1. Selecting a President 2012:
Primaries & Caucuses

2. Scenario - Have you ever been with a large group of people trying to order a pizza? The process usually creates a difficult situation, as individuals want very different things. Imagine your teacher has just told you that she or he is going to order a pizza for your entire class; however, your teacher presents your class with only two options for how you will go about choosing what you want on your pizza.
Option 1: You have the choice between a pizza with cheese, a pizza with pepperoni or a pizza with pineapple. There is no discussion on this matter, just a simple vote. Each member of the class will cast one vote. OR
Option 2: You have the opportunity to discuss with your classmates what toppings you would choose for the pizzas and come to some sort of agreement on your own.
Questions for Discussion:
1. Which option would you choose, the first or second? Why?
2. What are the advantages for each? Disadvantages?

3. Presidential Selection
Stage 1: Caucuses & Primaries The Battle for the Party Faithful
Stage 2: Nominating Conventions “Glorified Infomercials?”
Stage 3: General Election
The Fight for the Center
Stage 4: Electoral College
Power to the People?

4. The Presidential Selection Process
Step 1: Caucuses and Primaries
January- June 2012
Step 2: Nominating Conventions
Democratic National Convention Republican National Convention
September August 27-30
Charlotte, NC Tampa Bay, FL
Step 3: General Election
Tuesday, November 5, 2012
Step 4: Electoral College Vote
December 2012

5. Stage 1: Caucuses Closed meeting of party members in each state
Delegates select the party’s choice for presidential candidate
Currently, six states offer party caucuses selecting presidential nominees.

6. Stage 1: Caucuses Questions for Discussion:
Rick Santorum and Ron Paul campaign for Iowa.
Questions for Discussion:
The Iowa Caucus is on January 3, Why is it so important?
Brainstorm pros and cons to the caucus format.

7. Stage 1: Primaries
Presidential Primary Elections - special elections in which voters select candidates to be the party’s nominee for president in the general election.
Primary Season - January - June
Who Decides? - State party organizations for the most part decide the rules for the primaries in a particular state.
Types of Primaries:
Closed Primaries
Open Primaries
Mitt Romney campaigning in New Hampshire

8. Closed Primary
Voters may vote in a party's primary only if they are registered members of that party

9. Open Primary
A registered voter may vote in any party primary regardless of his or her own party affiliation.

11. Map of 2012 Primary & Caucus Dates
States with split colors have different systems for Democrats and Republicans. The color on the left represents the Democratic method, the color on the right represents the Republican method.

12. Hajo De Reijger- www.caglecartoons.com
What advantage does the democratic party have in the 2012 election process?