In this two-part Explainer series, a historical context to the US 2020 elections is discussed by breaking down the complexity of American governance and political systems. In Part I, Ana Raymundo, an NYU Wagner MPA candidate, talks with policy expert Professor John Gershman to analyze the emergence of the Republican and Democratic parties in America, the distribution of state and federal powers, and the different roles of Congress and Senate. They examine pathways for international students and election-onlookers to engage with the intricacies of these systems better.