Chapter 13 Section 4 - KEY
Objective:
 To understand the roles of primaries, caucuses, and conventions as parts of the
nominating process
 To understand how the national conventions operate
A. The Role of Conventions
1. Extent of control by law
* There is little legal control over the convention process
* Conventions are left up to the parties’ control
2. Convention Arrangements
* The national committee of each party calls a convention in the summer of each
presidential election year.
* The choice of its location is an important one
* 2012 Democrats Tampa, Fl. / Republicans New York City, NY
3. The Apportionment of Delegates
* The party tells each state how many delegates it may send
* The number is based on the state’s electoral vote, with bonus delegates for those states
that have supported the party in recent years
4. Selection of Delegates
* State laws and/or party rules fix the procedures for selection of convention delegates
* The procedure differs from state to state
* Super delegates
Def: an unelected delegate who is free to support any candidate for the presidential
nomination at the party's national convention.
vs. elected delegates
Def: individuals chosen to represent their states at their party conventions prior to a
presidential election
B. Presidential Primaries
1. History
* Presidential primaries were first held in the early 1900’s
* Today 42 states hold some form of primary
2. Primaries today (voting done in secret)
* Delegate selection processes/or elections in which votes can express their preference
for Presidential candidates (New Hampshire the first primary)
* Democrats have banned the winner-take-all system
Def: candidate who won the preference vote automatically won the support of all
delegates chosen for the primary
and opted for a system of
proportional representation
Def: any candidate that wins 15 % of the votes cast in a primary gets the number of
the State’s convention delegates that corresponds to his or her share of the primary
vote
* More than half the states with primaries are only presidential preference primaries
Def: the delegates are chosen later at party convention. Must be chosen in line with
the results of the preference primary..
Delegates are not directly elected.
C. Evaluation of the Presidential Primaries
1. Primaries democratize the Presidential nomination process and force office seekers to
test their candidacy before the public.
2. Unlike the party in power, the party out of power usually has a hard-fought primary
campaign.
3. Calls for a national primary or a small number of regional primaries will probably not be
successful..why?
would require joint action by Congress, the States, and both major parties
D. Caucuses and Conventions –
1. The caucus-convention process is the oldest method for selecting national convention
delegates.
2. States that do not have primaries choose convention delegates through precinct level
caucuses and local, district, and state conventions.
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Additional Info:
Undecided party members can be persuaded or encouraged by the other party
members to support a specific candidate.
Allow for more discussion and debate
Iowa the first caucus
E. The convention setting
1. Party conventions meet in large auditoriums, with seating arranged by state.
2. Large areas of the hall are reserved for spectators and the media.
F. The Opening Session
1. Conventions run for about four days with one or two sessions per day.
2. At the opening session, meant to organize and present welcoming speeches.
G. The Second and Third Sessions
1. At these meetings, permanent convention officials are chosen, credentials of delegates
are examined, rules are adopted, and the party platform is debated.
2. The platform is an important document that states the party’s position on key issues.
3. Keynote address
Def: a barnburner, delivered by one of the party’s most accomplished orators
Additional Info:
 Glorify the party, its history, its leaders, and its programs
 Criticize the other party
 Predict a win for their candidate
H. The Final Session
1. In the final sessions, nominations are made and balloting proceeds.
2. Once the candidate has been selected, the Vice-Presidential nominee is named and the
candidate makes his or her acceptance speech. (today: the presidential
candidate to be typically has already chosen his candidate &
delegates usually approve)
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Additional Info:
Each State is called in alphabetical order and the chair of each State
delegation announces how each State delegation
3. The Presidential Candidate is named and the candidate makes his or her acceptance
speech.
I. Whom does the Party Nominate?
1. Incumbent Presidents almost always get another nomination if they want it.
2. In order to win their party’s nomination, candidates must have considerable political
experience and popularity.
3. Historically, nominations have gone to white male Protestants who have been
governors or senators…VPs and Secretaries of State also get the nod.
Other Positive Characteristics:
4. Typically represent a large States.
5. Have pleasant, healthy appearance, seemed to be happily married, and have an
attractive family.
6. Needs to be a good speaker.