1. 10.2 Election Campaigns
Civics and Economics

2. Types of Elections
Besides primary elections, there are three types of elections in the US: general elections, issues, and special elections

3. General Elections
The first part of an election is the nomination of candidates in a primary election, primary races help to narrow down the field of candidates
Mitt Romney and Barack Obama the candidates in the 2012Presidential Election

4. General Elections
Then, in a general election voters choose candidates for offices
General elections always take place on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November

5. General Elections
All seats in the US House of Representatives and about 1/3 of the seats in the Senate are at stake in general elections every even-numbered year

6. General Elections
If it is very close, the loser has the right to demand a recount
In 2000 there was a recount of votes in Florida. The case went to the Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore decided December 12, The Supreme Court ordered the recount to end and upheld the original certification of George W. Bush as the winner of Florida’s disputed 25 electoral votes. Bush- 271; Gore- 266

7. Voting on Issues
Initiative= a way citizens can propose new laws or state constitutional amendments
Citizens who want a new law gather signatures of voters on a petition
Blue= initiatives and referendums, Green= referendums only, Yellow= amendments only

8. Voting on Issues
Proposition= proposed law is put on the ballot at the next general election

9. Voting on Issues
Referendum= a way for citizens to approve or reject a state or local law

10. Special Elections
Runoff elections= when no candidate wins a majority, it determines the winner

11. Special Elections
Recall= citizens vote to remove a public official from office; like the initiative it starts with a petition

12. Campaigns
Presidential campaigns are usually in full swing by early September
Candidates travel across the country giving speeches, appearing on TV, and holding news conferences

13. Campaigns
Candidates also face against their opponents in televised debates
They meet with state and local political leaders, and give pep talks to lower-level members of the party who are working for them

14. Beverly Perdue and Pat McCrory- 2008 NC Gubernatorial Candidates
The Electoral College
Indirect method of electing the President
For all races except the presidency, a majority of the popular vote is elected to office
Beverly Perdue-D
2,146,083 (50.27%)
Pat McCrory- R
2,001,114 (46.88%)
Beverly Perdue and Pat McCrory NC Gubernatorial Candidates

15. The Electoral College
Voters are electing electors who hold electoral votes and are part of the Electoral College system
The candidate who wins a state’s popular vote receives all of their electoral votes*
Winner-take-all system, 538 total, need 270 to win

16. The Electoral College
States have one elector for each of their US Senators and Reps.
538 votes
Washington, DC has 3 votes
270 or more wins
NC has 15 electoral votes
13 US House members
+ 2 US Senators
15 Electoral Votes

17. The Electoral College
The winning electors meet in the state capital in December to cast the state’s electoral votes for President and VP; then they send their votes to Congress which counts them
VP Dick Cheney and Speaker Nancy Pelosi Jan. 8, 2009 at the Joint Session to count Electoral votes

18. The Electoral College
If neither candidate wins a majority, the House of Representatives elects the President

19. Electoral College Issues
Some people believe the Electoral College should be changed or eliminated; they argue large states such as California and Texas have too much influence

20. Electoral College Issues
Under the winner-take-all system a candidate who loses the popular vote can still win the the presidency, this has happened 4 times
1876- Hayes
1888- Harrison
2000- Bush
1824 –Adams (HOR)

21. Electoral College Issues
The winner-take-all system also makes it difficult for third-party candidates to be represented in the electoral vote

22. Electoral College Issues
Any change in the Electoral College requires a constitutional amendment
The 23rd Amendment granted D.C. Residents the right to vote in Presidential elections