1. Primaries and Caucuses

2. Seeking the Nomination: Electoral Process Incumbent: ◦Person/party in office running for re-election ◦Advantages: name recognition, contact constituents President: 4 year terms House of Reps: 2 years Senate: 6 years (1/3 of Senate) 4 years 6 years

3. Seeking the Nomination: Electoral Process Challenger: ◦Trying to unseat the incumbent If no incumbent: Open Race Multiple Challengers seeking empty office

4. Seeking the Nomination: Electoral Process Primary/Caucus: Candidates seek the nomination from their party in mini-elections **Each state has one for each party Collect points (delegates) by winning a contest

5. Seeking the Nomination: Electoral Process Convention: Huge fiesta put on by political parties and delegates Candidates accept nomination General Election: Final round Obama v. Romney

6. Iowa Caucus First “primary” in the nation Gives HUGE lead to winner Dems: Convention-style Republicans: Secret Ballot http://teachers.caucus101.com/resources/

8. Types of Primaries Open: no specific party affiliation required Ex: Democrats can go vote for Rubio in R primary Closed: requires specific party affiliation Ex: Only D’s can vote for Bernie Blanket: vote for more than one party/office Ex: Vote for D Prez candidate, R Senate Candidate

9. Criticisms Low Turnout Only party faithfuls (active) participate Early states get most say LONGGGGGGGGG More focus on polls than substance Money and media plays too strong a role

10. Regional Primaries Proposed regional primaries Grouped by time zone, week by week increments, then next zone Problem is the advantage gained by whatever region goes first. Small states go first, large states last?

11. National Primary Same day- One State- One Vote What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing it this way? Two minutes.

12. National Primary Length of campaign shortened Votes in one states would not have more influence than votes in other states Critics say that voters would have to vote three times—2x in primary and once in general

13. Homework: Guided Reading Wksht: Lineberry pp. 277-300 Homework: COMPLETE Task 1: Presenting NEXT CLASS, ready or not.