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Advocates for Young AdultsTM
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Advocates for Young Adults
| The Election Process minor political parties and independent candidates begin to raise money and minor political parties and independent candidates begin to raise money and campaign at least one year in advance of the general presidential election. In order to officially represent a political party, a candidate must be nominated by that party. This primary nomination process is a contest that often produces factions within political parties. These divisions impact the policy stances and agendas of the candidates running for nomination as they attempt to garner the support of party leaders and activists. The nominating process officially begins with the first state primaries and caucuses, which usually occur in the month of February of the election year. It is at these local events that voters are given their first chance to participate in electing the nation’s next President. The spring of an election year is characterized by vigorous campaigning for primaries and caucuses all over the nation. This process reaches its crescendo at the national conventions of the political parties. Once at the national party conventions, the delegates from the states cast votes for the person who will represent the political party in the November general election. In order to secure a party’s nomination, a candidate must receive a majority of the votes from the delegates. It is not unusual for delegates to vote several times before one candidate secures the majority of the votes and officially becomes that party’s candidate for the election to determine the next President of the United States. The candidate for President then must choose a vice-presidential candidate. Generally, a running mate is chosen that will in some way balance the party’s ticket for the general election. This balance may be geographic (choosing a running mate that is very popular in one region where the Presidential candidate is not) or ideological (choosing a running mate with a different ideological framework than the presidential candidate), and the balance is intended to make the overall general election ticket of a political party acceptable to as wide a range of voters as possible. |
| WHAT IS A DEMOCRAT? WHAT IS A REPUBLICAN? THE ELECTION PROCESS? What is a Democrat? Click here to read what the Democrats say it means. What is a Republican and why do they call themselves the GOP? Click here to read what the Republicans say it means. How does the election process work? |
Above from Left to Right: The Democratic Party, Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Hillary Clinton, The
Rebublican Party, Sen. John McCain, Congressman Ron Paul
Below: Congressman Bob Barr of the Libertarian Party, Independent Ralph Nader
Rebublican Party, Sen. John McCain, Congressman Ron Paul
Below: Congressman Bob Barr of the Libertarian Party, Independent Ralph Nader