. |
| The others are known as "swing states" - where it could go either way. Florida in particular, with its 29 votes, famously decided the 2000 election in favour of George W. Bush, who lost the popular vote nationally but, after a Supreme Court case, won the electoral college. | The others are known as "swing states" - where it could go either way. Florida in particular, with its 29 votes, famously decided the 2000 election in favour of George W. Bush, who lost the popular vote nationally but, after a Supreme Court case, won the electoral college. |
| Other swing states include: Ohio, Virginia, Colorado, North Carolina, Nevada. | Other swing states include: Ohio, Virginia, Colorado, North Carolina, Nevada. |
| When does the new president start work? | When does the new president start work? |
| In the days and weeks after the election - if the vote is decisive - the victor will assemble a cabinet and begin crafting a more thorough policy agenda. | In the days and weeks after the election - if the vote is decisive - the victor will assemble a cabinet and begin crafting a more thorough policy agenda. |
| Meanwhile, the departing "lame duck" president works to shape his legacy and begins packing up his belongings. | Meanwhile, the departing "lame duck" president works to shape his legacy and begins packing up his belongings. |
| Under the US constitution, the president is inaugurated on 20 January of the year following the election. | Under the US constitution, the president is inaugurated on 20 January of the year following the election. |
| More on the US election | More on the US election |
| Key issues - where candidates stand | |
| The A-Z - a guide to the political jargon | |
| President Trump - what Donald in the Oval Office would mean | |
| Special report: The BBC's full coverage of the race to the White House | Special report: The BBC's full coverage of the race to the White House |