No lead up. No one knows for sure when it will be called, other than it has to be called within a four year window. Then everyone scrambles and its all over in 6 weeks. Primaries for parties take a few weeks in the years before that if needed by the individual parties.
No year long mud slinging primaries. And it seems like the US is ALWAYS in campaign mode. Especially with Trump and his rallies. It just seems so unavoidably exhausting. Also no mid-terms here, just bi-elections when needed if someone resigns or dies. We have electoral peace for four years, nationally.
Here, its just an intense 6 weeks, with debates concentrated within that time. And then its done, and we can go back to complaining about the government again. 
Its no wonder some reps in the US spend all their time campaigning and milking donors. But it must be hard to get anything done.
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