Chapter 10 section 2
ELECTION CAMPAIGNS
1. Types of Elections:
A. Primary Election – narrows the field of
candidates
B. General Election – Chooses the person to fill the office.
C. Special Election – run-off election :
no candidate has won a majority
Recall election – vote to remove an official from office
II. New laws at election time.
A. Voters can propose new laws through a process known
as the Initiative.
B. They get signatures of qualified voters on a
petition.
C. The proposed law is called a proposition and is
placed on the ballot in the next general election.
D. Citizens can approve or reject state or local
laws through referendum votes
III. Steps to Presidential Elections.
1. Nomination of candidates:
Step 1: Candidates campaign to win their party’s nomination.
Step 2. Primary elections are held to reduce the
number of Candidates
Step 3: One candidate is chosen during the national convention
2. Campaigning
Selected candidates travel across the country giving
speeches and appearing on TV.
3. President is elected through the electoral college system.
Popular Vote:
Vote on the
first Tuesday
after the first
Monday in
November
The winner of
the popular
vote for the
state wins all of
the electoral
votes for that
state
Electoral vote:
270 out of 538
Vote on the
Monday after
the second
Wednesday in
December –
Electors vote in
their state
capitals- the
votes are sent to
Congress
January 6 –
Electoral
Votes
officially
counted by
Congress
January 20thPresident is
sworn into office
IV. Electoral College System
1. When Americans cast their vote for President, they
actually vote for an elector.
A. Electors are pledged to cast their vote for their candidate.
1. Each state has as many electors as it has Senators
and Representatives in the House of Representatives.
Congressional Representation
2. Washington D.C. has 3 electoral votes.
3. The total number of electoral votes is 538 (100 + 435 + 3)
4. The Electoral college is the name given to all of the
electors.
3.The popular vote (vote of the people) determines the electoral vote.
A. It is a winner take all system – the candidate who wins
the popular vote in a state receives all of that state’s
electoral votes.
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B. A candidate must have 270 out of the total 538 electoral votes
to win the presidency.
C. The electoral votes are officially counted on January 6 by Congress.
3. If no candidate receives a majority
A. The House of Representatives chooses the President
from the 3 leading candidates
B. The Senate chooses the Vice President
IV. Other Notes:
A. Straight Ticket: when a person votes for candidates from one party
on the same ballot
Example: Republican President
Republican Senator
Republican Mayor
•Split Ticket: when a person votes for candidates from
different parties on the same ballot
Example: Republican President
Democrat Senator
Republican Mayor
C. Balanced Ticket: choosing a running mate with
different characteristics from the candidate in order to
get more votes.
Quiet
Reserved
Family person
Self made
Good with details
Religious
Reaches older voters
Outgoing
Active
Part of family business
Charismatic
Reaches younger voters
4. Lame Duck: an official who is still in office after his
replacement has been chosen leaving the official with little or
no power.
Summary of the Presidential Election Process
Candidates campaign to win their
parties nomination
Political parties hold primary
elections between January and
June to narrow down the field to
one candidate
Political parties hold a national
convention to choose their
candidate – Usually in Aug, Sept.
Candidates campaign to hold the
office
General Election held on the first
Tuesday after the first Monday to
determine the popular vote.
Popular voter determines the
electoral vote.
270 needed
Electors from each state meet in
their state capitals and cast their
votes for the president. The results
are sent to Congress. December.
Congress counts the votes from the
electors on Jan. 6 and announce the
winner.
The new president is sworn into
office on Jan 20.