1. The Electoral Process
Chapter 7

2. How does one get to run office????

3. What steps do you think a person needs to do in order to run for any public office position in the U.S. (including President)?

4. The Nominating Process
Nomination- the naming of those who will seek office

5. 5 Ways to Nominate a Candidate
Self-announcement
Caucus
Convention
Direct primary
petition

6. 1. Self Announcement Oldest form of nomination
1st used in colonial times
The person who wants to run for office just announces that they will run
Can also be in the form of a write in

7. 2. Caucus
A group of like minded people who select the candidate they will support
1st appeared in 1720
Still used today in New England for local elections

8. 3. The Convention Came into use after the caucus method collapsed
1st used in 1831
Today all major parties use the convention to nominate candidates for President and other offices

9. How the Convention Works
Members meet in a local caucus to pick candidates and delegates
At the state or national convention those delegates chose who will be the parties nominees

10. 4. The Direct Primary
Election held within a party to select a candidate for the general election
1st used in 1903
Most states have primaries in which the people choose their candidates
1) Open Primary- any voter can cast a ballot 2) Close Primary- only party members can vote
3) Blanket Primary- ever voter receives the same ballot
(no longer used as of 2000)

11. Reasons for Closed Primary
Prevents “party raiding” one party casting votes for another parties weaker candidate
Makes candidates more responsive to the party and platform
Makes voters more thoughtful in casting a vote

12. Critics of Closed Primaries
Takes away from the secrecy of the ballot
Excludes independent voters

13. 5. Petition
Candidates are nominated by getting signatures from registered voters

14. Elections
1st Tuesday following the 1st Monday in November every even numbered year (date set by Congress)
Must use secret ballots

17. Early Voting
Absentee voting- voter apply for absentee ballots and mail in their results by a certain deadline
* Was created to help the elderly and ill
* Today anyone can apply for a absentee ballot
Some states allow voters to vote a few days ahead of the election date

18. E-Voting Casting a ballot via the internet 1st used in 1997
Worries of hackers, jammed lines, blocked access, fraud, viruses have kept online voting from becoming popular

19. Barrack Obama Video Questions:
1. How are votes counted at the Democratic Caucus in Iowa?
2. What happens if a candidate receives less than 15% of the vote?
3. Which candidate wins the New Hampshire primary?
4. What happens on Super Tuesday?

20. Chapter 7 Review
Money and Elections

21. Money & Elections Running for public office takes lots of MONEY $$$$$
No one knows the true amount of how much is spent on elections

22. Sources of Funding Private & Public sources:
1) small contributor: as little as $5.00 may be
donated
2) wealthy individuals
3) Candidates (Ross Perot spent 65 million
of his own money in 1992)
4) Political Action Committees (PACs)- special interest groups who have a stake in elections
5) Fundraisers

23. Regulating Campaign Finance
Unlawful for corporations or banks to make contributions in any election
Corporations, banks and labor unions can not donate money in Federal Elections
Federal Election Committee- administers the laws of election finance

24. Limits on Contributions
No person or group can make a donation in another persons name
Cash gifts over $100 are not allowed
No contributions from a foreign source
Anything over $200 must be identified and dated
Anything over $5,000 is reported to the FEC no later than 48hours after it is received

25. No person can give more than $2,000 to any federal candidate
No one can give more than 5,000 to a political action committee
No one can give more than $25,000 to national party committee

26. Revenue Act of 1971
When you file taxes one can contribute $3.00 to the Presidential campaign
Money goes to pay for national conventions and the campaign process