1. Explain the procedures used to elect the President and Vice President
Objective 4.5
Explain the procedures used to elect the President and Vice President

3. The Election Process Declare your candidacy
Announce you are running for office
Campaign
Advertise yourself to voters
Run in primaries
Practice elections to narrow down candidates
One Candidate is nominated at a party convention
Primary winner is chosen
Campaign for general election
General Election
Citizens vote in an official election

4. To become President there is one extra step…
a candidate must win the majority of electoral college votes

5. Electoral College Electoral College-
Constitutional system used to elect the President and Vice President

6. Electoral College

7. On election day
Candidates compete to win the electoral votes of every state
51 separate elections
(1 per state + D.C.)

8. On election day

9. To win electoral votes of a state
Popular Vote
To win electoral votes of a state
candidate must win the majority popular vote for the state

10. Popular Vote
Citizens are voting to tell their state electors who to vote for
The Electors cast the official vote for President

11. # of Electors= state’s representation in Congress: # senators + # HOR
Virginia has 2 Senators and 11 Representatives=
Virginia has 13 electors

12. the Electoral College process
Winner take all system
If candidate wins the majority popular vote in a state, they win all electoral votes

13. a candidate must win the majority of the electoral votes nationwide
To become President
a candidate must win the majority of the electoral votes nationwide

14. A majority of total state electors is needed to win the Presidency
535 state electors + 3 from D.C.= 538 total electors
270 electors =51%

15. A candidate can win the Popular vote and lose the electoral vote
2000 Election
Gore wins popular vote
Bush wins electoral vote
Bush wins election

16. If no candidate wins a majority, Election goes to Congress
House chooses President;
Senate chooses V-P

17. Electoral college favors a 2-party system:
it is very difficult to get a majority of votes if there are more than 2 political parties