Framer’s Plan  Against selecting Pres by either way  Congress  Direct Popular Vote  Original Presidential Selection  Congressmen would submit 2 electoral votes for different candidates  Most votes = Pres  2 nd Most = V.P.  No longer the case, todays electoral college looks like this…  ities/american-civics- subject/american-civics/v/electoral- college ities/american-civics- subject/american-civics/v/electoral- college

Reframing the Pres. Election  Presidential selection changed because of…  Rise of political parties  Differing attitudes on the role of the gov’t and the interpretation of the const gave rise to political parties.  Election of 1800  Parties nominated a Pres and VP and the states elector candidates  End result was a tie  The 12 th amendment  Separates Pres and VP elections and gives presidential electors one vote for Pres and one for VP

Flaws of the Electoral College  Winner of the popular vote is not guaranteed the presidency  Electors are not required to vote in accordance with popular vote  Election might have to be decided by the House of Representatives

Reform the Electoral College  The District Plan  The Proportional Plan  Direct popular Election  National Popular Vote

Presidential Nominations

Presidential Primaries  Helps determine the parties nominee  (and weed out the rest)  Two responsibilities of Primaries  Delegate selection process  Candidate preference election  Proportional Representation  % of vote won = % of the states delegates  my.org/humanities/amer ican-civics- subject/american- civics/v/primaries-and- caucuses my.org/humanities/amer ican-civics- subject/american- civics/v/primaries-and- caucuses

Caucuses  A closed meeting of members of a political party who gather to select delegates to the national convention  Send delegates that represent their beliefs  Fading selection process

National Conventions  Party committee picks a place and date  Delegates to each party’s convention adopt the party platform  Nominate their party’s presidential candidate  Ratify his/her choice of a VP running mate Democratic Platform? Republican Platform?

 Convention Objectives  Promote party unity  Capture interest and attention of the country  Generate support for party’s campaign  What goes on during the convention?  Welcoming delegates  Adoption of party’s platform and delivery of keynote address  Keynote glorifies the party, its history, its leaders, and its programs, blisters the other party and predicts a resound victory for the party  Rep ( er&FORM=HDRSC3#view=detail&mid=647C11DE6A5C7BB98D51647C11DE6A5C7 BB98D51 ) er&FORM=HDRSC3#view=detail&mid=647C11DE6A5C7BB98D51647C11DE6A5C7 BB98D51  Dem ( e+address+speaker&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=2012+democratic+ke ynote+address+speaker&sc=0-0&sp=- 1&sk=#view=detail&mid=447C69348C9BA1C550A3447C69348C9 BA1C550A3 ) e+address+speaker&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=2012+democratic+ke ynote+address+speaker&sc=0-0&sp=- 1&sk=#view=detail&mid=447C69348C9BA1C550A3447C69348C9 BA1C550A3  Nominating the President and VP  Delegatechairs from each state then cast votes  Ends with speech from Presidential nominee

Why Choose that Candidate?  Political Experience  Served as Governors, Senators, Representatives  Other characteristics  Protestants  Large states  Healthy appearance  Great communication skills  Strong family  Incumbent Presidents have an immense advantage  The majesty and publicity of the office and close control of the party’s machinery

After the Convention  Both party’s candidates focuses on the opponent  Provides opportunities to compare and contrast candidates qualifications and plans for the future

The Race for Presidency  1-4 years before - Gaining visibility  1-4 years – fundraising for campaigning  Jan-June – Primaries and Caucuses  Aug-Sept – National Conventions  Sept-Nov – Debates  Nov – Election day

Presidential Campaign  Presidential candidates try to persuade swing voters through  Speeches  Advertisement  Internet messages  They are driven by swing states that influence the electoral college  They use their organizational efforts, campaign funds, and appearances  Presidential Debates

The Election  People do not cast votes directly for one contender for the Presidency, instead they vote for presidential electors  Our Congressmen are “rubber stamps”  Need 270 of 538 of the electoral votes  If neither reaches 270, voting goes to house (1 vote per state)