The Big Read: Who are the front runners in the race to the White House?

The US presidential selection race kicks off soon with more than a dozen candidates in the running, writes Bette Browne

The first votes will be cast within weeks in the US presidential election as Democrats and Republicans begin choosing the candidates who will battle it out for the White House.

Both parties will set the ball rolling on February 1 in their respective deciders in the state of Iowa that will make or break the presidential ambitions of many of the 15 candidates — three Democrats and 12 Republicans.