The Election The Election ProcessProcess

From Candidate to Nominee to From Candidate to Nominee to PresidentPresident

Constitutional Qualifications Constitutional Qualifications to be Presidentto be President

The President must The President must be a be a natural born natural born citizencitizen..

Must have lived in Must have lived in the the U.S. for 14 years U.S. for 14 years (although they do not (although they do not have to be have to be consecutive).consecutive).

Must be at least Must be at least 35 35 yrs. oldyrs. old..

Non-Constitutional Non-Constitutional QualificationsQualifications

Government Experience Government Experience – – most frequently as governor or US most frequently as governor or US

SenatorSenator.. MoneyMoney – – candidates could spend up candidates could spend up

to $37.3 mil. For primaries and $74.62 to $37.3 mil. For primaries and $74.62 million for general election (2004).million for general election (2004).

Political beliefs Political beliefs – – extremes are extremes are

often not the answeroften not the answer.. Personal characteristicsPersonal characteristics – –

likable personalitylikable personality..

The PrimariesThe Primaries

Candidates that are Candidates that are members of the members of the two two major political parties vie major political parties vie for the parties nomination for the parties nomination for the presidency.for the presidency.

Beginning in January of Beginning in January of an election year, the an election year, the states will hold elections states will hold elections for each of the major for each of the major political parties to political parties to become the presidential become the presidential nominee from each state.nominee from each state.

Important Dates of the Important Dates of the PrimariesPrimaries

The The first two primaries first two primaries are in Iowa and New are in Iowa and New HampshireHampshire. They “set . They “set the tone” for the the tone” for the remainder of the remainder of the primaries.primaries.

The The first Tuesday in first Tuesday in February is known as February is known as Super TuesdaySuper Tuesday. Twenty . Twenty states will hold their states will hold their primaries.primaries.

Pennsylvania will hold Pennsylvania will hold the primary in April.the primary in April.

The ConventionThe Convention

Delegates Delegates (representatives) from (representatives) from each state go to the each state go to the Party Convention to vote Party Convention to vote for a President.for a President.

After the states officially After the states officially announce their announce their candidates, the candidates, the Presidential candidate is Presidential candidate is officially nominatedofficially nominated..

The The Convention is a big Convention is a big pep rally for the parties pep rally for the parties to to begin the general begin the general election.election.

Selecting a Vice-Selecting a Vice-PresidentPresident

Also at the Also at the convention, the convention, the nominated President nominated President will will select a running select a running mate, the Vice-mate, the Vice-PresidentPresident..

Picking a Vice-PresidentPicking a Vice-President

There are several reasons for picking a There are several reasons for picking a Vice-President and friendship a rarely Vice-President and friendship a rarely amongst them. amongst them.

The The statestate that the Vice-President comes that the Vice-President comes from. from.

The The politicspolitics of the Vice-President. of the Vice-President. The Vice-President fulfills a “The Vice-President fulfills a “special rolespecial role.”.” Ultimately, the Vice-President should Ultimately, the Vice-President should

balance out the President.balance out the President.

Now what …Now what …

At this point, the Republican At this point, the Republican nominee and the Democratic nominee and the Democratic nominee will face each other with nominee will face each other with the Presidency as the prize.the Presidency as the prize.

Occasionally, an independent or a Occasionally, an independent or a third party candidate will emerge, third party candidate will emerge, but not very often.but not very often.

A A third party candidate will often third party candidate will often take votes away from one of the take votes away from one of the major party candidates, major party candidates, hurting their hurting their chances at the Presidency.chances at the Presidency.

A third party currently has no A third party currently has no chance to win the election.chance to win the election.

H. Ross Perot, 1992

Election DayElection Day

On the On the first Tuesday first Tuesday of November of November (unless (unless it is the first day of it is the first day of the month), everyone the month), everyone votes for their votes for their candidate for candidate for President.President.

Historical BackgroundHistorical Background

The framers of the Constitution The framers of the Constitution disagreed on how to elect a presidentdisagreed on how to elect a president Congressional selection Congressional selection direct popular election.direct popular election.

The electoral college was a The electoral college was a compromisecompromise combining features of both combining features of both

approaches.approaches.

The Electoral College and The Electoral College and FederalismFederalism

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The electoral college also The electoral college also reflects the federal nature of the reflects the federal nature of the ConstitutionConstitution Ensures that the states have a Ensures that the states have a

role in selecting the president.role in selecting the president.

WHO ARE the Electors?WHO ARE the Electors?

Individuals selected in each state to officially cast that Individuals selected in each state to officially cast that state’s electoral votes.state’s electoral votes.

Ohio selects 20 electors to cast the state’s 20 electoral Ohio selects 20 electors to cast the state’s 20 electoral votes.votes.

Framers anticipated that electors would be state leaders Framers anticipated that electors would be state leaders who would exercise good judgment.who would exercise good judgment.

Today, party leaders select electors who are typically Today, party leaders select electors who are typically long-time party activists.long-time party activists.

Electors almost always vote for their party’s candidates.Electors almost always vote for their party’s candidates.

The Electoral CollegeThe Electoral College

The popular vote is The popular vote is tabulated in each tabulated in each state. state.

The winner of the The winner of the popular vote is given popular vote is given all of the electoral all of the electoral votes of the statevotes of the state..

The amount of The amount of electoral votes that electoral votes that each state has is the each state has is the combination of combination of Representatives and Representatives and Senators in the state.Senators in the state.

How many electoral How many electoral votes does PA have?votes does PA have?

Answer – 20Answer – 20..

2000 Presidential Results2000 Presidential Results

And the winner is ….And the winner is ….

The candidate who receives The candidate who receives 270 270 electoral votes electoral votes (538 total votes) is (538 total votes) is declared the President of the United declared the President of the United States.States.

Are there any flaws with this system?Are there any flaws with this system?

The Real ElectionThe Real Election

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In December of election yearIn December of election year The electors gather in their respective The electors gather in their respective

state capitols to cast ballots for state capitols to cast ballots for president and vice president. president and vice president.

In JanuaryIn January Congress comes into sessionCongress comes into session They open the ballots received from They open the ballots received from

each stateeach state They announce the official outcome.They announce the official outcome.

What if no one receives a What if no one receives a majority?majority?

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To win, a candidate needs a majority, To win, a candidate needs a majority, 270 electoral votes.270 electoral votes.

If no candidate has a majority If no candidate has a majority the House of Representatives selects the president from among the House of Representatives selects the president from among

the three presidential candidates with the most electoral votes. the three presidential candidates with the most electoral votes.

If this happens, each state has one vote. If this happens, each state has one vote. Happened only once!Happened only once!

1824 Congress chose John Quincy Adams over Andrew 1824 Congress chose John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson and Henry ClayJackson and Henry Clay..

The Senate selects the vice president from the top The Senate selects the vice president from the top two vice-presidential candidates.two vice-presidential candidates.

Popular Vote v. the Popular Vote v. the Electoral VoteElectoral Vote

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In a close race, the popular vote winner may In a close race, the popular vote winner may not win the electoral college. not win the electoral college. One candidate may win states by lopsided One candidate may win states by lopsided

margins while the other wins states by margins while the other wins states by narrow margins. narrow margins.

Electoral vote winners who lost the popular Electoral vote winners who lost the popular votevote Bush over Gore in 2000Bush over Gore in 2000

Benjamin Harrison over Grover Cleveland in 1888Benjamin Harrison over Grover Cleveland in 1888

Rutherford B. Hayes over Samuel Tilden in 1876Rutherford B. Hayes over Samuel Tilden in 1876

Criticisms of the Electoral Criticisms of the Electoral CollegeCollege

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The popular vote winner may lose the The popular vote winner may lose the presidency.presidency.

Electors may vote for persons other than Electors may vote for persons other than their party’s presidential and vice their party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates.presidential candidates.

If no candidate receives a majority, If no candidate receives a majority, Congress will pick the president and vice Congress will pick the president and vice president.president.

Proposals for Proposals for ReformReform

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Eliminate electors but still count Eliminate electors but still count electoral votes.electoral votes.

Choose the president by direct Choose the president by direct popular election.popular election.

The ComplaintsThe Complaints

The first complaint goes back 200 years. The first complaint goes back 200 years. #1 - #1 - Big states have more electoral votes Big states have more electoral votes

than smaller statesthan smaller states.. #2 – #2 – The a presidential candidate may The a presidential candidate may

win the popular vote (2000 election), but win the popular vote (2000 election), but not win the Presidency.not win the Presidency.

2008 Presidential 2008 Presidential Election ResultsElection Results