5-1: Presidential Nominations

Big Idea: Civic Participation in a Representative Democracy   Enduring Understanding: The impact of federal policies on campaigning and electoral rules continues to be contested by both sides of the political spectrum. Learning Objective: Explain how the different processes work in a U.S. presidential election.

Party Nominations Presidential Primaries History 1800s—congressional caucus Jackson—conventions Gilded Age—political machines Progressive Era—primaries Today—primaries/ caucuses

Party Nominations Presidential Primaries Primaries You vote for the nominee Methods vary by state Closed Primary required to identify a party beforehand Can vote in one primary only Open Primary Can select Republican or Democratic ticket Can lead to sabotage

Party Nominations Presidential Primaries Caucuses Importance Local meetings to select delegates to vote for candidates at the convention Importance Only 25% of citizens vote in primaries Party activists Older people Wealthier people Candidates veer away from moderate positions for primaries Return to middle for the general election

Party Nominations National Conventions Counting Delegates Party’s official candidate introduced Pre-determined due to primary system Platform established Counting Delegates Winner-take-all Some states More often Republicans Proportional More often Democrats Superdelegates Pledged/unpledged delegates Not dependent on popular vote Party leaders hold more control