Parties nominate their delegates in congressional caucuses. Popular vote was symbolic States pick representatives - Electors › Each state gets a number of electors = to its total members of congress( reps. + senators) Electors choose the president
National Party conventions now select delegates, beginning at the local level – state and then National Jackson attempted constitutional amendment to eliminate the Electoral College- failed Persuaded states to link their popular vote to the electors- winner take all system. › Each party has a separate set of electors & the one who wins popular votes gets all the elector votes for that state 3 x’s didn’t work. Jackson was known as a peoples president because of actions like this that brought ‘average’ citizens into government
Party conventions were corrupt by ‘party bosses’ who hand picked the delegates and therefore the presidential nominees. Progressive party attempt the first Indirect primary- where people directly votes for their nominees › Didn’t catch on many places. No Electoral College Changes
Reform Democrats forced 2 ways to nominate delegates. › Open Party Caucuses- meeting open to any register party voter -if you show up and are not registered they will register you on the spot Representatives from each of the delegates speak at the meeting followed by vote. › Primary Elections- registered voters cast a ballot for their choice No Electoral college changes.
Begin in January- › New Hampshire › Tech. Iowa is first but it is a caucus not a voting primary End in June- › South Dakota These are followed by the National Party Conventions › Vice president nominee is announced at this time. › People vote in November › Electors vote in December › President is sworn in, in January (originally march)