1. Bell work
Do you believe the Electoral College should be abolished? Why or why not?
Write at least 5 sentences
Quiz: Voting
Turn in Bell work as well…. Only 4
this week.

2. Bell work
Describe the process as you know it….. What do you have to do to become the Presidents?
Discussion the Electoral Process

3. The Electoral Process

4. Objective
How does the nominating/electoral process work?

5. Standards
GC.26 Explain the increasing importance of and difference between primaries, caucuses and general elections.

6. Vocabulary to Know…. Nomination General Election Direct Primary
Absentee Voting
Precinct
Ward
Ballot
Political Action Committee
Incumbent
Interest Groups

7. Rap Song

8. Definitions A precinct is a voting district.
A polling place is where the voters who live in a certain precinct go to vote (ex. Riverdale).
A ballot is the device used to cast a vote in an election.

9. Sample Ballots

10. Six Steps The presidential election process occurs in 6 steps:
Announcement
Caucuses or Primaries
Conventions/Nomination
General Election
Electoral College (see notes #5)
Inauguration

11. Step 1: Announcement
A person decides to run for office and tells the public about it. TV
Radio
Speech
Political Events
**Must be qualified**

12. Step 2: Caucuses or Primaries
Caucus: a meeting of members of a particular political party to select candidates

13. Caucus

14. Step 2: Caucuses or Primaries
Primary: an election held within a party to pick its candidates in each State
Closed Primary: ONLY people registered with the political party can vote (24 States)
Open Primary: ANY qualified voter can vote in only one party’s primary (26 States)

17. Which primary is better?
Closed Primary
Open Primary
Makes voters choose party
Makes candidates follow party platform
Prevents “raiding” (voting for the worst candidate of the opposing party)
Voters not forced to declare party to the public
Includes independent voters
Keeps “ballot secrecy”

18. Which States hold the first Caucus and Primary?
1st Primary= New Hampshire
1st Caucus= Iowa
Why are these races so important?
Ton of media attention
Candidates focus attention to these States
If win, establish being the front runner
Give candidates momentum in the election

20. Super Tuesday
Refers to the Tuesday in February or March of a presidential election year when the greatest number of states hold primary elections

21. 2016 Election Calendar

22. Step 3: Conventions/Nomination
Each party holds a national convention to select/reveal final presidential and vice-presidential nominees

23. Step 4: General Election
National elections are set the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years.
(Example: Tuesday November 6th, 2012)
States are in charge of general election but Federal government sets time and place

24. Step 5: Electoral College
At least 270 electoral votes required to become President
Casts votes in December

25. Step 6: Inauguration
Occurs once every four years on January 20th

26. Summary

27. Resources