Presidential Election Process

Voters Must be eligible Must be eligible (REQUIREMENTS) 1.Citizenship 2.Minimum age of 18 3.Meet your state requirements Register Register  Proof of citizenship (birth certificate or drivers license)  Give name, address, age and party  Where?  DMV (National Voter Registration Act)  Multiple state offices (post office, unemployment, etc  On-line—National Mail Voter Registration Form NC has One Stop Voting: Register & Vote at the same time

Who Votes? Electorate: all the people who are eligible to vote Voter turnout is usually low Most likely to vote: Elderly, educated, middle aged, more income Least likely to vote: Youngest (last Presidential election was an exception)

YearVoting Age Population Voter Registration Voter Turnout Turn out of voting age population in % ,229,580132,618, % ,256,931174,800, ,294, % ,815,000156,421,311105,586, % ,511,000146,211,96096,456, % PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Popular Vote Totals: Obama/Biden: 69,297,997 McCain/Palin: 59,597,520

Obstacles to Voting Why People Don’t Vote Lost voting privileges (criminals) Some didn’t register Some moved recently Time constraints (working hours conflict) Apathy: lack of interest #1 reason why people don’t vote State laws Registering Process Voting Times Believe that vote will not make a difference

Election Process 1.Primary Elections 2.National Conventions (Nominating) 3.Campaigning 4.Polling, Meetings, and Speeches 5.General Election 6.Electoral College Vote 7.Inauguration

Nominating Process Caucus: meeting of party leaders to name candidates Primary Elections: special election held by party members to determine candidates (popular vote) Convention: meeting of party representatives (delegates) to name candidates Local Level National Level

Primaries Types 1.Closed: only party members are allowed to vote 2.Open: voters are not declared party members

National Convention Based on the results of the primary election, delegates attend the Conventions and vote for the final party candidate. The National Convention announces the Presidential Candidate, who shortly after announces their running-mate (VP)

The Campaign Purpose: convince public to vote for your candidate –Familiarize—face, name, position on issues, relatable/likable Campaigning happens at all levels of government How: FUNDRAISING –$$$$Hundreds  hundreds of millions$$$$

Forms of Campaigning  Advertising (PROPAGANDA)— all media forms: television, radio, posters, flyers, internet ads, etc.  Negative advertising: “mud slinging”  Canvassing—person to person; phone calls, door to door, hanging out in public places Endorsements: famous people announce who they support

FUNDRAISING –Public Funding: Presidential Election Campaign Fund: equal amount of government funds ($3) Party can spend extra on behalf of candidate –Private Funding: Individual donations (up to $1500) PACs (Political Action Committees)—up to $5,000 –Set up by interest groups to raise/donate money Limits were set by FECA (Fed Election Campaign Act) Reform, 2002—Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (aka McCain-Feingold Act)—prohibits federal candidates from raising “soft money”

SOFT MONEY: money given to the party HARD MONEY: money given to the candidate **Private funding is limited in most cases **Candidate can spend any amount of their own money FUNDRAISING

Polling, Meetings, & Speeches …oh my! Campaign trail continues~  Polls; to check how the candidate is doing in different areas and among different populations (to direct their intensity)  Town Hall Meetings are a chance to get the candidate more press, “get to know the candidate” hour  Speeches and interviews are done to question and comment on issues and platform

General Election Election Day! – ALWAYS the Tuesday after the first Monday in November: go to your local precinct and cast your ballot! Out of town?—absentee ballots are available Inconvenience—early voting is available Elections vary per state, NC’s site is:

go to polling place precinct or district usually town halls, schools,etc get your ballot polls open from 7am to 8 pm write name at clerk's table challengers' verify receive ballot Casting your vote in voting booth: secret different types of voting machines punch card Computer different types of ballots absentee ballot butterfly ballot 4 make your decision straight ticket split ticket counting the vote the returns counted by local election boards 5 6 the media in elections results sent to state authority for certification of results exit polls conducted predicting winner by "calling" prior to results counted can cause problems VOTING PROCEDURES Write-ins

Electoral College One of the compromises at the Constitutional Convention Refers to the “Electors” chosen by each state to submit their votes to congress Winner Take All system; whoever wins general election gets all votes for that state. (270 needed to win) Electors meet in state capital and seal their individual votes; sent to DC where the president of the senate goes through and announces every vote to congress

Inauguration January 20 th President is officially sworn into office –Elements: Swearing-in and Oath Inauguration address Parade Luncheon Inaugural Ball