How do presidential elections differ from all other elections in the US?
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Caucuses, unlike primaries, are not elections and instead are held through a series of smaller, local meetings. Support is shown by hand voting and usually only voters registered with the specific political party are allowed to participate. Show
When are primaries and Caucuses held? The primary and caucus season, while focusing on early states, to gain an advantage, comes in to full swing on “Super Tuesdays”, days when a large number of states hold primaries or caucuses for one or both parties on the same day. Nominating ConventionsEach political party’s nominating convention is the culmination of the primary and caucus battles that were waged from January to June. The delegates that were selected to represent a candidate during that process are pledged to support that candidate at the convention. National party conventions are held in late summer (July, early August), typically about two and a half months before the election. Candidates are formally nominated by delegates representing the 50 states, Washington, DC and territories. Delegates to the convention are state representative of the various primaries and caucuses. There are also “unpledged” or “super delegates” who are generally party leaders or elected officials. Each delegate or super delegate is entitled to one vote. A Republican candidate must win 1,237 delegates to win a majority, and a Democratic candidate must have the support of 2,383 delegates to gain a majority. Once a candidate has reached the required threshold majority, they are confirmed as the candidate of the political party and will represent that party in the general election. After the selection of the candidate the convention is used a method of congratulating and promoting the candidate, announcing the vice-presidential candidate, and publicizing the candidate and party’s message and themes for the election. General Election CampaigningOnce the candidates for the various political parties have been chosen, the focus shifts to the general election. Prior to the nominating convention, candidates are focused on reaching out to members of their political parties in order to gain the support of the nomination. During the general election, with a known opponent from the opposing party there is a great influx of national advertising and campaign rallies. Also, nationally televised presidential debates are held, where candidates look to get their message out to the general public and to make their case for their candidacy. As in many countries, there are some parts of the United States that are historically known to support a particular party. They are known to be reliably “red” (republican) or “blue” (democrat). But there are also some states that are called “battleground” states – they are “purple” (a mix of republican and democrat) – these are the states that could go either way during the election. During the final months and weeks of the presidential election much attention is focused on these states in an effort to turn the state either “blue” or “red.” Phone banks are put in place, where potential supporters and voters are called in an effort to gain a pledge of support; voter registration drives are held, in an effort to register more voters; and canvassing is done, as means of personally reaching out supporters by visiting them at home. Election of the PresidentThe election of the president of the United States of America is always held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Voting is done either in person or by mail. Traditionally voters only voted on Election Day, now, however, there is a growing trend to allow an early voting period, where voters can go to centralized locations to cast their ballots prior to Election Day. Early voting can be for the convenience of the voter or as a means to vote absentee early. The choice of each voter is reflected in the “popular vote.” But, the president is not elected by popular vote. Instead, the president is chosen by the Electoral College. What is the Electoral College? The Electoral College is comprised of 538 electors, representing each state, and the number of electors is based on the population of the state. The number of delegates is also equal to the number same number of congressional districts for each state, plus two senators. As an example large states like California and Texas, have 55 and 38 electors respectively, and smaller states like Vermont, and the District of Columbia, each only have 3 electors. The first candidate to cross the Electoral College vote threshold of 270 is elected President of the United States. Generally speaking, the winner of the popular vote in a state, is awarded all of the delegates from that state, with two exceptions, Nebraska and Maine. Electors generally vote for the candidate to which they are pledged, based on the popular vote results for their state. If an elector casts a vote against the instruction of its state delegation, they are labelled as “faithless electors.” Electors are chosen by their respective political parties prior to the elections, typically at the national convention. Following Election Day, electors will meet in the capital of their state and cast their votes. The results of the Electoral College are announced on January 6 to the U.S. Senate. The new president is inaugurated on 20 January. When the United States was first founded, it was not possible to have a national election, given the size, lack of widespread ability to communicate with one another, and the nascent nature of a “national” identity for a new country. The founding fathers did not want the president to be elected by Congress or purely by popular vote – as there was fear that larger states would have a disproportionate advantage to vote for their own candidates. Although the concept of the Electoral College is confusing to some, in this country’s over 200-year history of presidential elections, there have only been 5 contested elections.
If no candidate receives a majority of Electoral College votes, then the 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, provides that the U.S. House of Representatives is to elect the president, and each state delegation is given a total of one vote. The Vice President would then be chosen by the Senate, with each senator having one vote. CCaucus: A meeting of party members at which they select the candidates for election. In procedures that vary by state and party, participants in presidential caucuses meet in their local communities to choose which candidates they want to support. The caucuses allocate delegates based on the level of that support. The results are then tallied state-wide, and the candidate with the most delegates is said to win the state. a meeting of members of a political party for the purpose of choosing candidates for an election Congress: The legislative branch of the US government as prescribed in Article I of the US constitution. It is made up of two houses - the 435-member House of Representatives and 100-member Senate. Both houses have equal power. As well as drafting and implementing laws, Congress can also:
Congressman/woman: A member of the House of Representatives, typically. The term can refer to a member of the Senate. Constitution of the United States: The fundamental and founding law of the US federal system of government. The US constitution and its 27 amendments establish the principal organs of government, their roles, and the basic rights of citizens. It is upheld as the supreme law of the land, meaning all federal and state laws, executive actions and judicial decisions must be consistent with it. The US constitution was ratified in 1788, and was most recently amended in 1992. It is the oldest written national constitution in effect. EElectoral College: The 538 electors who officially elect the president and vice-president of the United States. A candidate must win 270 votes to win the president. Each state’s number of votes is equal to the total of its senators and representatives in Congress; a body of electors chosen by the voters in each state to elect the president and vice president of the U.S Elephant, Republican: Like the donkey for the Democratic Party, the elephant is the unofficial symbol for the Republican party. It was first used during Abraham Lincoln’s campaign. Election Assistance Commission: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). EAC is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration. EAC also accredits testing laboratories and certifies voting systems, as well as audits the use of HAVA funds. Other responsibilities include maintaining the national mail voter registration form developed in accordance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. HAVA established the Standards Board and the Board of Advisors to advise EAC. The law also established the Technical Guidelines Development Committee to assist EAC in the development of voluntary voting system guidelines. The four EAC commissioners are appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. EAC is required to submit an annual report to Congress as well as testify periodically about HAVA progress and related issues. The commission also holds public meetings and hearings to inform the public about its progress and activities. SSenate: The upper house of Congress. The Senate has 100 elected members, two from each state, serving six-year terms Senate Majority Leader: The leader of the majority party in the Senate, and the most powerful member of the upper house of Congress. He or she controls the daily legislative programme and decides on the time allowed for debates. Senate Minority Leader: The leader of the minority party in the Senate. He or she acts as a figurehead for the minority party in the Senate, articulating its policy positions and attempting to deliver its legislative priorities. Senator: Member of the Senate, the upper house of Congress. Each US state has two (a junior and a senior senator, distinguished by length of service). Speaker of the House: The leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives - not to be confused with the House Majority Leader. The House Speaker has a dual role as both the leader of his or her party in the House, and as the presiding officer in the chamber, with responsibility for controlling debate and setting the legislative agenda. Supermajority: The vote margin of two-thirds or three-quarters of the quorum, as opposed to a simple majority of 50% plus one. Super Tuesday: The day in the campaign calendar, usually in February or early March of an election year, when a large number of states hold primary elections. Swing states: States in which the voters are relatively evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. How are American elections different from elections in most other democracies quizlet?-Americans must be registered in order to vote and it is their responsibility for registering, whereas in most other democracies voters are registered automatically by government officials.
How are American elections different from other democracies quizlet?In what way do American elections differ from those in other democracies around the world? Most American elections are determined by a "first-past-the-post" system.
What is the difference between a president and a president elect?For example, if an election for president was held in January, but the term of office does not begin until March, the person who was elected president may be called "president-elect" but does not hold any power until the term begins in March.
What made the 2000 election different from all other U.S. presidential elections quizlet?What was unusual about the election of 2000? The election was very close. Even though Al Gore won the popular vote, the election was ultimately decided by the electoral votes of Florida. The election in Florida was decided by only 500 votes and was disputed because of problems with the voting machines.
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