National Conventions The meetings at which the delegates vote to pick their presidential and vice-presidential candidates Regularly, the leading contender has won enough delegates in the primaries and caucuses to lock up the nomination before the convention meets

Party Conventions Accomplish 6 goals 1.Officially name Party’s Presidential and Vice-presidential Candidates 2.To bring the various factions and the leading personalities in the party together in one place for a common purpose 3.To adopt the party’s platform - its formal statement of basic principles, stands on major policy matters, and objections for the campaign and beyond 4.Promote party unity 5.Mobilizes support for the party ticket 6.Captures interest/attention of the country

The Role of the Electoral College The Popular and Electoral Vote

Were Presidents ever elected popularly?

Compromise Election by Congress Election by Popular Vote

Electoral College = Indirect Method of Election

Given the electoral college procedure, is the individual vote really meaningful?

12 th Amendment The major change in the electoral college made by the amendment was that each elector would distinctly cast one electoral vote for President and one for Vice President.

Constitutional System Article II Section I Modified 12th Amendment rd Amendment 1961

Electoral College It is the collective name for a group of electors, nominated by political parties within the states and popularly elected, who meet to vote for the two offices: President Vice-President

Electoral College Process General Population Votes

Your vote for President and Vice President doesn’t elect the candidates You are actually voting for slates of electors pledged to that candidate.

18 H + 2 S = 20 Electoral Votes Electors Total = 538 House of Rep. = 435 Senate = 100 D.C. = Votes Win

Ohio’s Slate of Electors

Electoral College Process Governor

Ohio’s Capitol Building Electors

ELECTING A PRESIDENT ELECTORAL COLLEGE ELECTION DAY CONGRESS PRESIDENT

Electoral College Process Joint Session of Congress

2000 Election

General Election Think 51 Separate Elections – 48 States and District of Columbia do a Winner Take All for awarding Electors Popular Vote = All of Electors – 2 States award Electors based on a Proportional Method or Split Slate District Popular Vote = Electors based on district State Popular Vote = 2 Electors

Proportional Method = Split Slate District Vote and At-Large Nebraska Maine

Election of 1800 and Political Parties The electoral college is the group of people (electors) chosen from each State and the District of Columbia that formally selects the President and Vice President. With the rise of political parties in 1796, flaws began to be seen in the system. Original Version Electors voted for two candidates. 12 th Amendment requires two votes cast for President and Vice President.

Constitution Page 365 – Read 365 – 367 Page 766 and 773 – Look at first line in each Article 1 Section 1 Clause 3 (crossed out) Amendment 12

Election of 1800 A Tie means that the Constitution calls for the vote to be thrown into the House of Representatives. House controlled by Federalists House wanted Burr Popular Vote wanted Jefferson Voted 36 Times A Tie means that the Constitution calls for the vote to be thrown into the House of Representatives. House controlled by Federalists House wanted Burr Popular Vote wanted Jefferson Voted 36 Times

Popular Vote and Electoral Votes Elections of: – 1824 – 1876 – 1888 – 2000 – Show video clip from The Election Process in America

1824 Popular Vote Andrew Jackson 43% John Q. Adams 30.5% Electoral Vote Jackson99 votes (261) Adams 84 * Adams elected by House of Representatives when Jackson did not receive a majority of the Electoral votes

1876 Popular Vote Samuel Tilden51% R. B. Hayes48% Electoral College Tilden 184 Hayes185 Winner: Hayes

1888 Popular Vote Grover Cleveland48.5 % Benjamin Harrison47.8 % Electoral College Cleveland168 Harrison233 Winner: Harrison

2000 Popular Vote Albert Gore48.7% George W. Bush48.5% Electoral College Gore266 Bush271 Winner: Bush District of Columbia has 3 votes and 1 Abstained.

Popular Votes and Electoral Votes

Even though Gore won the popular vote, Bush won more states therefore winning the electoral votes. Bush Wins!