First 2 Days:• Keynote

address (define) given

• Party’s platform (define) drawn up

• Rousing speeches

Last 2 Days: More speeches Delegates vote

for Pres & VP candidates

Pres candidate makes his acceptance speech

1. Which city has held the most nat’l conventions? When has Houston hosted?

2. At the nat’l convention, about how many ballots does it take to result in a choice of a candidate?

A. one B. five

C. two D. ten

3. Party platforms are regularly criticized for being too

A. detailed. B. vague.C. regional. D. narrow.

4. Historically, which group has produced the most presidential candidates?

A. generals B. representativesC. senators D. governors

5. Which of the following groups has never had a member nominated to the ticket of a major party?

A. women B. CatholicsC. African Americans D. divorced men

•Electoral college – the body that makes the official selection of the president (538 electors total)

•Each State has as many electors as it has senators and seats in the House (2 + reps = electors)

•Today, each State’s pres electors are chosen by direct popular vote (you vote for them when you vote for your candidate for pres)

1.Winner of the popular vote does NOT always win the presidency (1824, 1876, 1888, 2000)

– Winning candidate customarily receives ALL that State’s electoral votes (whether a large or small victory)

• Obama 365 electoral votes (67.8%) 69,456,897 popular votes (52.9%)

• McCain 173 electoral votes (32.2%) 59,934,814 popular votes (45.7%)

2008

                                                                             

                                                                         

2.Nothing requires electors to vote for the candidate the popular vote favors – Expected to vote for the

candidate who carries the state, but some have “broken their pledges” & voted for another candidate (9 times)

3.Possibility the contest will be decided in the House (only twice)

– Need a MAJORITY (1 more than

½) of electoral votes to win the presidency (currently 270 votes)

– Strong 3rd party candidate can prevent a major party from winning that majority

•Tradition – it’s a known process (new plans may have problems we don’t know about)•Winner of the election is known quickly & certainly