THE AMERICAN
ELECTION PROCESS
US Government and Economics
All Elections Are Based in Issues

As we just concluded the
2014 Midterm Election, we
found ourselves in a time of
much debate about what
issues matter the most in our
society
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES OF TODAY?
In-Class Assignment (20 pts)

Create a “Top 10” list of what issues concern you
for the upcoming elections. For each of the
issues, you must include each of the following:
 Why it matters
In-Class Assignment

Now, with a partner…
 Discuss both of your lists
 Choose 5 issues that you both believe are
most important
Class Results, Pd 3
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ISIS
Ebola
US economy
Unemployment
Healthcare
School system/education
President
Terrorism
Insurance
Gun control
War on drugs
National security
Environment
Minimum wage
Immigration
st
1

MP Reflections
What would you like to see more/less of in the
second marking period?
 Discussions?
 Projects?
 Assignments?
 Format
of instruction?
 Group work?
 Test preparation?
The Two-Party System in America
Political Parties
Using the books (pages 252-253,
264) fill out the worksheet about
political parties
**skip section on worksheet about the roles of political
parties **
What is a political party?

Political Party: A group of citizens with similar views
on public issues who work to put their ideas into
effective government action
Why do Political Parties
Exist?
Why do Political Parties Exist?

Political parties have many roles including:
 Nominate
candidates
 Convince voters
 Show candidate ideologies
 Overview stances on issues
 Appeal to certain voters
 Influence policy
 Raise money
 Many more…
The Two-Party System

Simply means we have two main
political parties


Other parties do exist, but they
have almost no impact on national
politics
Why it works?
Both parties have almost equal
strength
 Trying to attract masses of voters
means the parties are fairly close
to the political middle and drastic
changes rarely happen

Party Systems Elsewhere
Multiparty System




More than two strong
parties
Common in Europe
To run government,
parties need to work
together and
compromise
Coalition: Agreement
between 2+ parties to
work together
One-Party System




Single party controls
government
Law often forbids the
formation of other
political parties
Dictatorships
Totalitarian
Governments
Key Vocabulary

Platform
 Statement
on the party’s views and policies on
important issues
 Outlines party’s program for actions to address
problems
 Roadmap
How are platforms created?

Written by each party's leadership
 Directors,


policy experts, and committee heads
When the party nominates a candidate to
represent it, there's an expectation that the nominee
will reflect the platform
Platforms are usually updated between national
elections
 Why?
Key Vocabulary

Planks
 Each
part of the platform
 Proposals of what to do
 Example
 Platform:
Increasing Education in America
 Plank: More money devoted to K-12 and Higher Education
Examples of Platforms/Planks



Half of you will read Obama’s 2012 political
platform on education
The other half will read Romney’s 2012 political
platform on education
As you work through the documents,
highlight/underline/circle the planks
Political Parties and Election Game




In groups of 4 (no more than 5)
Create a name for your political party
Create a symbol
Political Platforms:
 Choose
5 issues your group cares about
 State why it is an issue
 3 planks (your approach to the issue- what should be
done?)
Review from Block Days

What did you think of the political spectrum
quizzes?

Were you surprised by the results?

Did you learn anything new?
What are the differences
between Republicans and
Democrats?
Who Believes What?
Democratic
Issue
Republican
Liberal
Philosophy
Conservative
Donkey
Symbol
Elephant
Blue
Color
Red
Favor minimum wage laws and
progressive taxation (higher tax
rates for higher income
brackets)
Economy
Believe taxes shouldn't be
increased for anyone (including
the wealthy) and that wages
should reflect free market.
Support for the death penalty is
strong among democrats but
opponents are a substantial
fraction.
Death Penalty
A large majority of Republicans
support the death penalty.
Should not be made illegal;
support Roe v. Wade (some
Democrats disagree)
Abortion
Should not be legal; oppose
Roe v. Wade (some
Republicans disagree)
Support (some Democrats
disagree)
Gay Marriage
Oppose (some Republicans
disagree)
Democratic
Issue
Republican
Foreign Policy
Open to Military
Interventionism; Very far right
are isolationists
Immigration
Many favor deportation or
tougher restrictions on illegal
immigrants;
Many support increasing
punishments for employers
hiring illegal migrants;
Most oppose “pathway to
citizenship”
Decreased spending
Military issues
Increased spending
Community and social
responsibility based
Social and Human Ideas
Individual rights and justice
based
Believe government regulations
are necessary to keep
businesses in line
Government Regulation
Believe in very little
government involvement in the
economy/private sector
Try to solve most foreign policy
issues through diplomacy; less
open to military intervention
Prefer “pathway to citizenship”
for illegal immigrants educated
in the US; many still favor
punishments on employers, but
to a lesser degree
Reminders:

Quiz tomorrow on Republicans v. Democrats
 20
points
 Study the chart that compared opinions on issues
 Study the scenario activity where you decided which
party made the statement and underlined proof

Current event due Friday on any topic
Who are the
rd
3
Parties Today?
List as many 3rd Parties in America as you can.
Reform Party
The Role of Third Parties

At times, third parties or independents with no
party affiliation have greatly influenced politics


1912: Teddy Roosevelt (Progressive Party)


However, it is VERY rare
Took votes from Republican William Taft and
Democrat Woodrow Wilson wins election
1992: H. Ross Perot (Independent)

19% of vote; may have cost George H.W. Bush the
election
Role of Third Parties (continued)


May not win elections, but can influence
policy
Late 1800s: Populist Party
 Graduated
Income Tax, 8-hour workday,
Immigration Reform
 Biggest Change: Direct Election of US
Senators
 Republicans
and Democrats opposed change
 Populist support grew, forced 17th Amendment
Some Questions to Consider


Would 3rd Parties disrupt the balance of power in
the US? Would the emergence of a 3rd Party be a
bad thing?
Should 3rd Party candidates be allowed to
participate in presidential debates? Why/why
not?
Political Party: Next Step




Now that you have a party name, logo, and 5 issues
that are of importance…create a presidential
candidate
Give your candidate a name (school appropriate)
Come up with a slogan
Create a campaign sign
Political Party Project: Next Step


Candidate name
Party slogans
 Obama:
“Yes we can” “Change we can believe in”
 McCain: “Country First”
 Romney: “Believe in America”
 Kerry: “A Stronger America”

Campaign signs
Political Party: Next Step


Now that you’ve created a party platform with 5
key issues, named your candidate, created a slogan
and a campaign sign…
Create a stump speech
Stump Speech


Named in the 19th century after a politician giving a
campaign speech on top of a sawed-off tree stump
A standard, consistent message delivered to different
audiences


Keep message consistent with political platform
When a politician writes a stump speech, he or she
usually discusses their credentials, identifies their platform
(issues), compares him or herself to other candidates, and
attempts to unify the electorate under a specific purpose
Stump Speeches



We will look at Barack Obama’s 2008 stump
speech
Pay attention to his wording and how he appeals to
voters
In your groups, create a stump speech that you will
be presenting to the class on Friday (should be 3-5
minutes)
Today…


Finish your stump speech
 3-5 minutes
 Choose who will be presenting from your group
 Include: your candidate’s credentials, your issues/what
you will do about the issues to improve society, why you
are best suited to be president, appeal to your voters!
Work on electoral college reading


Will be a quiz after break
Remember: current event due tomorrow on any topic
What are the types of elections?
What do you know about the PRIMARY and
GENERAL elections?
Types of Elections

Primary
 Often
held in late
spring/early
summer
 Allows voters to
choose the party
candidates for the
general election

General Election
 November
election
 Voters choose their leaders from the candidates of all
the parties
The Primary

Closed Primary
 Voters
who are registered
in a particular party vote
to choose the party’s
candidates
 Independents cannot vote
Which type of primary seems
more beneficial?

Open Primary
 May
vote for the
candidates of either
major party, whether you
belong to that party or
not
Independents

Do not belong to any
political party
(Republican, Democrat, or
3rd Party)


May not be able to vote
in primary
Candidates get onto the
ballot by getting enough
petition signatures
What percent of American voters are independent?
From January 2014
1. What has been the trend in those registered as Independent since 1988?
2. What has been the trend in those registered as Democrat since 1988?
3. What has been the trend in those registered as Repu
The General Election



First Tuesday following the first
Monday of November
Presidential Elections: Every 4
years (…2000, 2004, 2008,
2012, 2016…)
Congressional Elections: Every 2
Years (Even Years)
2012 Presidential Debate: Job
Creation
Issues to Consider for debate



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




Gun control
Terrorism
Power of the presidency
Your greatest concern
Who has impacted your
views?
Job creation
Building international
partnerships
Free speech in social media
Current Events
Immigration










Creating the American
Dream
Poverty
Education
Environment
Gender equality
Characteristics of Supreme
Court judges
Ebola
Minimum Wage
LGBT rights
Closing statement**
Reminders

Electoral College reading due tomorrow
 Make

sure you’ve talked to the text
10 question quiz on the reading tomorrow
Who Can Vote?
What must you be/do to be eligible to vote.
Who can vote?

Any citizen over the age of 18
 Some

states have other exemptions
To legally be able to vote you must be registered to
vote
 Must
be 18 by a set date before the election
 Usually needs name, address, DOB, etc.

Reason for registering: protect your right to vote
 One
man, one vote
 Identification
How to Vote

Historically, voting done by voice vote
 Public

knowledge of vote…also peer pressure
Secret ballot
 Started
in 1888
 Paper ballot that lists names of candidate
 Vote in private
 Keeps elections fair and honest
More on Election Day!

Voting today
 Machines,
Punch cards, Paper
Votes
 Story of the “Hanging Chad”
Recount Guidelines






Chad: The scored portion of a ballot card that is punched out when a voter
casts a vote.
Hanging Door Chad: One corner is still attached to the ballot. (Counted as a
vote).
Swinging Door Chad: Two corners are still attached to the ballot. (Counted
as a vote).
Tri Chad: Three corners are still attached to the ballot. (Counted as a vote).
Dimpled Chad: Indented but still fully attached to the ballot. (Not counted as a
vote).
Pregnant Chad: Pierced but still fully attached to the ballot. (Not counted as a
vote).

Straight Ticket v. Split
Ticket
 Straight
Ticket: Vote for
all candidates of one
party
 Split Ticket: Vote for
candidates from multiple
parties
DO YOU AGREE WITH THE MESSAGE OF THIS CARTOON? WHY OR WHY NOT?
The Electoral College
What is the electoral college?



An institution that officially elects the president and
vice president of the US every 4 years
Electors are chosen by popular vote on a state by
state basis
The Electoral College consists of 538 electors
 100

senators + 435 Representatives + 3 from DC
A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to
elect the President
Review
What is the electoral college?
 How many electors are there?
 How many electors are needed to win the
presidency?
 When do general elections take place?

Who are the electors and how are they
chosen?

Loyal party members who will cast a ballot in line
with the state’s popular vote
Cannot be members of Congress

How are electors chosen?

 The
political parties in each state submit to the state's
chief election official a list of individuals pledged to
their candidate for president

How does a presidential ticket win electoral
votes?
 Whichever
party wins the most popular votes in the
state becomes that state's electors
 Whichever presidential ticket gets the most popular
votes in a state wins all the electors of that state

When are electoral votes cast?
 On
the Monday following the second Wednesday of
December
 Each state's electors meet in their respective state
capitals and cast their electoral votes -- one for
president and one for vice president
 “Favorite sons”- at least one of their votes must be for a
person from outside their state

When are the electoral votes announced?
 President
of the Senate, on Jan. 6, opens and reads
them before both houses of the Congress

How are a president and vice president chosen?
 The
candidate for president with the most electoral
votes is declared president
 VP candidate with the absolute majority is declared
vice president.
Add this to your notes! Can the electors
change votes?

Yes, though it is highly unlikely to
affect the outcome


Most states have punishment for
“faithless electors”
156 “Faithless Electors”
71 due to candidate dying before
electors vote
 3 abstained
 82 chose someone else on their own
initiative


NO ELECTION HAS BEEN CHANGED
BY A FAITHLESS ELECTORAL VOTE
Electoral College Explained
Electoral College Reading Outline

Using your reading on the Electoral College,
 Complete
the outline in small groups
 Each section will be assigned one page to complete
 Once completed, you will share your answers with the
class

These notes are important…you will see this
information again on your chapter test!
 Test
will be on Friday 12/19
Swing States


What is a swing state?
How do we determine which states
are swing states?
Swing States





Aka: Battleground state
No single party has overwhelming support
Main targets during presidential elections
Determined by: examining statewide opinion polls,
political party registration numbers and the results
of previous elections
Swing states vs. Safe states
Categorize the states…

Blue State: Normally vote Democrat

Red State: Normally vote Republican

Swing State: Unknown and will switch from election
to election
 Get
campaigned in the most and often help decide the
election
Red, Blue, or Swing?
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Georgia
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
Montana
Nebraska
North Dakota
Oklahoma
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
West Virginia
Wyoming
Colorado
Florida
Indiana
Iowa
Michigan
Missouri
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Wisconsin
California
Connecticut
Delaware
Hawaii
Illinois
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
New York
Oregon
Rhode Island
Vermont
Washington
District of Columbia*
170
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Georgia
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
Montana
Nebraska
North Dakota
Oklahoma
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
West Virginia
Wyoming
Colorado
Florida
Indiana
Iowa
Michigan
Missouri
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Wisconsin
186
California
Connecticut
Delaware
Hawaii
Illinois
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
New York
Oregon
Rhode Island
Vermont
Washington
District of Columbia*
182
170
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Georgia
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
Montana
Nebraska
North Dakota
Oklahoma
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
West Virginia
Wyoming
Colorado
Florida
Indiana
Iowa
Michigan
Missouri
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Wisconsin
131
California
Connecticut
Delaware
Hawaii
Illinois
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
New York
Oregon
Rhode Island
Vermont
Washington
District of Columbia*
237
Election by year
Election by year
Election by year
Election by year
Election by year
“Swing Voters Who Will Pick the
President”


Read through the article in small groups
Be prepared to discuss the following questions
(underline the answers in your reading):
According to the author…
 1. Why doesn’t your vote matter in some states?
 2. Who does the election come down to? (which states)
 3. How can we characterize typical swing voters?
 4. What message should candidates send to swing
voters?
Why not the popular vote?


Only three times
has the popular
vote winner not
gotten the
electoral victory
Most Recent: 2000
“Winner Take All”
Electoral System
Popular Vote
• Essentially the current system
• Winner of the state gets all of the state’s electoral votes
• Winner of that national popular vote wins election
“District Based”
Electoral System
• Each Congressional district gets one elector; winner of that district
gets one electoral vote
• Additional state votes go to state popular vote
• This is the system used in Maine and Nebraska
“Proportional
Allocation” System
• Each state’s electoral vote would be percentage based by popular
vote
• Example: PA popular vote split 60% Dem to 40% Rep
• Electoral Votes: Democrat 12 Republican 8
National Bonus
System
• Uses the electoral college system we currently have but gives the
national popular vote winner a bonus of 102 electoral votes
• 538 electoral votes done current way + 102 for popular vote
winner = 640 total (Winner would need 321)
Based on your
activity from last
week, list as
many things as
you can about
Republicans and
Democrats. Use
the list to the right
to guide you.
Symbol
Color
Foreign Policy
Immigration
Military
Social Ideals
Gov’t Regulation
Abortion
Gay Rights
Death Penalty
Economy
Health Care
Public Funding
Taxes
Getting Nominated
How to get nominated

Must get party’s
nomination at the
national convention
 Each
state has members
represent it at the
convention (delegates)
 Some states get more
based on who won the
last election