Showtime's new reality series "American Candidate" hopes to illuminate and elucidate the electoral process for viewers. At the same time, the show won't be bound by the restrictions of the American electoral rules and regulations. Showtime is throwing the doors open, welcoming candidates as young as 18 as well as hopefuls born outside of the United States.

The series, from R.J. Cutler ("The War Room," Showtime's "Freshman Diaries"), will pit 12 contestants against each other in a 10-week test of Presidential mettle. The show will be guided by bipartisan advisors and the challenges will mirror the events of the actual 2004 campaign. There will be debates, rallies and conventions and the winner will be crowned the "American Candidate," though it's a bit unclear as to what that will mean (beyond a $200,000 prize and a proposed national media appearance).

Initially the show's application process also mirrored the eligibility requirements for the nation's highest office. However, the expanded application pool comes just as Sen. Orrin Hatch is attempting to push a constitutional amendment (supported by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger) that would allow foreign-born American to run for the presidency.

"The number of people under the age of 35 who have contacted us wanting to participate in 'American Candidate' has been overwhelming," Cutler says. "The same is true of citizens who were not born in the United States. If the point of 'American Candidate' is to involve more people in the presidential process, we realized that there is no better way to do that than by removing any restrictions whatsoever from the application process. If you are eligible to vote, you are now eligible to participate in 'American Candidate.'"

To find out more about taking part in "American Candidate," visit www.americancandidate.com or call 877-RUN-2004 (877-786-2004).