SO, YOU WANT TO BE PRESIDENT? (12.

4
AND 12.5)

TWO ELECTIONS?
There are really two
campaigns to become
President.
1. Primary/caucuses are
held in each State
(winning the party).
2. Winning the
presidency over the
other parties
candidates.

PRIMARIES AND CAUCUSES

Primaries
Depending on the State:
1. Choose some or all of a
State party organizations
delegates to the national
convention
2. Express a preference
amongst various
contenders for their partys
presidential nomination
Vary widely from State to State
States compete for early dates.

Caucuses
Partys voters meet in local
caucuses.
There they pick delegates to a
State convention.
Those delegates chosen for the
State convention choose
delegates for the partys national
convention.

THE NATIONAL CONVENTION

Meeting at which delegates pick their

presidential and vice presidential
candidates

Three goals:
1. Naming the partys presidential
and vice presidential candidates
2. Bring various factions in the
party together.
3. Adopting the party platform
(formal statement of basic
principles, stands on major policy
matters, and objectives for
campaign and beyond)

HOW DO THESE NATIONAL CONVENTIONS

WORK?

Conventions are four days long.

First day is dedicated to welcoming the
delegates and organizing the convention.
There are also many short speeches
given.
The second day has more speeches.
The partys platform is decided and the
keynote address is given on this day.
The third day is highlighted by the Vice
President accepting his or her
nomination as well as the selection of
the partys presidential candidate.
The fourth and final day is when the
presidential candidate accepts their
nomination and gives a speech that
launches the general election campaign.

With someone sitting by you, come

up with a list of qualities that you
want a President to have.

WHO GETS NOMINATED?

If an incumbent (person in office) President

wants another term, the conventions choice of
a nominee is easy.

WHO GETS NOMINATED?

If there is no incumbent in the party,

then the nominee will have the right
combination of:
Broad appeal
Substantial record free of
controversy
Prior experience (usually
governors or Senators)
Usually Protestant
Usually come from larger States
Must look Presidential (healthy
and good on TV)

THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

The Constitution calls for
election of the President
through the Electoral
College.
# of Reps + # of Senators =
# of electors
Washington D.C. gets 3
Electors
270/538 needed to win

THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

Electors are chosen by popular vote (when

you vote, you are actually voting for
electors). This happens on election day.

48 States are winner take all. One

candidate gets all of that States electoral
votes.

Once chosen, each elector casts their official

vote for President and Vice President. They
meet in their State capitol on the Monday
after the second Wednesday in December.

Once the Electors have cast their votes, the

votes are sent to the President of the Senate

Those electoral votes are counted by the

President of the Senate in a joint session of
Congress on January 6 th.

With another person sitting by you, try to

think of disadvantages of this system.
What weaknesses does it have?

WEAKNESSES OF THE SYSTEM

1. The winner of the popular vote
may not win the Presidency.
Winner take all
Distribution of electoral votes
(Cali. vs. Wyoming)
2. Electors are not required to vote
along the lines of the popular
vote.
3. There is the possibility that an
election will be decided in the
House (happened in 1800 and
1824).

PROPOSALS TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM

Amendments to the electoral

college have been introduced
in every term of Congress
since 1789!

SOME OF THE PLANS TO CHANGE THE

ELECTORAL COLLEGE

The District Plan

Two electoral votes
represent the popular vote of
the State.
Each remaining electoral
vote represents popular vote
within each district.
The Proportion Plan
Electoral votes would be
divided based on the popular
vote.

Direct Popular Election

Abolishes the electoral
college, the person with the
most votes wins.
National Popular Vote Plan
All of the States electoral
votes are awarded to the
winner of the national
popular vote.
Can be done without
changing the Constitution.

IN DEFENSE OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGES

GOOD NAME
Only two elections have actually gone to the House.
The loser of the popular vote has only won the
presidency four times in 58 elections.
It is a known process.
Identification of the winner is quick and certain.

A NICE SUMMARY OF WHAT WEVE LEARNED

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUS9mM8Xbbw