It looks like the long-gestating political reality series "American Candidate" will see the light of day in time for the 2004 election season.

Showtime announced Thursday (Jan. 8) that it's picking up the show, first developed at FX, for a premiere date this summer. "Candidate," from documentarian R.J. Cutler ("Freshman Diaries," "The War Room"), will take a dozen political neophytes and put them through the rigors of a presidential campaign, complete with debates, opinion polling and stump speeches.

"'American Candidate' is going to engage people in the political process in a way that has never been done before," Cutler says in a statement. "... While there is no doubt that [the series] will be highly entertaining, we believe it will be an examination of the process and address serious political issues."

Would-be candidates can sign up for the series at www.americancandidate.com. Hopefuls must be 35 years old by Jan. 20, 2005, and natural-born citizens of the United States who have lived at least 14 years in the country -- just like any candidate for president.

From the pool of potential candidates, the show's producers will choose 12 finalists to compete against one another along a campaign trail that will parallel that of the actual presidential race this summer ("American Candidate" contestants will not actually be running for the presidency). The audience will eliminate one person each week, leading up to a last debate between the two remaining candidates.

Showtime has been talking with Cutler and fellow executive producers Jay Roach (director of "Meet the Parents") and Tom Lassally about picking up the show for some time. In December, the Federal Election Commission told the network that "American Candidate" would not violate any campaign-finance laws, freeing the show to proceed.