Elections

Nomination Process Nominating process is the process of candidate selection 1. Self Announcement 2. Caucus 3. Convention 4. Direct Primary 5. Petition

Self- Announcement Oldest form of the nominating process in American government Independent Party Ross Perot most recent notable

Caucus A group of like-minded people who meet to select the candidates they will support in upcoming elections First caucus mid 1700s Transportation was a problem and only certain people were having an influence Still used in local nominations Iowa Caucuses…happening today!  Chose delegates for the presidential nominating convention  Serve as early predictor of who will win the presidential nominations  -First decisions in Presidential nomination

The convention Local party members meet to select candidates for local offices and at the same time pick delegates to represent them at a county convention At the county convention county leaders are selected and delegates sent to state convention State conventions send delegates to national convention where a party’s candidate is selected

Direct Primary - Intra party election held on a state to state basis - Most states laws require that major parties use the primary to choose their candidates for the United States Senate and House of Representatives - 3 types: Open, Closed and Blanket - Closed: Only members of the party can vote in the parties primary (26 states) - Open: Anyone can participate in a party’s primary - Blanket primary: Everyone receives the same primary election sheet

Types of primaries

Presidential Primary Presidential Candidates identified and delegates to go to the national convention chosen Some states have caucuses or primaries for the President Each state sends their delegates to national convention who will represent their state in the National Conventions

Petitions Greatest number of signatures for a candidate Used at local levels

Presidential Nominations Convention Arrangements  The Constitution says nothing about presidential nominations  Almost no state or federal or state statutory law on the matter  Convention system made by two major parties

Delegates Super Delegates Republicans usually leave it up to the states to pick their delegates Democrats have some national procedures to encourage younger voters and minorities to become delegates Picked at conventions 1/5 of democratic delegates. Automatically picked based on status as elected official or party leader 3 republican super delegates Free to vote for whom ever they choose Delegates and Super Delegates

Delegates vote proportionally not winner takes whole district If 3/5 of the voters like a candidate 3/5 of the delegates need to vote for that person in the convention

The electoral college A group of people chosen from each state and the District of Columbia to formally select the President of the United States The president is NOT selected by a tally of the people’s votes

The Framers Plan for the Electoral College Each state would have as many presidential electors as it has senators and representatives in congress Each state would chose how to pick their electors This would enable small states to have some small say in elections The Framers also viewed this as a check to the uneducated masses… by not giving the power directly to the people

How does the electoral college work? The electoral is a winner takes all system Every state is allotted a certain amount of electoral votes Each state has its own system of picking who these electors will actually be  (usually elected officials, delegates, and political leaders) After the public votes in the Presidential election ALL of the delegates from that state vote for whomever won the majority state… winner takes all! There are a total of 538 electoral votes

Partner Activity With a partner answer the following questions: 1. Which two states have the most electoral votes 2. Which states have the fewest 3. How many electoral votes are needed to win an election 4. Do you think the electoral college is still necessary