Unit 6: The Executive Branch 3. The Electoral College & Campaigns Unit 6: The Executive Branch

Presidential Campaigns Step 1: Show interest Step 2: Campaign in state primaries Step 3: Win your party’s state primaries Step 4: Be announced as your party’s candidate at a national convention Step 5: Begin the real campaign

State Campaigns Primaries Caucuses January-June of election year State voters go to the polls to choose their preference for a party’s presidential candidate. Some states hold primaries, some hold caucuses. Open meeting in which voters (usually openly) express their choice for a party’s presidential candidate. Used in about a dozen rural states.

Importance of Order The first two states: Iowa (caucus) and New Hampshire (primary). Candidates spend lots of time and money here. These also serve to whittle down the competition.

Importance of Order Frontloading: States moving their primaries up to capture media attention, importance, and recognition from the candidates.

Primaries and Caucuses Good Bad Promotes direct democracy Candidates spend a great deal of time and money in major primary states. Disproportionate attention $$$ Participation is unrepresentative Gives too much power to the media

Primaries and Caucuses Although candidates campaign a great deal during the primaries, THIS IS NOT THE REAL CAMPAIGN. Candidates spend six months on the road for something that “could be.” “The Marathon Campaign”

Each political party comes together during the summer and formally chooses/announces their candidate. Each state shows up and reveals the results of their primary or caucus. The candidate with the most states’ backing becomes the candidate. National Conventions

National Conventions Day 1: Speeches, keynote speaker Day 2: Party Platform/Agenda Day 3: Candidate speeches and formal nomination Day 4: VP nomination and Presidential candidate’s acceptance speech Less attention from the media. Little to no drama involved. Lasts 3-4 days.

The Electoral College What is it? A process created by the writers of the Constitution to compromise direct and indirect democracy when it comes to choosing the president. This means there are two votes that happen.

The Electoral College Vote #1: The popular vote. The general public votes for their choice in their area. Along with their choice for president, the general voters also choose electors.

PAUSE: What is an elector? Electors are members of a political party who are highly involved and who have the potential to represent the popular vote in their state. Most voters do not know they are choosing them. In most states their names are hidden.

The Electoral College Vote #2: The electoral vote. A state’s electors come together and cast the state’s collective vote, based on the popular vote. There are 538 electors to represent each one of the current 538 electoral votes.

A State’s Electoral Vote …is equal to its Congressional representation. #HR + #S = electoral vote. Total members of Congress? 535 + DC = 538

The Electoral Vote In most states, the popular winner gets all of the electoral votes. This is called “winner-take-all.” Nebraska and Maine have a proportional electoral vote. Statewide winner receives 2 electoral votes, and then 1 for each Congressional district.

Swing States States whose electoral votes are not promised. < 2000 2004 > < 2008 2012 >

The Electoral Vote The electors meet in December to cast the state’s official vote. They verbally say their vote, and sign some papers. The state draws up more papers, and these are sent to Congress and the National Archives.

Counting the vote A joint session of Congress counts the votes in January. This is where the 12th Amendment comes in.

So once again: 1: The popular vote (Nov.) 2: The electoral vote (Dec.) 3: Electoral vote sent to Congress (Dec.) 4: Congress counts electoral vote (Jan.) 5: Presidential inauguration (Jan.) 6: Documents sent to NARA to become part of the national archives NARA is the National Archives and Records Administration.

How many votes do you need to win? The majority = (538/2) + 1 270