The document describes the process for nominating and electing the President of the United States. It begins with candidates announcing their campaigns and campaigning in state primaries and caucuses. Delegates are then selected for the national conventions where each party nominates their candidate. Finally, the general election is held in November where Americans vote for either the Democratic or Republican candidate.

1. THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
THE PROCESS OF BECOMING THE PRESIDENT

2. OBJECTIVES
STUDENTS WILL DESCRIBE THE METHODS OF
NOMINATING CANDIDATES FOR PARTIES FOR PRESIDENT.
STUDENTS WILL ANALYZE HOW ELECTIONS ARE
STRUCTURED AND CANDIDATES RUN FOR OFFICE.

3. VOCABULARY
OPEN PRIMARY: A PARTY-NOMINATING ELECTION IN
WHICH ANY QUALIFIED VOTER CAN TAKE PART.
CLOSED PRIMARY: A PARTY NOMINATING ELECTION IN
WHICH ONLY DECLARED PARTY MEMBERS CAN VOTE.
CAUCUS: AS A NOMINATING DEVICE, A GROUP OF LIKE-
MINDED PEOPLE WHO MEET TO SELECT THE CANDIDATES
THEY WILL SUPPORT IN AN UPCOMING ELECTION.

4. PRESIDENTIAL SELECTION PROCESS
PROCESS BEGINS WITH GETTING PARTY NOMINATION
WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS, PRESIDENTIAL RACES HAVE
BEEN DETERMINED BETWEEN TWO MAJOR PARTIES.
FOR NEARLY 150 YEARS, CONTEST BETWEEN DEMOCRAT
AND REPUBLICAN
SELECTION PROCESS FOR DETERMINING PARTY
CANDIDATE GOES FROM ANNOUNCEMENT, STATE
SELECTIONS, NATIONAL CONVENTION AND GENERAL
ELECTION

5. STEP 1: EXPLORATION &
ANNOUNCEMENT
IF THERE EXISTS
ENOUGH INTEREST
AND CANDIDATE IS
ACCEPTABLE TO THE
COMMITTEE AND THE
PARTY, THE
CANDIDATE
ANNOUNCES THEY
ARE RUNNING FOR
PRESIDENT.
FIRST STEP IS TO ESTABLISH AN EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE
- TO FIND OUT IF THE CANDIDATE SHOULD RUN FOR OFFICE
OR NOT.

6. STEP 2: CAMPAIGNING
ONCE THE CANDIDATE ANNOUNCES THEY
HAVE TO QUICKLY GET INTO THE FIELD
AND BEGIN THE OBSTACLE COURSE OF
GETTING ENOUGH SUPPORT TO BE THE
NATIONAL PARTY NOMINEE.
THIS IS DONE THROUGH A STATEWIDE
SELECTION PROCESS. EITHER THROUGH
PRIMARIES OR CAUCUSES.

7. PRIMARY
PRIMARIES ARE SPECIAL STATEWIDE ELECTIONS TO CHOOSE A
CANDIDATE TO REPRESENT THE PARTY AT THE NATIONAL
CONVENTION.
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF PRIMARIES: OPEN AND CLOSED
OPEN PRIMARIES: ANYONE OF ANY PARTY AFFILIATION CAN
VOTE IN AN OPEN PRIMARY FOR EITHER PARTY. (I.E. A
REGISTERED DEMOCRAT CAN VOTE IN THE DEMOCRATIC
PRIMARY AND SOMETIMES IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY)
CLOSED PRIMARIES: PRIMARY ELECTION WHERE ONLY A
PARTY’S REGISTERED VOTERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE.

8. CAUCUS
CAUCUS: OLDEST METHOD OF CHOOSING DELEGATES TO THE
NATIONAL CONVENTION
ATTRACT THE MOST FAITHFUL AND INVOLVED PARTY
MEMBERS, WHICH MAKES IT A SMALL NUMBER
GROUP OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME OPINIONS MEET TO
SELECT THE CANDIDATES
USED TO MAKE LOCAL NOMINATIONS IN SOME PLACES

10. PRIMARY/CAUCUS SEASON
FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS, THE NOMINATION PROCESS HAS TAKEN A
RELATIVELY SHORT TIME.
THERE MAY BE BETWEEN 8 - 15 CANDIDATES THAT BEGIN THE PROCESS.
THE FIRST CAUCUS DECISION HAS BEEN IN IOWA AND THE FIRST
PRIMARY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
MOVES TO SUPER TUESDAY
2008 - 24 STATES SIMULTANEOUSLY HELD PRIMARIES OR
CAUCUSES
1988 - 9 STATES
DO ALL STATES REALLY HAVE INPUT ON THE TWO BIG CHOICES FOR
PRESIDENT?

12. STEP 3: NATIONAL CONVENTION
USUALLY DURING THE SUMMER, EVERY FOUR YEARS
EACH PARTY HOLDS A NATIONAL CONVENTION
MAIN PURPOSE IS TO SELECT A NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT
FOR THE PARTY
ALSO ADOPT A STATEMENT OF PARTY PRINCIPLES AND
GOALS KNOWN AS THE PLATFORM
ADOPT THE RULES FOR THE PARTY'S ACTIVITIES,
INCLUDING THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING PROCESS
FOR THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE.

13. STEP 4: GENERAL ELECTION
ONCE EACH PARTY HAS CHOSEN A CANDIDATE, INTENSE
CAMPAIGNING BEGINS
CAREFUL DISCUSSION OF ELECTORAL BATTLES
POLLING
TYPES OF CAMPAIGN STRATEGIES
FIRST TUESDAY AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY OF NOVEMBER -
GENERAL ELECTIONS (CONGRESS AS WELL)
CANDIDATE THAT REACHES 270 ELECTORAL VOTES WINS AND
IS ELECTED PRESIDENT