Elections. How we choose the people who govern us

Transcription

1 Elections How we choose the people who govern us

2 Electing the President Questions 1. What is an example of popular sovereignty? 2. Who are you really voting for when you vote in a presidential election? 3. How is the number of electors per state determined? 4. What do we do in a primary election?

3 Electing our public officials is an example of popular sovereignty

4 Part 1: Electing a President Historical Background: When the constitution was written, the framers did not believe the average person would make a good choice for president Communication was slow, so people would not have a chance to get to know candidates Most people were not well educated, so they might not understand the issues.

5 Part 1: Electing a President According to the Constitution, each state would appoint electors, who would be their best people, who would then elect a president. Together, these electors are called the electoral college

6 Part 1: Electing a President Today, all states elect electors by a vote of the people. When you vote for a candidate for president, you are really voting for electors who have pledged to vote for that candidate.

7 Part 1: Electing a President Campaigning: Well before the election takes place, candidates begin to campaign, or go out to meet people and gain their support They also work to raise money, since a campaign is very expensive.

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9 Part 1: Electing a President Primary elections- the election where ordinary people can have a say in who will be the candidate for President. In many states, delegates to party (Democratic and Republican) conventions are chosen in primary elections. Candidates run in these primary elections so they can gain delegates pledged to vote for them at the party convention. These elections are held early in the year of the general election.

10 Part 1: Electing a President Political Parties Most presidential candidates come from either the Democratic or Republican parties. A political party is a group of like minded people who band together to further their cause.

11 Washington s Warning In George Washington s Farewell Address to the nation he warned against political parties. Washington said they would divide the nation. Political parties are very much a part of the election process in the U.S. today.

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13 Part 1: Electing a President Party Conventions: At a convention held in the summer, each party chooses its candidates for president and vice president.

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15 Part 1: Electing a President General election The step where people elect electors to vote for them. Campaigning continues until the general election which happens on the first Tuesday in November. In the general election, voters vote for electors who have pledged to vote for a particular candidate.

16 Part 1: Electing a President The number of electors each state has is equal to the number of senators and representatives that state has in Congress. Arizona has 2 senators and 8 representatives, so we have 10 electors who vote for president. There are a total of 538 electors, including three who represent the District of Columbia.

17 Part 1: Electing a President

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19 Part 1: Electing a President Electoral College Vote This group is the only group who actually vote for president. The electors for each state meet in their state capital and cast their votes in December. They are sent to Washington D.C. and are counted in a joint session of Congress in January. Even though we know who will be president when the popular vote is counted in November, the election is not official until Congress counts the electoral vote in January. If there is no candidate who receives a majority of the electoral vote the House of Representatives will choose the next president.

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21 Part 1: Electing a President The new president is inaugurated or takes the oath of office on January 20th.

22 What is an example of popular sovereignty? Who are you really voting for when you vote in a presidential election? How is the number of electors per state determined? What do we do in a primary election?

23 Electing the President Questions Continued 5. How was the election of George Bush unusual? 6. What did Washington warn the nation about?

24 Disputed Elections In order to be elected president, a candidate must receive a majority (more than half) of the electoral votes. There have been several times where there have been disputed elections.

25 John Adams Andrew Jackson In the election of 1828, between Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams there was a controversy because of a problem with the popular vote and the Electoral College vote. Jackson received the largest number of popular votes. However, no candidate received a majority, or more than half of the electoral votes.

26 Disputed Elections While the House was preparing to vote on the next president, Henry Clay met with Adams and used his influence as Speaker of the House to defeat Jackson. This became know as the corrupt bargain, and Adams was said to have stolen the election.

27 Rutherford Hayes Samuel Tilden In 1876, Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel Tilden ran for president. After the election Tilden appeared to be the president receiving almost 120,000 more votes than Hayes. However, there were disputed votes from Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Oregon representing 20 electoral votes that kept the presidential election in doubt.

28 Disputed Elections Rutherford Hayes/Samuel Tilden The House of Representatives voted on who would receive the disputed votes and the votes were given to Hayes who then won the election. Rutherford Hayes/Samuel Tilden

29 George W. Bush Al Gore In the election of 2000, between Al Gore and George W. Bush the popular vote was won by Gore, but the results in Florida were disputed, and those electoral votes would decide who would be president.

30 Disputed Elections George W. Bush/ Al Gore As the Florida ballots were being recounted, Bush and Gore went to court to challenge the recount process. The dispute was finally resolved when the Supreme Court ruled that the original count would stand, and George W. Bush became the 43rd President.

31 How was the election of George Bush unusual? What did Washington warn the nation about?