Choosing Someone You Like What things do you look for in someone running for a certain job or position?

UEQ and LEQ: UEQ: Is the United States a true democracy? LEQ: How could choosing a Presidential Candidate impact the course of United States history over the course of a four to eight year period?

Vocabulary Self-Nomination Write-In Candidate Caucus Direct Primary Closed Primary Open Primary

Warm Up Study the Handout “On the Fence: A Voter’s Guide To The 2008 Election,” and read over the brief article explanation on the left. Questions to answer… 1.What does the Time Poll say??? 2.How does Bill Clinton describe campaigning? 3.What kind of liabilities do they describe for each candidate? 4.What kind of strengths do they list? Post it Note Question: Look over each candidates information, based on what is given, who would have been the best choice for President, if people voted just on the article? Explain and provide two examples from the article to support who you think would have been the best.

Election Process Group Activity Without any background knowledge or understanding of the election process, you and your group mates are going to layout the election process in steps. Directions ▫I have placed a beginning and end marker for both groups at opposite ends of the room. Each group will separate the process cards, talk amongst each other, and layout the cards in order from beginning to end to show how the election process goes. ▫10 minutes, work together, and talk as a group

Election Process Questions In full complete sentences answer the questions below, based on the election process group assignment that you just completed. 1.Looking at the election process, predict why you think the process is so long? 2.Looking at the process, what challenges do candidates face as they go through the process? 3.Since so much money is spent on the election process, predict where else election money could be spent instead of just the election? 4.What may cause a candidate to drop out of the election process or not even want to campaign during the election process?

Step 1 Nominating a Candidate ▫Means to pick a candidate to run for a government job. Two Ways to become a Candidate ▫Self Nomination- Declare you are running ▫Write-In Candidate- Voters write name of candidate on ballot. Ballot- form that contains names of candidates running for government job that citizens use to vote.

Nominating

Nominating Continued… Caucus ▫Meeting of party leaders ▫Discuss what candidates they will choose ▫Open meetings to party members.

Step 2 Primaries ▫Main way of choosing candidates ▫Direct Primary- election where political parties choose candidates to run for a government job. ▫Closed Primary- primary where registered voters vote for only their party. ▫Open Primary- primary where voters do not have to be registered, but only vote for their party.

Open Primary

Closed Primary

Who To Choose???? Difficult…

Step 3 Paying For A Campaign ▫During elections, candidates basically raise all money from people. ▫Laws say that candidates can only receive up to $2,000 from individuals every election. ▫Once a candidate has raised at least $5,000 in 20 states, the government will give money to that candidate in an equal amount to what he or she received, up to $31 million. Cost of Elections

Step 4 Choosing Delegates ▫Delegates are people that support a specific party or candidate. ▫Chosen by voters or the political parties. ▫Once chosen, they vote for the final candidates who will campaign for the government job. Campaigning ▫Beginning in January or February, candidates begin campaigning from state to state. ▫Try to win the votes of citizens and members of political parties. ▫Mike Huckabee and Chuck NorrisMike Huckabee and Chuck Norris

Delegate Breakdown ’08 Election

Delegates Per State

Step 5 National Convention Every four years, both parties hold a HUGE meeting, called a national convention. ▫Delegates pick the main candidates to run for the main election, and what the party will stand for or against. (Platforms) By this time, basically all delegates know who they will pick. The Presidential and Vice-President candidates are picked, they give acceptance speeches, then its off to the real campaign for President and Presidential Election.

National Convention Example Think of the convention like this: at a sporting event you have two sides for both teams playing, at a national convention it is basically like a sporting event.

National Convention Democratic National Convention

National Convention Republican National Convention

Post It Note Exit Ticket Answer the questions on the blue post it note that I have handed out. Once finished, as you leave place the post it note on the Bearcat Exit Ticket Poster What are the five steps of the election process? Why is the election process so long?