Presidential elections: primary and convention clarity

Step 1- Campaign and announce Candidates run for nomination and begin campaigning roughly 1 year prior.

Step 2- Primaries and Caucuses Between February and April states hold primaries and caucuses. Caucus= more celebratory in nature, “old school” casting of votes EACH PARTY HAS DIFFERENT RULES IN DIFFERENT STATES. Primary= Open or Closed (mostly closed)- typical ballot voting EACH STATE AND PARTY HOLDS THINGS DIFFERENTLY. Illinois= Primary 17-year-olds can vote in Primary, if they will be 18 for the general election Open Primary in Illinois (voters of any affiliation may vote in the primary of any party (but may vote in only one primary).

Step 3- Win the delegates at the caucus/primary Each candidate has to win the delegates within the state. Delegates= selected members of the party. Citizens choose, essentially, which people will “delegate” their vote best in selecting the delegates. 3 levels of delegates: District level, congressional districts State level Pledged party leaders/elected officials

Step 3 cont. Then there is the whole superdelegate issue. The superdelegate is more known in the Democratic Party. opinion: http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/23/opinions/superdelegates-democratic-party-kohn/ “is a delegate to the Democratic National Convention or Republican National Convention that is seated automatically and chooses who they want to vote for. DNC superdelegates include distinguished party leaders and elected officials, including all Democratic members of the House and Senate and sitting Democratic governors.” *usually people in congress/governors. Republicans have something similar, they are typically called, “unpledged delegates,” but they do not have as much power as the democratic party superdelegates. They only make up 10%. Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUL5TgyUrC0&app=desktop *give established politicians the “established check and balance,” but is it undemocratic?

Step 3 cont. How do candidates win the delegates in each state? Democratic Party: proportionally given based on the votes given at the caucus or primary. Republican Party: some states give a winner take all. SC primary- Trump took all 50 as he won the vote. Normally I am not one for blogs, but this person follows primary set-up information. http://frontloading.blogspot.com/p/2016-republican-delegate-allocation-by.html?m=1 And an opinion piece: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/can-gop-superdelegates-stop-trump/article/2580289

Step 3: delegate count (so far)

Step 4: the national convention Held in July on opposite weeks. They last 4 days. The RNC and the DNC both have different rules and regulations. Each party has a RULES COMMITTEE. The Rules Committee in each party can change the rules year to year! They have to fall within the Mcgovern-Fraser act, but they can change things. The Democratic Convention in 2008 was the first time in a long time there was any kind of a fight at the convention, and in 2012 and 2016, the Republicans are factioning larger than we have seen since 1964.

Step 4. Continued The delegate issue: Generally speaking, delegates have pledged their votes in the primary and caucus round, therefore, during the convention, delegates votes go to that person for the nomination. There have been cases (mainly with the democratic party) where superdelegates have had more of a pull in elections. (2008 election). Republican Party: the RNC could propose a brokered convention. (because again, they run the convention show). Watch this: http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/11/politics/brokered-convention-republican-party-donald- trump/ http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/rnc-chair-brokered-convention-were-prepared-anything

Step 5- general election After July, we will know who will be the two candidates campaigning for POTUS. We hold the general election in Nov. In December, the Electoral College casts their votes (99.9% they go with the state popular vote, winner takes all except ME and NE).