1. Elections
How Does It Work?

2. How to Elect
Direct election - citizens vote directly for the candidate
Have Congress choose the president
State legislatures could choose the president
Compromise - electoral college
indirect election- vote for electors who then elect the candidate

3. The Electoral College
Voters in the US don’t vote directly for the President
We vote for a group of electors - the Electoral College
They have pledged to support a party’s nominee
In some states the ballots list the names of the electors instead of the candidates

4. Adjustments to system At 1st electors voted on one ballot
Person who received the highest number of votes became President the next highest became V. President
12th Amendment changed this
Electors would vote on separate ballots for President and V. President
Originally electors were elected in some states and appointed by others - now electors all elected in all states

5. Elections with Problems
The two people with the highest number of votes were political foes. Federalists John Adams was President and Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson for V. President
There was a tie between the Presidential candidate Jefferson and the V. Presidential candidate Burr. It went to the House.

6. How do electors decide how to vote?
At 1st electors voted as they chose
Political Parties later set a slate of electors pledged to vote for their candidate.
Voters no longer choose individual electors - they choose a party slate
In all states except Maine, a candidate gets all of the state’s electoral votes if he wins the popular election.
Winner take all

7. The Modern Campaign
What is involved?

8. The Campaign Trail
Candidates spend every day between Labor day and election crisscrossing the country trying to convince voters from Hawaii to Maine that they are more trustworthy and capable than their opponents.

9. The Issues Domestic issues affect citizens of our country
unemployment, medical aid, elderly care, the poor, tax rate
Foreign Policy - issues dealing with other countries
policy on nuclear weapons, treaties, role of military

10. Strategy - a plan
Candidates hire political advisors to plan a winning campaign.
Professional speech writers prepare the words the candidate uses to explain his policies.
Media experts are hired to determine how to reach the voters
Try to get as much free media attention as possible

11. Volunteers Backbone of the campaign
Donate hundreds of hours of their time to help their candidate get elected.
Operate the campaign headquarters in the different states
Organize rallies, parades, and fund-raising events
Go door to door to tell people why they should vote for their candidate

12. Election Day
Big Day is Here!

13. When and Where First Tuesday after the first Monday in November
States assign a polling place and a time.
Precinct - area that you are registered to vote
7 to 7 is most common time
schools, churches, gov’t buildings

14. Procedure Arrive at poll-no campaigning here
Sign in and are given a ballot
Step into a private booth and mark ballot
paper, punch cards, lever machines, computer
Give ballot to election official if it is paper or punch card.
That’s It!

15. What happens after the vote?
Votes are tallied and sent in
Election boards certify the votes - winner is declared
Once a candidate has the 270 electoral college votes needed to win the election, the losing candidate gives a concession statement
Winner gives a victory statement.