1. Agenda Video Discussion Electoral College Worksheet Homework
Current Event

2. Electoral Process

3. Video

4. Nominating Process
Nominating process is the process of candidate selection
Ways to nominate
Self announcement
Caucus
Convention
Direct primary
Petition

5. 1. Self Announcement
Any person interested in running for office announces that fact
Still found at the small town and rural levels
Sometimes used by people who failed to win a regular party nomination
Oldest form in American politics
People who have failed
Ross Perot: an American businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and Perot founded Electronic Data Systems (EDS) in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988
John Anderson:former United States Congressman and Presidential candidate from Illinois. He was a U.S. Representative from the 16th Congressional District of Illinois and an Independent candidate in the 1980 presidential election. He was previously a member of the Republican Party. He has been a political reform leader, including serving 12 years as chair of the board of FairVote.

6. 2. Caucus
Group of Party leaders who meet to select candidates they will support in an upcoming election
A private meeting with a select few invited to attend
Criticized for it’s closed, unrepresentative nature

7. 3. Convention
Official meeting of a political party to select candidates who will represent the party in upcoming elections
Local party organizations sent representatives to county conventions; county convention selected delegates to go to national convention
Party bosses dominated and manipulated the process
Seemed more open and inclusive
Delegates are selected to go

8. 4. Direct Primary
Election in which party members vote on which candidates will represent the party in the general election
Closed primaries allow only party members to vote
Open primaries allow all qualified voters to participate but you only vote in one party’s primary
If you are a member of the decomate party then you can vote in a democrat primary

9. 4b Direct Primary
In most states candidates need only receive a plurality (not a majority) of votes to win
1. Plurality= candidate who receives the most votes
2. Majority= candidates who receives 51% of the votes
In States that require majority wins, runoff primaries are held if no candidate receives a majority vote
Runoff primaries are 2nd primaries held between the two candidates who received the most votes in the first primary election

10. 4c Direct Primary Criticisms
Although more people are allowed to participate, few voters actually do
Images becomes very important
Primary season last too long and people get bored

11. 5. Petition
Candidates are nominated by filling a petition with a certain required number of qualified voters
Required of independent or minor party candidates
Usually used in local elections for school post and municipal offices

12. Elections

13. Federal Control
Congress fixes the times, places and manner of holding Congressional and presidential Elections
Congress requires secret ballots
Passed laws protecting voting rights, regulating financing of campaigns, etc.

14. State Control All other matters are decided by the States
Locations of polling places
Hours of operations
Handing absentee Ballots
Those who are unable to get to a polling location

15. Voting Procedures

16. Voting procedures today
A ballot is the device by which a voter officially registers a choice in an election
Office-group ballot
All candidates are grouped together by office
Party-group ballot
Each party’s candidates are listed in a column under the party’s name
Voting machines and innovations

17. Money and Elections

18. Campaign Spending Campaigns are expensive Funding
Private contributions
Public funding from US government
Campaign spending
House-$935,000
Senate $4.3 per senate seat
President $290 millions per presidential candidate
Private funding
Wealthy individuals and families
Non party groups
Temporary groups organized for the purpose of fundraising for a campaign
Fundraiser like $ per plate dinners, picnic and receptions
Direct mail request, telethons and internest solicitation

19. Regulation of Campaign Finances
Federal Election Commission (FEC) administers all federal laws dealing with campaign finances
Disclosure requirements
Require public disclosure on how much candidates spend
Requirement on donations
Records must be kept of contridutions
Any contridution of $200 or more must be identified by source and date
Any spending of $200 or more must also be identified
All contridutions of $ 5,000 or more must be reported directly to the FEC within 48 hours

20. Campaign Contributions
Contributions come from
Individuals
Corporations, national banks and labor unions cannot make direct contributions
Political action committees
Individuals:

21. Public funding of presidential campaigns
Presidential candidates may choose to accept federal funding for their campaigns, but if they accept, they are limited to how much they may spend
2000-$67.6 million from the federal government