The Election Process

Steps

1. Announcement

2. State caucuses or primaries

3. Conventions

4. Nomination

5. General election

6. Electoral college votes

7. Inauguration

Announcement

A decision is made to run for office and the public is notified• TV• Radio• Speech• Political events

DON’T FORGET THE PRESIDENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Caucuses and Primaries

Caucus- series of small meetings designed to select candidates and delegates to attend the National Convention

Primaries- • Intra-party election• Political parties hold elections in states to select a

candidate to represent their party

NOTE: There are TWO forms of primaries

Closed Primaries

• Voters can only vote for the party they are registered with• Only people registered with the political party can vote• People can only vote for their declared party

Open Primaries

• Any qualified voter can vote• The voter can determine which party they want to vote for

• Voters do not need to be a registered party member, but they just need to decide which party ballot to choose before entering the booth

Which is better?

Closed

1. Prevents “raiding”

2. Makes candidates follow party platform

3. Make voter more “thoughtful”- they have to choose a party

Open

1. Voters not forced to declare party to the public

2. Includes independent voters

3. Keeps “ballot secrecy”

Which states hold the first?

Primary: New Hampshire

Caucus: Iowa

What’s the big deal about them?• Ton of media attention to candidates• Candidates focus attention to these states• If win, establish being the front runner• Gives candidates momentum in the election

Super Tuesday• Refers to the Tuesday in February or March of a

presidential election year when the greatest number of states hold primary elections

• Traditionally, candidates that do well on Super Tuesday, win their parties nomination and do well in the general election

NominationNomination- Party’s official endorsement of a candidate to run for office

To win: a candidate must win the majority of delegates support at the National Convention

National Convention: Major-party presidential nominees are selected

Plurality: the most votesMajority: more than half of the votes

General Election• 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November every four

years where voters cast their votes (popular vote)• State governments decide how to administer the election

• Electronic, mail, online, paper pencil• Electoral College casts their votes in December

Types of Voting• Absentee voting – voting earlier than the election day

• Those too ill or disabled• Those who will be away from their county• Those serving in the military

• Straight Ticket/Party Voting – voting only for one political party

• Split Ticket Voting – voting for different parties for different offices in the same election

Political Parties

What is a political party? Organization of people who share similar ideas about the way the country should be governed

Three Party Systems in the World

1.) One Party System: Political party and the government are the SAME

Only 1 party, so no competing ideas

Party membership based on lineage, wealth, military power, religious power

Example: China (Communist Party)

Three Party Systems in the World

2.) Multi-Party System: Three or more parties compete for control of the government

Common in Europe, Israel, Japan

Advantage: provides voters with many different choices and ideas

Disadvantage: difficult for one party to get majority of votes, which leads to a Coalition:

EXAMPLE – Italy (50 different govts. since WWII)

Three Party Systems in the World

Two-Party System: Two parties compete with each other to run the government.

Party system of U.S.: Democrats and Republicans

Advantages: Continuity

Disadvantages: Minority parties (third parties) receive little attention – focus is on two main parties

Beginnings of US Political Parties

George Washington against political parties• “parties serve their own interests”• “parties not beneficial to American people”

Parties formed after his exit:

1. Democratic-Republicans

2. Federalists

Democratic-Republicans

Democratic-Republicans• Supported states rights• Supported economy

based on agriculture• Power in hands of all

people• Led by Thomas

Jefferson

Federalists

Federalists• Supported strong national

govt.• Supported economy

based on industry• Power in hands of wealthy

and educated• Led by Alexander

Hamilton

The end of the beginning…

• Federalists BreakupFederalists gradually

disappear – no political momentum

John Adams only party member to be elected President

Supporters formed new party: Whig Party (1834-1856)

Continued Split

Mid 1820’s: Democratic-Republicans breaking up

Democratic Party formed to continue representing small farmers and working people

Formation of the Republicans

1850’s: Democratic Party and Whig Party split over slavery

– Pro-slavery voters form Democratic Party– Whigs and anti-slavery Democrats formed

Republican Party

Republicans

Republican Party1860: Abe Lincoln

becomes 1st Republican President

Emerges as stronger of 2 parties after Civil War

1865-1931:Only 2 Democratic Presidents elected Grover Cleveland Woodrow Wilson

What do party members actually do?

Major function of each party is to get its candidate elected to office

Steps include

1. Party members nominate, or name the candidates they want to run for office

2004 Republican Convention

What do party members do?

Party starts an election campaign• An effort to gather support for its candidates and inform

voters of the party’s stand on issues• Requires many party workers and volunteers to perform

dozens of job that include:• Raising funds• Polling voters/making phone calls• Drive voters to the polls• Register voters

What do party members do?

Once a party’s candidate is elected, the party helps the candidate organize and manage the govt.

Example: When a President is elected, 100’s of job vacancies in govt. must be filled. Jobs usually filled by party members who have contributed time, energy and money to the campaign.

Patronage: giving jobs or special favors to party workers

Third Parties

What are Third Parties?• Parties representing minority opinions that challenge the

Democrats and Republicans• Some successful Third Parties:

• Populist Party – 1890’s• Progressive Party – split off from Rep. Part in 1912• Libertarian Party – third most popular party in U.S. today

Third Parties

3 Kinds of Third Parties1. Parties Tied to a Single Issue:

Examples: Prohibition Party: formed in 1872 to support banning of alcohol in the U.S. U.S. Marijuana Party: formed to support the legalization of marijuana in the

U.S. Green Party: formed to protect the environment

Third Parties

3 Kinds of Third Parties2. Parties Tied to a Political Belief

Examples: Libertarian Party The Third Party Socialist Parties

Third Parties

3 Kinds of Third Parties3. Parties Tied to a Single Candidate

Examples: Reform Party – formed around Presidential candidate Ross Perot in 1996 American Independent Party – formed around Presidential candidate

George Wallace in 1968