Electing the President & Congress (Unit 8, Lesson 3)

Question 1

How often do presidential elections take place?

Answer 1

Every 4 years

Question 2

What general steps will a candidate need to make?

Answer 2

The very first step a candidate has to make is to declare to the nation that he or she wants to be the president. Then candidates must get support for their campaign, raise money, and get the attention of the leaders of his or her political party.

Question 3

How are candidates chosen to run?

Answer 3

Candidates for the larger political parties are chosen at party meetings called conventions. The parties hold conventions at the local, state and national levels.

Question 4

What are the two main ways a candidate is sent to the national convention?

Answer 4

There are two main ways the states send people to the national convention: the caucus and the primary.

Question 5

What are delegates?

Answer 5

Will attend the national conventions. The delegates pledge that when they attend the convention, they will vote for the candidate the state political party supports.

Question 6

What is the caucus system?

Answer 6

Select candidates through discussion and consensus (agreement)

Question 7

What is the primary system?

Answer 7

People vote by secret ballot for their candidate, by party

Question 8

What is the national convention like?

Answer 8

Each party (Democrats and Republicans) holds its national conventions in huge arenas with balloons, confetti, and lots of media coverage. Delegates chosen from each state discuss and debate the candidates, listen to speeches, and help create the party platform.

Near the end of the convention, the delegates cast their votes for the party’s nominee who will run in the national election. The presidential and vice presidential nominees each make an acceptance speech that is meant to bring the party together. This is the first major step in getting the national campaign for president up and running.

Question 9

What is a political campaign?

Answer 9

A political campaign is the process of gathering public support for a candidate. The goal of a campaign is to deliver as much information about the candidate and the party’s platform to as many people as possible. Candidates campaign in a variety of ways.

Question 10

What is the Electoral College and how does it work?

Answer 10

Each state has a group of people called electors who cast the actual votes for president. When people vote for a presidential candidate, they are really voting to decide which candidate the electors in their state will vote for.

In December after the election, the electors meet in their state capitols and cast their ballots. The President of the Senate collects the votes and counts them. In order to win, a candidate must have an absolute majority of the electoral votes, which means more than half the votes.

But what if there’s a tie? If the electors’ votes are split, then the full House of Representatives votes. If that results in a tie, then the Senate votes. The elections of 1800 and 1824 both resulted in ties that were resolved by Congress.

Question 11

When is the president inaugurated?

Answer 11

The new president and vice president are sworn into office during the inauguration on January 20th.

Question 12

Why do Congressional candidates have a smaller audience?

Answer 12

Candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives have a smaller audience for the campaigns, since they are elected by districts within a specific state.

Question 13

How are Congressional seats filled in case of emergency?

Answer 13

The Constitution requires that all vacancies in Congress be filled by an election. If something happens to an elected official like a senator or representative during their term, the state governor can appoint (assign) someone to fill the spot until that special election can be held. Each state handles this situation differently, and some do not allow appointments.

Question 14

What happened in the 2000 presidential race between Gore and Bush?

Answer 14

Occasionally, election results end up very close and a candidate may call for a recounting of all the votes to make sure the winner actually is the winner. This happened in 2000 when Al Gore (D) and George W. Bush (R) ran for the presidency. The votes were really close, and the results in Florida would decide the election. Bush was declared the winner, but there were lots of problems with the ballots. Gore pushed the courts to allow a recount in Florida and Bush tried to prevent it. The Florida Supreme Court favored Gore and called for a recount in the districts where the ballots were in question. Bush appealed it to the U.S. Supreme Court. They said….No recounts! The Florida Supreme Court can order a recount in some districts of the state but not others. There isn’t enough time anyway - Bush wins!

Question 15

What are the requirements to register to vote in Florida?

Answer 15

In order to register to vote in Florida, you must:
Be a Citizen of the United States of America (a lawful permanent resident is not a U.S. citizen);
Be a Florida resident;
Be at least 18 years old (you may pre-register to vote if you are 16 years old, but you cannot vote until you are 18 years old).
Not now be adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state without having the right to vote restored;
Not have been convicted of a felony without your civil rights having been restored; and
Provide your current and valid Florida driver’s license number or Florida identification card number. If you do not have a Florida driver’s license number or a Florida identification card number then you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security Number.

Question 16

What is absentee voting?

Answer 16

Many states make it even easier than that by letting you sign up to vote by mail. They’ll send your ballot early; you just fill it out and send it back. This is called absentee voting.

Question 17

What might be on your ballot when you vote?

Answer 17

So even when you’re not voting for president, you’ll be choosing people to become members of Congress, state representatives and senators, county and city leaders, and even school board members. In some states you’ll also see judges on your ballot. So, what positions will be on the ballot in the next election? That depends on how long a person gets to stay in that position once they’ve been elected to office. Common terms of office are two, four, or six years.

Question 18

What is a recall?

Answer 18

A ballot isn’t just for electing people to office. Sometimes it’s for booting someone out of office. Politicians don’t always do things the way the public wants them to. Sometimes they even commit crimes or do other things that make them unfit for public office. In some states, if voters want someone out, they can try to recall that politician by voting to replace him or her.

First, a certain number of voters must agree that the politician should be replaced. This usually involves gathering voters’ signatures on a petition. Second, one or more challengers run against the disfavored politician in a recall election. Voters decide whether to keep the current politician or elect someone new. As many as 36 states allow voters to recall politicians at least at the local level. Some states, such as Maryland, don’t allow recall elections at all.

Question 19

What is a referendum?

Answer 19

You might also see a proposed law called a referendum. This law has been proposed by the state’s legislature but can’t actually become a law until the voters have approved it. Often, amendments to a state’s constitution require a referendum.

Question 20

What is a popular referendum?

Answer 20

Many laws do not require voter approval. Even so, sometimes citizens can petition to have a new law put on the ballot for voters to approve or reject. This is called a popular referendum.