THE EXECUTIVE BRANCHTHE PROCESS OF BECOMING THE PRESIDENT

OBJECTIVES

STUDENTS WILL DESCRIBE THE METHODS OF NOMINATING CANDIDATES FOR PARTIES FOR PRESIDENT.

STUDENTS WILL ANALYZE HOW ELECTIONS ARE STRUCTURED AND CANDIDATES RUN FOR OFFICE.

VOCABULARY

OPEN PRIMARY: A PARTY-NOMINATING ELECTION IN WHICH ANY QUALIFIED VOTER CAN TAKE PART.

CLOSED PRIMARY: A PARTY NOMINATING ELECTION IN WHICH ONLY DECLARED PARTY MEMBERS CAN VOTE.

CAUCUS: AS A NOMINATING DEVICE, A GROUP OF LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE WHO MEET TO SELECT THE CANDIDATES THEY WILL SUPPORT IN AN UPCOMING ELECTION.

PRESIDENTIAL SELECTION PROCESS

PROCESS BEGINS WITH GETTING PARTY NOMINATION

WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS, PRESIDENTIAL RACES HAVE BEEN DETERMINED BETWEEN TWO MAJOR PARTIES.

FOR NEARLY 150 YEARS, CONTEST BETWEEN DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN

SELECTION PROCESS FOR DETERMINING PARTY CANDIDATE GOES FROM ANNOUNCEMENT, STATE SELECTIONS, NATIONAL CONVENTION AND GENERAL ELECTION

STEP 1: EXPLORATION & ANNOUNCEMENT

IF THERE EXISTS ENOUGH INTEREST AND CANDIDATE IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMMITTEE AND THE PARTY, THE CANDIDATE ANNOUNCES THEY ARE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

FIRST STEP IS TO ESTABLISH AN EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE - TO FIND OUT IF THE CANDIDATE SHOULD RUN FOR OFFICE OR NOT.

STEP 2: CAMPAIGNING

ONCE THE CANDIDATE ANNOUNCES THEY HAVE TO QUICKLY GET INTO THE FIELD AND BEGIN THE OBSTACLE COURSE OF GETTING ENOUGH SUPPORT TO BE THE NATIONAL PARTY NOMINEE.

THIS IS DONE THROUGH A STATEWIDE SELECTION PROCESS. EITHER THROUGH PRIMARIES OR CAUCUSES.

PRIMARY

PRIMARIES ARE SPECIAL STATEWIDE ELECTIONS TO CHOOSE A CANDIDATE TO REPRESENT THE PARTY AT THE NATIONAL CONVENTION.

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF PRIMARIES: OPEN AND CLOSED

OPEN PRIMARIES: ANYONE OF ANY PARTY AFFILIATION CAN VOTE IN AN OPEN PRIMARY FOR EITHER PARTY. (I.E. A REGISTERED DEMOCRAT CAN VOTE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY AND SOMETIMES IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY)

CLOSED PRIMARIES: PRIMARY ELECTION WHERE ONLY A PARTY’S REGISTERED VOTERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE.

CAUCUS

CAUCUS: OLDEST METHOD OF CHOOSING DELEGATES TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION

ATTRACT THE MOST FAITHFUL AND INVOLVED PARTY MEMBERS, WHICH MAKES IT A SMALL NUMBER

GROUP OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME OPINIONS MEET TO SELECT THE CANDIDATES

USED TO MAKE LOCAL NOMINATIONS IN SOME PLACES

PRIMARY/CAUCUS SEASON

FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS, THE NOMINATION PROCESS HAS TAKEN A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME.

THERE MAY BE BETWEEN 8 - 15 CANDIDATES THAT BEGIN THE PROCESS.

THE FIRST CAUCUS DECISION HAS BEEN IN IOWA AND THE FIRST PRIMARY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

MOVES TO SUPER TUESDAY

2008 - 24 STATES SIMULTANEOUSLY HELD PRIMARIES OR CAUCUSES

1988 - 9 STATES

DO ALL STATES REALLY HAVE INPUT ON THE TWO BIG CHOICES FOR PRESIDENT?

STEP 3: NATIONAL CONVENTION

USUALLY DURING THE SUMMER, EVERY FOUR YEARS EACH PARTY HOLDS A NATIONAL CONVENTION

MAIN PURPOSE IS TO SELECT A NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT FOR THE PARTY

ALSO ADOPT A STATEMENT OF PARTY PRINCIPLES AND GOALS KNOWN AS THE PLATFORM

ADOPT THE RULES FOR THE PARTY'S ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING PROCESS FOR THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE.

STEP 4: GENERAL ELECTION

ONCE EACH PARTY HAS CHOSEN A CANDIDATE, INTENSE CAMPAIGNING BEGINS

CAREFUL DISCUSSION OF ELECTORAL BATTLES

POLLING

TYPES OF CAMPAIGN STRATEGIES

FIRST TUESDAY AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY OF NOVEMBER - GENERAL ELECTIONS (CONGRESS AS WELL)

CANDIDATE THAT REACHES 270 ELECTORAL VOTES WINS AND IS ELECTED PRESIDENT