LONDON - The election campaign is in full swing.
On May 7, millions of British voters go to the polls to elect 650 Members of Parliament for the House of Commons.
Elections in the UK are complicated affairs -- but not without charm.
Here are 9 things America can learn:
1. Good use of a Queen
Unlike the US, the UK is a parliamentary democracy rather than a presidential one, meaning that the prime minister is the head of government but not the head of state.
As part of the political process, the prime minister must visit the Queen -- who is the head of state -- to inform her that parliament has been dissolved.
2. Shorter election campaigns
Because the primary process starts elections early, presidential campaigns in America seemingly last a lifetime, with candidates announcing their intention to stand a year in advance of election day.
In the UK, the formal election campaign is just over five weeks long, lasting from the dissolution of parliament on March 30 until polling day on May 7.
3. Principles over personalities
Like in the U.S., British politics can be personality-driven, with leaders' personalities helping shape voters' perception of the party. But since people vote for individual candidates in each constituency or electoral area, principles and platforms are important, too. As evidenced by the fact that a party can perform better in the polls than its leader is -- as is currently the case with the Labour Party and its leader Ed Miliband.
4. Political ads are banned on television
Political ads are banned on TV and radio. However, parties create PSA-like broadcasts known as Party Political Broadcasts which are carried by the broadcast channels.
Here are two of the ads for the 2015 election (you'll spot Sherlock star Martin Freeman in the Labour Party ad).
However, parties can take out ads in newspapers and this year we've seen parties paying to advertise on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
In February, it was revealed by the BBC that the Conservative Party were spending over £100,000 each month on Facebook and as much as £3,000 in individual constituency campaigns.
5. No term limits for the nation's leader
Prime Ministers can serve as long as their party keeps winning elections -- and the party doesn't oust them.
Sir Robert Walpole, generally regarded as the first prime minister, served nearly 21 years from 1721-42, while Margaret Thatcher served for over 11 years.
American presidents, for their part, can only serve for two terms.
6. Strict rules for campaign spending
Unlike the U.S., there are very firm rules around campaign spending in the UK. Candidates can spend up to £30,700, plus 9p per voter in county constituencies, and 6p per voter in borough seats ahead of the official campaign.
During the official campaign a candidate can spend £8,700, plus 9p per voter in county constituencies and 6p per voter in borough seats. All donations over £50 must be declared. In the 2010 general election, political parties spent £31.4 million with the bulk of spending on unsolicited materials and advertising.
7. No primaries
With only rare exceptions, the UK doesn't hold primaries to select candidates. Would-be MPs are selected by local party officials.
In the main parties, a person interested in becoming a candidate has to first become a prospective parliamentary candidate or PPC .
To become a PPC for the Conservatives or the Liberal Democrats, candidates have to get past a set of tests designed by a psychologist and take part in interviews that test core competencies. If a seat comes up, PPCs have to impress local selectors via, for example, an interview to become the approved candidate.
Would-be MPs apply to the Labour Party to be selected before interviews and hustings are held to make the final decision.
There has been criticism that this selection process favours those who are part of the political system already and isolates people from outside it.
8. More time between elections
UK general elections take place every five years, under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act of 2011.
An early election can take place if it's agreed by at least two-thirds of the House of Commons or if a motion of no confidence in the government is passed and no alternative government is confirmed by the Commons in 14 days.
9. No electoral colleges
In the U.S. electoral system, voters don’t vote directly for the president -- the electors in the electoral college (determined by the size of a state's voting population) do. In in the UK, voters (except in the constituency of the winning party leader) don’t vote for the prime minister.
Instead, they use the first past the post electoral system to vote for a candidate of choice from the party they prefer (there are also independent parties). The party with the most votes, which can build a reliable majority in the House of Commons, the lower house of parliament, elects the prime minister, this person is usually the leader of the party.
The role of the prime minister, who is seen as the principal government figure in the House of Commons, is to oversee the civil service and government agencies and to appoint members of government.
In the U.S. the president is both the head of state and the head of government. He or she is responsible for the execution and enforcement of the laws created by Congress and has the power to pass or veto legislation.