1. Elections!!!
Chapter 10

2. America’s Three Elections (We’re Somethin’ Special)
America has three types of elections
Primary
General
Referendum/initiative

3. Primaries in America Types of primaries
Presidential
Direct
Party elections to select candidates for the general election
Clinton vs. Obama
Walberg vs. Rooney
Primaries have positive and negative effects
Forces candidates to take positions
Makes voters think about policy positions
Nasty primary can damage the image of eventual winner
$$$$

4. How Primaries Can Hurt – Enter Joe Biden
Biden speaks to an Indian-American
Biden on the lake
Biden Wheel Chair

5. Tensions Flare http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD9F1t9GQzA

6. More on Primaries Inter-party debate on the direction of the party
Tea Party and Republicans
Open vs. Closed
Advantages vs. Disadvantages – What are they?

7. Presidential Primaries
Each state holds own selection process
Primary vs. Caucus
Parties set own rules
2,509 Republican vs. 4,322 Democrat
Party delegates are selected to attend nominating convention
Number of delegates usually based on state’s population
Similar to electoral college

8. Republicans in Da House

9. Republicans 2008 in the Land of the Hand

10. Why Might It Matter When Your State Holds It’s Primary/Caucus?
Brainstorm

11. Primary Terms Frontloading Super Tuesday
What MI did!! Jockey for position.
Super Tuesday
Day with the greatest number of primaries/caucuses held
Gotta do well
2008
50+% of Democratic delegates
40+% of Republican delegates

13. Delegates Are Not Created Equal
Pledged Delegate – Regular Folk
People selected by state primaries or caucuses
Vote tied to a candidate
Unpledged Delegate (Super-delegate) – Party Fat-cats
Vote at nominating convention based on status in the party
No direct connection to a single candidate

14. Super-Delegates, Part Duex
Mostly in the Democratic Party
Governors, Senators, Representatives
Party Leaders (DNC), Big-Time Donors
Few in Republican Party
Party Leaders (RNC)

15. Land of the Hand Gets a Slap on the Wrist
Michigan moved it’s primary up
Punished by super-delegates from MI

16. NATIONAL CONVENTIONS – Formal nomination of party’s candidate
REPUBLICAN PARTY
Last on: Sept. 1-4, 2008
Minneapolis, Minnesota
2,509 delegates
60 from Michigan
Candidate needs 1,255 to win the nomination
-Lots of white men, why?
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Last on: August 25-28, 2008
Denver, CO
4,322 delegates
128 from Michigan
Candidate needs 2,161 to win the nomination
-Women out number men, most minorities ever at a convention, why?
Held in states they want to win Conventions: speeches, parties, music, nominee speech, and you tell the candidates story

17. The Electoral College
Electoral College: A body of electors chosen by the voters of each state to cast the ballots that elect the president and vice-president.
Electors are appointed or elected by their political party, and if that party wins the popular vote in that state, the electors who's state has won proceed to the Capital on the Monday following the second Wednesday in December to formally cast their ballots.
538 Electoral College Voters
Each states gets the amount of their US Senators + US Reps
Winner-take-all for all states except Maine and Nebraska
Must have 270 to win
In the event of tie or less than 270, the House of Representatives decides who the president will be. Each state’s congressional delegation will get one vote.

18. Dingell vs. Rivers

19. Where are the House Districts?

20. REDISTRICTING Census: Every ten years = population changes
Reapportionment: Allocating all 435 Congressional seats based on population.
Redistricting: Redrawing the boundaries of Congressional districts to meet population changes.

21. Gerrymandering Gerrymandering: Redistricting for political purposes.
Some fine examples