1. Part 3: Nominations

2. The election process occurs in two steps:
Critical First Step
The election process occurs in two steps:
1. Nomination, in which the field of candidates is narrowed
2. General election, the regularly scheduled election where voters make their final choice

3. Nominating and Electing a Candidate

4. 3 Ways to Nominate

5. Types of Direct Primaries
The Direct Primary
Types of Direct Primaries
Closed Primary
Party members only
Open Primary
Any qualified voter
Runoff Primary
If a required majority is not met, the two people with the most votes run again
Nonpartisan Primary
Candidates are not identified by party

6. Primaries Across the United States

7. Petition Candidates must gather a required number of signatures.
This is a requirement for most minor party and independent candidates.
Usually used at the local level to nominate for school posts and municipal offices.

8. Part 4: The Administration of Elections
Federal & State Regulations
Congress sets the time, place, and manner of congressional and presidential elections.
Congress has chosen the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every 2 years for congressional elections, (4 for presidential).
States determine the details of the election of State and local officials. Most States provide absentee /early voting for voters who are unable to get to their regular polling places on election day.

9. Precincts and Polling Places
A precinct is a voting district.
Precincts are the smallest geographic units used to carry out elections.
Polling Places
A polling place is where the voters who live in a precinct go to vote.
Polling places are supposed to be located conveniently for voters.

10. Office-Group and Party-Column Ballots

11. Voting Machines and Innovations
Electronic vote counting has been in use since the 1960s. Punch-card ballots are often used to cast votes.
Vote-by-mail elections have come into use in recent years.
Online voting is a trend that may be encountered in the near future.

12. Campaign Spending

13. Sources of Funding Private and Public Sources of Campaign Money
Nonparty groups
Small contributors
Temporary fund-raising organizations
Wealthy supporters
Candidates
Government subsidies

14. The Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) enforces:
the timely disclosure of campaign finance information
limits on campaign contributions
limits on campaign expenditures
provisions for public funding of presidential campaigns

15. Loopholes in the Law “More loophole than law…” —Lyndon Johnson
Soft money—money given to State and local party organizations for “party-building activities” that is filtered to presidential or congressional campaigns. $500 million was given to campaigns in this way in 2000.
Independent campaign spending— a person unrelated and unconnected to a candidate or party can spend as much money as they want to benefit or work against candidates.
Issue ads—take a stand on certain issues in order to criticize or support a certain candidate without actually mentioning that person’s name.