Download Spring Primaries & Caucuses

Announcing candidacy & organizing
• Candidates officially enter
the “race” to the
Presidency
• Campaign is organized for
upcoming events:
– Network of
workers/volunteers
(phone calls, publicity,
planners, etc.)
– Accounts created for
future fundraising
abcnews.go.com
Pre-primary fundraising, campaigning,
and debating
• Candidates begin
fundraising for the
upcoming spring
primary/caucus season
• Campaigning for the party
primary/caucus is in full
swing during this time
• Debates will be held
between the main
contenders
washingtonpost.com
Spring Primaries & Caucuses
January-June of Election Year
• Primary – an election
where party members
choose nominee for
party
• Open – any voter may
vote in any party’s
primary
• Closed – only party
members may vote in
party primary (PA)
• Caucus – meeting of
party members to
select nominee for
party
• Provides opportunity
for members to debate,
bargain, & express
preferences
• Open only to party
members / activists
attend
Nationaljournal.com
Iowa Caucus
• First major electoral event
in the election process.
• Candidates campaign in Iowa months
before the caucus
– Ads, paid staffers, and publicity is centered
around the many precincts in Iowa
• The winner of the Iowa caucus has served
as an indication of the person who will win
their parties nomination
New Hampshire
Primary
• First primary of
election year
• Focused upon by
candidates
– Media attention
– Early success in
contests / must
perform well to
continue in race
nhhistory.org
Nominating Convention
• Official nomination of
party candidate
(decided in primaries &
caucuses)
• Party rally, media event,
showcase for fall
campaign
• Adopt party platform
(states party/candidate
stance on issues)
• Vice Presidential
nominee selected &
announced
• VP chosen by party
nominee
iop.harvard.edu
Fall Campaign
After convention to Election Day
• Candidates travel from
state to state (speaking,
rallies fundraising, etc.)
• Focus on swing states
(states that are
contested)
• Run TV ads to increase
name recognition,
spread ideas, “mudsling”
• Debates held against
opponent (media
attention, show
“likeability”, appear
presidential, etc.)
thesoundsofhistory.com
General Election
• Held on the Tuesday
after the first Monday
in November
– November 2-8
• Eligible citizens of the
U.S. cast votes for the
candidate of their
choice for President.
• Popular vote winner in
each state helps
determine the electors
who will cast the official
vote in the Electoral
College
Time.com
Electoral College
December – After General Election
• Distributes votes to states based upon # of senators &
representatives
• State’s popular vote winner earns all Electoral votes of
state
• Must earn majority (270) of Electoral votes to win
election
• Map: 2012 distribution
• Used originally to
“check” voters (uneducated
& uniformed)
census.gov
Inauguration
• Inauguration Day –
January 20
– Established by
20th Amend.
• “Swearing” in of
the President
– Presidential
term officially
begins at noon
on January 20th
• Supreme Court
Chief Justice
administers the
oath
Instanthistory.com
“I do solemnly swear (or
affirm) that I will faithfully
execute the office of
President of the United
States, and will to the best
of my ability, preserve,
protect, and defend the
Constitution of the United
States.” -- Article II Sec. 1
• Inauguration
Address