Sept 11 – Gov – Getting Elected

Sept 11 – Gov – Getting ElectedAgenda: Notes: Path to the

Presidency

Homework: Read pages 318-

323 in chapter 9 Submit Chapter 9

SG by midnight THURSDAY

Take out: Pen/Pencil Notebook Ideology

Assignment

Goals: Gain

understanding of the nomination and election process

What does our electoral system suggest about American politics?

You Decide:

How is it?SUPER

Path to the Presidency How you get to be

President. . . .

Campaign 2008 Timeline1. Declaration2. Nomination 3. National

Convention4. Fall Campaign

4. Election Day5. Meeting of

electors6. Formal Election7. Inauguration Day

Nomination Phase to win…delegates to

Fall Campaign

Nomination Phase: Primaries and Caucuses

How the Republicans chose McCain and how the Democrats

chose Obama in 2008

The Big Picture – Step 1 Each state holds a primary or caucus

between January & June States who hold their contests early get

more media and candidate attention – the rush for states to be earlier in the campaign calendar is called frontloading

Campaign 2008 Timeline

Why Frontload? Draws attention

To the states To the candidates

Disseminates information From and about candidates

Competition increases public interest

The Big Picture – Step 2 Presidential candidates enter these

contests to try to win delegates Political parties award delegates to states

based largely on their population

97 delegates from WA went to the Democratic Convention in Denver

448 delegates from California went to the Democratic Convention in Denver

The Big Picture – Step 3 Delegates from the states

attend the National Conventions Democrats Republicans Party in power always “bats last”

Delegates vote during roll call and officially select the party’s nominee

You need to win a majority of the delegates to officially become the nominee – this is called the magic number

4,233 delegates were to attend the Denver

convention.

Half of 4,233 delegates = 2,116.5 delegates.

The nominee needed 2,117 delegate votes to

win the nomination.

The Republican magic number was…

CNN

A Sports Analogy Each bracket sends only one

candidates to the national championship (AKA the General Election on November 2, 2008)

vs

Obama

Obama

Clinton

Edwards

McCain

Huckabee

McCain

Romney

Name that Politician!

What is a Caucus? Parties have separate caucuses in

separate locations Viewed as “old fashioned” political

meetings

Caucus Agenda Discuss politics Organize for the next

election Select party leaders Work on the party

platform Delegate selection

NationalConvention

CDConvention

State Convention

Senate-DistrictCaucus

PrecinctCaucus

Caucus Agenda Hold a presidential preference vote The percentage of the vote that each

candidate gets determines the number of delegates each candidate will have vote for them at the National Convention*

At the Democratic Convention15 of Iowa’s pledged delegates were for Clinton

16 were for Obama14 were for Edwards

*Typically, in a show of unity, the candidates who don’t have enough delegates encourage their supporters to vote for the nominee

What is a Primary? SHOW BALLOT Primaries are just like any other election except Democrats run against

Democrats Republicans against

Republicans

Primaries Make it “Fair” Pre 1960’s – delegates selected by party

“bosses” Delegates were the political elite Primaries introduced in the early 20th cen.

Caught on early for state gov. and congress nominations

1968 – DNC Riot in Chicago McGovern-Fraser Commission

Determined people had basically no control over the nominees

Mandated open delegate selection procedures

Primaries are considered to be more democratic because many more people participate

What is a Primary?

Both Minnesota & Wisconsin have approximately the same populations….however

About 210,000 Democrats voted in Minnesota’s Caucuses

About 1.1 million Democrats voted in the Wisconsin Primary

Types of Primaries - Open Anyone can vote Can get a ballot for any party

Types of Primaries - Closed You have to

register with a party to vote in their primary

You have to re-register to change party affiliation

Closed Primaries promotes party loyalty

What happens if you aren’t affiliated?

Typically, registration is closed several weeks before the election.

Does my vote matter? You have indirect influence on who wins

the nomination You aren’t really voting for a candidate in a

primary.

Age 18Voter

John McCain

delegates

Nomination Phase: Primaries and Caucuses

How the Republicans chose McCain and how the Democrats

chose Obama in 2008

Iowa Caucus – Jan 3, 2008 Delegates by % Closed Caucus

45 pledged delegates12 super delegates

New Hampshire PrimaryJan. 8, 2008

Delegates by % Open Primary

22 pledged delegates8 super delegates

IA & NH Demographics

30th in population 10th most rural 97% white

42nd in population 16th most rural 98% white

What are the political implications?

Nevada CaucusJan 19, 2008 Winner Take All Closed Primary

25 pledged delegates9 super delegates

20% of Nevada’s population is Latino/Hispanic

South Carolina PrimaryJan 26, 2008 Winner Take All (by state & Congressional District) Open Primary

45 pledged delegates9 super delegates

30% of population is African-American

Obama on the Run

Super-Duper/Tsunami/Giga Tuesday – Feb. 5, 2008

Typically, Super Tuesday allows one of the

candidates to gain separation and become

the clear front runner and the presumptive

nominee.

Super Tuesday is also a test of a candidate’s

organization and fundraising ability.

1,681 pledged delegates390 super delegates

22 states + American Samoa

Wins Pledged Delegates

Total Delegates

Clinton 10 834Obama 13 847

1,681

313 dem delegates+ 55 supers = 0

Florida and Michigan defied party rules and set their contests before Feb 3rd.

The DNC penalized both states by removing their delegates.

Candidates promised not to campaign in the states, turning them into “beauty contests”

Clinton claimed victory in both contests and fought for the delegates to be seated.

At the end of the primary season, the DNC allowed each delegate to count for ½ a vote.

The RNC allowed the Republican candidates to campaign but halved

their delegates as a punishment.

Too close to call…Obama performed very well in caucus

states and won many small states.

Clinton dominated in large states the

democrats needed to win in

November.

And then there were the super

delegates…

Pledged vs. Superdelegates Democrats have Supers (Republicans have

“unpledged delegates”) “Peer review” process Ds have 823 Super Delegates

Elected Officials Party Leaders DNC Members

Many Super Delegates supported Clinton early in the process then defected to Obama’s campaign in May and June

Some of WA’s Supers (17)

Pledged Delegates over Time

Campaign 2008 Timeline1. Declaration2. Nomination 3. National

Convention4. Fall Campaign

4. Election Day5. Meeting of

electors6. Formal Election7. Inauguration Day

Nomination Phase to win…delegates to

Fall Campaign

National Convention Selection merely a formality

Selection of VP—time to “balance the ticket” Create party platform Reconciliation of party squabbles

Link to video