Chapter 7: Elections

Nominations – the First Step Before the election can take place, candidates must be nominated This applies in ALL elections, not just presidential! Nomination – the naming of candidates who will seek office After candidates are nominated, the general election is held

How Does a Candidate get Nominated? 5 Ways: Self Announcement Convention Caucus Primary Petition **To become a major party nominee for president, the first 4 will be used**

Self-Announcement The candidate simply makes an announcement of his/her intention to seek public office (could have a friend do it, too) Ross Perot, Independent candidate

Self-Announcement Usually an independent candidate or someone who failed to win a major party nomination Ross Perot, Independent candidate

Caucus 1800s - originally a private meeting of party leaders – no records kept or journalists allowed The appearance of corruption led to reforms

Caucus Now - a public meeting of any party members who wish to participate and debate

Convention Public meeting of party activists to energize voters and choose a party candidate

Convention Used to be the method for major parties to choose, but the conventions became corrupt Major parties still use them, but only to make the presidential nomination “official”

Primary A public election held within a political party to choose the party’s nominee for office Open Primary – any eligible voters may vote Closed Primary – only registered party members may vote in their party’s primary Most common method in states today

Petition Used mostly at the local level Candidates are nominated by means of petitions signed by a certain required number of qualified voters

Activity I will put you into groups Each group will be assigned a type of nomination Your group will discuss and pros and cons of that nominating method Each group must turn in one piece of paper with all of the group members names and the pros and cons for its nomination method Be ready to share with the class

Election Laws Elections are required at many levels of government: local, state, federal Most election laws are made at the state level

Dates of Major Elections Congressional elections occur on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November of every even-numbered year Presidential elections occur on the same date as Congressional elections every four years

Federal Voting Laws Set dates for national elections Required secret ballots Allowed voting machines Prohibits corrupt practices

Election Day Most states hold local elections on the same day as national elections Why? To increase voter turnout

Early Voting Absentee Voting – mail in a ballot before the election Absentee voting originally began as a way to help ill or disabled people to vote. Now it is becoming more common to encourage voter turnout. Some states have polling locations open several days before the election.

Precincts and Polling Places Precincts – voting district Polling Place – place where voters who live in a precinct actually vote

History of the Ballot Ballot – a device by which a voter registers a choice in an election Voting was first done by voice Next people wrote their choice on a piece of paper and dropped it in a box

The Australian Ballot Created in 1856, has 4 features: Printed at public expense It lists the names of all candidates in an election It is given out at the polls, one to each qualified voter It is marked in secret

Automated Voting Lever operated – complicated to use and difficult to store and move Punch card ballots – “hanging chads” caused major problems in the 2000 election Both are now banned

Automated Voting Two most commonly used today: Optical scanners - Paper ballots are marked by voters and counted by a scanning machine – Used in Arizona Touch screen