system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is the US election cycle so long?

Seriously, it feels like I've been hearing about preparations for the next election for over a year. In Australia the PM announces an election, usually around the time they have to do it by but sometimes earlier when it benefits them, then we have a month or so of ads and campaigning and so on and the we cast our votes and it's done. Why does it take so long in America?
gpt
U.S. presidential elections take place every four years; they aren't announced and they can't be "called for." Since everyone knows when the election is coming, they have a long time to prepare.

That said, this year's election is unusual in how early it "started", which is mostly testament to the paucity of good candidates.