1. LESSON 18
Pages AMSCO
Running for President 1

2. STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT:
The process and outcomes in U.S. presidential elections
are impacted by:
incumbency advantage phenomenon
open and closed primaries
caucuses
party conventions
congressional and state elections
Electoral College 2

4. Constitutional qualifications?
WHAT DOES THE CONSTITUTION SAY ABOUT
WHO CAN BE PRESIDENT?
Do you agree with the
Constitutional qualifications?

6. I. Campaigning for votes
Typical Campaign divided into 3 phases:
The Biography
The Issues
The Attack – lot of opposition research
Most time spent competing for independent voters

7. II. Primaries and Caucuses
These are elections between candidates all of the same political party to pick Delegates to the National Convention
Primary Elections:
Most state hold primaries (more than ¾)
Secret voting
Closed Primary: Only members of that party may vote
Open Primary: Open to any voter (You may not vote in both)
More power to the people because of increased use of primaries (more direct form of democracy)
Political parties have less control over nominations
More money is spent on elections to win peoples’ votes
Click HERE to watch a video about primaries.
During the primary season (February – June 2016), the candidates are campaigning all over the country to secure enough delegate votes to win the party’s nomination. Some candidates will suspend their campaigns after poor performances in the early stages.

8. II. Primaries and Caucuses
“Winner Take All” OR “Proportional”
New Hampshire is the FIRST
For candidates it’s all about the domino effect
Some states have begun moving their date sooner (front loading)
“Super Tuesday” – Date in which many southern states hold
their primaries early in the election season

9. What percent of people vote in primaries?
Why do people vote in primaries?
What kinds of people vote in primaries?

10. II. Primaries and Caucuses Click HERE to learn more about caucuses.
Caucuses (10 States)
Much LONGER process (up to 2 hours) and NOT secret
Voters meet together to discuss candidates and walk about convincing others
Most are “winner take all” but some are “proportional”
Some voters don’t feel comfortable with this type of voting
Iowa is the FIRST and the state gets a lot of media attention(even before
New Hampshire primary)
Local Caucuses >> District Convention >> State Convention >> National Convention. Each level selects delegates to attend higher level.
Click HERE to learn more about caucuses.

11. II. Primaries and Caucuses
At the end of the primary/caucus season delegates from each states are determined (winner take all or proportional)
Superdelegates (only Democratic side) can choose whatever candidate they want (after the 1st ballot as of 2018).

12. Need 1,237 out of 2,472
Trump: 1,543
Cruz: 559

13. Clinton: 2807
Sanders: 1894
2,383 delegates needed to win
Total: 4,765

14. HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE
PRIMARY SEASON AND COMPETING FOR
DELEGATES
STEP 1
The nomination game is an elimination contest. The goal is to win a majority of delegates’ support at the national party convention. Who were the eventual winners of each party?

15. HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE
STEP 1
Primaries and Caucuses
“Front-Loading” trend – Primaries are held earlier and earlier in the year for states to be more relevant

16. State Primaries and Caucuses
2016 EDITION – Democratic and Republican Delegates Complicated Rules – You Do Not Need to Know
The number of pledged delegates allocated to each of the 50 U.S. states and Washington,
is based on two main factors:
(1) the proportion of votes each state gave to the Democratic candidate in the last three presidential elections, and
(2) the number of electoral votes each state has in the United States Electoral College. Depending on each state's law and each state's party rules, when voters cast ballots for a candidate in a presidential caucus or primary, they may be voting to actually award delegates bound to vote for a particular candidate at the state or national convention (binding primary or caucus), or they may simply be expressing an opinion that the state party is not bound to follow in selecting delegates to the national convention (non- binding primary or caucus).
The unpledged superdelegates will include members of the United States House of Representatives and Senate, state and territorial governors, members of the Democratic National Committee, and other party leaders.
The total base number of delegates allocated to each of the 50 U.S. states is 10 at-large delegates, plus 3 delegates per congressional district.
States are awarded bonus delegates
based on the following factors:
Bonus delegates to each state that cast a majority of their Electoral College votes for the GOP candidate in the 2012 presidential election
One bonus delegate for each GOP senator
One bonus delegate to each state that has a GOP majority in their delegation to the House of Representatives
One bonus delegate for each state that has a GOP governor
Bonus delegates for majorities in one or all of the chambers in their state legislature
The two Republican National Committee members from each state and the chairperson of the state's Republican Party are delegates 11

17. State Primaries and Caucuses
2016 EDITION – Democratic and Republican Delegates
For the Democratic Party For the Republican Party
2,382 of the total delegate votes (4,763) were required to become the party's nominee.
A simple majority (1,237) of the total delegate votes (2,472) was required to become the party's nominee.

18. Now it’s time to officially decide who will be the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate for each party.

19. HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE
Each party holds a national convention. The delegates vote to OFFICIALLY SELECT a final presidential nominee. The candidate that wins the majority of the overall delegate vote is the party’s nominee.
STEP 2
National Conventions
Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton
Republican nominee Donald Trump
How Democratic Party delegates are selected (video)
How Republican Party delegates are selected (video)

20. STEP 2 HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE
At the convention, the presidential candidate announces a running mate (vice presidential candidate).
STEP 2
National Conventions
What does it mean when the presidential candidate chooses a vice president to help “balance the ticket”?

22. HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE
The presidential candidates campaign throughout the country to win the support of the general population. Much of the candidates’ time, particularly in the later stages of the campaign, will be spent in the contentious “SWING” states.
STEP 3
General Election
What do you think about the campaign ads you have seen?
CLICK HERE TO SEE CAMPAIGN COMMERCIALS SINCE 1952

23. HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE
The presidential debates are generally considered the last big opportunity to move voters before the election.
STEP 3
General Election
They offer rare moments for Americans to do some head-to-head comparison shopping between two candidates on the same stage discussing the issues.
BEST MOMENTS FROM PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES

24. HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE
Citizens cast their votes in November to select groups of electors who will represent their states in the electoral college.
These electors will meet in their state and formally vote to elect the president and vice president in December.
Electoral votes are formally counted at a joint session of Congress on January 6, The President of the Senate formally announces the result.
STEP 3
General Election
The president and vice president are inaugurated on January 20, 2017

25. ANALYSIS OF PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING SYSTEM
Pro:
Highly participatory: caucuses, primaries, conventions
Highly representative
Weeds out weaker candidates
Con:
Low rates of turnout
Too lengthy
Does not test candidates for qualities they need as President. Too
much emphasis on media game – horse race.
Delegates at caucuses and conventions tend to be unrepresentative: more ideological, more activist, more educated, less moderate, much more wealthy.
Voters in primaries tend to be better educated and more affluent than those in general elections  more ideological

26. QUESTION FOR REVIEW What is a primary election?
Election in which voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices.
Election in which voters decide which of the candidates within
a party will represent the party in the general election.
An election that allows citizens to propose legislation or state constitutional amendments by submitting them to the electorate for popular vote.
An election whereby the state legislature submits proposed legislation or state constitutional amendments to the voters for approval.
An election in which voters can remove an incumbent from office prior to the next scheduled election.

27. QUESTION FOR REVIEW What is a primary election?
Election in which voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices.
Election in which voters decide which of the candidates within
a party will represent the party in the general election.
An election that allows citizens to propose legislation or state constitutional amendments by submitting them to the electorate for popular vote.
An election whereby the state legislature submits proposed legislation or state constitutional amendments to the voters for approval.
An election in which voters can remove an incumbent from office prior to the next scheduled election.