Chapter 7:
Elections
Nominations – the First Step
Nomination
– the naming of
candidates who will seek office
After candidates are nominated,
primaries follow, then the general
election
How Does a Candidate get
Nominated?
4 Ways:
– Self Announcement
– Convention
– Caucus
– Primary
**To become a major party
nominee for president, all 4 will
be used**
V.P. NOMINATIONS
Self-Announcement
The
candidate
simply makes an
announcement of
his/her intention
to seek public
office (could have
a friend do it, too)
Self-Announcement
Usually
an
independent
candidate or
someone who
failed to win a
major party
nomination
Self-Announcement
To
get your name
on the ballot
generally requires
a number of
signatures on a
petition (specifics
are set by each
state)
Convention
Public
meeting of party activists
to energize voters and choose a
party candidate
Convention
Used
to be the method for major
parties to choose, but the
conventions became corrupt
Convention
Now
only used by minor parties
(like the Libertarian Party shown
below)
Caucus
1800s
- originally a private
meeting of party leaders –
No transparency
The appearance of corruption led
to reforms
Caucus Today
- a public meeting of any party
members who wish to participate
and debate (Iowa)
Primary
A
public election held within a
political party to choose the party’s
nominee for office
– Open Primary – any eligible voters
may vote
– Closed Primary – only registered party
members may vote in their party’s
primary
Most
common method today (show video)
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