Presentation - Road to the Presidency - Parties, Campaigning, and the Electoral College - Student Copy - Google Slides

Road to the Presidency

The Election Process

Step 1: Primaries and Caucuses

  • Political parties start selecting their presidential candidate through primaries and caucuses.

  • Candidates compete to win support and delegates from party members.

  • They travel around the country to gain support from party voters.

Requirements for Candidacy

  • Natural Born Citizen: Must be a U.S. citizen by birth.

  • Minimum Age: Candidates must be at least 35 years old.

  • U.S. Residency: Must have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years.

Party Selection Process

  • Primaries and caucuses decide which candidate represents the party in the presidential election.

  • Each party holds a national convention to formally nominate their candidate and select a vice-presidential running mate.

Step 2: National Conventions

  • National conventions take place every four years to nominate presidential and vice-presidential candidates and set the party's platform.

  • A candidate usually needs a majority of delegates to win.

  • If no candidate gets a majority, they vote multiple times until a winner is determined.

Types of Delegates

  • Pledged (Bound) Delegates: Must vote for the candidate chosen by the voters.

  • Unpledged (Superdelegates): Can vote for any candidate they want.

Step 3: General Election

  • This period happens after the party conventions and ends on election day in November.

  • Candidates participate in debates, rallies, and advertising to attract voters.

Voter Turnout

  • About 67% of eligible voters voted in the 2020 presidential election, which was a 5% increase from 2016.

Step 4: Electoral College

  • The Electoral College, outlined in the Constitution and updated by the 12th Amendment, decides the presidency.

  • A candidate needs at least 270 out of 538 electoral votes to win.

Electoral College Mechanics

  • Each state has a set number of electoral votes based on its congressional representation.

  • When people vote, they are really voting for electors pledged to their candidate.

Winner Takes All System

  • Most states use a Winner Takes All system, giving all electoral votes to the candidate who wins the state's popular vote.

  • Maine and Nebraska are exceptions as they allocate votes proportionally.

Important Dates in the Electoral Process

  • Dec. 8: States certify their voting results.

  • Dec. 17: Electors cast their votes in state capitals.

  • Jan. 6: Congress counts and certifies the electoral votes.

  • Jan. 20: Inauguration Day for the newly elected president.

Conclusion

Understanding the electoral process helps us grasp how U.S. governance works, from candidacy to voting, leading to the election of the president.