The average age of a sitting President is 55 years old.

This is again to avoid foreign influence and to ensure that you’re up to date with politics in America.

If you can’t find your birth certificate or you need a new one, you can request it from your state’s Vital Records office. As long as you’re a natural born American citizen, your gender, religion, and culture have no bearing on whether or not you can be the President.

31 presidents have had some sort of military experience, but that number is highly skewed to the past—it’s not as common as it once used to be. [8] X Research source So while joining the military is an option, it’s not a necessity.

The main 2 parties are Democrat and Republican, but there are also smaller parties, like the Libertarian Party and the Green Party that are smaller and more specific.

You don’t have to do this. You could be some type of community organizer, lawyer, or activist, too. It’s just that getting your name in the ring, getting to know people, and getting people to know you is the simplest way to getting your name on the big ticket at the end of it all.

If you’re still in college, look around for internships nearby to get your foot in the door. Volunteer experience can also lead to career opportunities down the line.

There is also a large chance that you won’t become the president, so you should come to terms with that, too.

There are also safety issues that come with running for president. You should talk to your family and friends about the extra security you all might need in the coming months.

They can also help you find funding for your campaign.

You can expect your campaign manager to handle your touring schedule, making posters, and coordinating volunteers.

You can contact local corporations, nonprofits, or just American citizens. You can also ask your political party if they’ll help to fund your campaign.

Utilize your exploratory committee to assess the level of visibility you have in the public (i. e, your chance at succeeding) and recommend campaign strategies, themes, and slogans. The committee should also recruit potential donors, endorsements, staff and volunteers, and write position papers and speeches. If it all goes well, they’ll start organizing in the key beginning states (Iowa, New Hampshire, etc. )

Be sure to file a Statement of Candidacy within 15 days of reaching the $5,000 threshold. After that statement is filed, you have 10 days to file a Statement of Organization. You must also report campaign income and expenditures to the FEC on a quarterly basis.

Make sure you invite the media so you can televise your candidacy as well.

Al Gore said he invented the Internet. John Edwards had an affair. Mitt Romney said half of US voters don’t pay taxes. [21] X Research source That’s just three things Americans don’t like. Wherever you are—whether you think you’re being recorded or not—be on your best behavior. The public doesn’t easily forget these things. The presidency (or any position of power) is not as bright as it seems; the real challenge is to win key supporters that can help keep your campaign going, win the presidency, and stay in office. [22] X Research source

Every state is a bit different, and the party themselves are different as well. Republicans have “pledged” and “un-pledged” delegates; Democrats have “pledged delegates” and “super delegates. " Some are a winner-take-all system, while others give you a percentage of delegates to match the percentage of votes you received.

It’s one day where each party prefers to concentrate on how awesome they are instead of how terrible the other is. So enjoy the short-lived positivity! This is also where you will declare your running mate. This is pretty big—if people don’t approve of your choice, you could lose votes, so think it through.

By this point, you’ll have advisors and admins doing most of the background work for you so you can focus on reaching out to citizens and getting votes. Enter the race as a third party if you do not have the backing of a major party, but still want to be president. Other parties that support presidential candidates include the Green Party, Natural Law Party, and Libertarian Party. Presidential candidates have also run as Independents.

Not only will it be your word, but it’ll be your image everywhere—commercials that you’ve endorsed (including attack ads), YouTube videos, pictures from your past, etc. No matter what gets thrown at you, you have to take it in stride.

When John F. Kennedy stared right into the camera with his tan, young self, sweaty, coming-out-of-the-flu Nixon didn’t stand a chance. Charisma will get you a long way here, so play it up to the max.

Each state has a certain number of electors based on its size and population. To become president, one candidate must have more electoral votes than the other. In the event of a tie, the House of Representatives will decide who wins the election.

The old president will symbolically hand their position over to you so you can start your term.