Transcript ELECTING A PRESIDENT - Toms River Regional Schools

ELECTING A
PRESIDENT
2004
Presented by Ms. Reynolds
PRESIDENTIAL
REQUIREMENTS
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NATURAL BORN CITIZEN
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Must be born in the United States or born to a
U.S. citizen anywhere in the world
35 YEARS OF AGE
14 YEAR RESIDENCY
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Must be living in the United States for 14
years
ELECTION PROCESS
 GET NOMINATED
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Presidential candidate is nominated by a
Nominating Convention
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Convention meets about three months before
the election
Delegates from all the states assemble and
nominate a President/Vice President ticket
Delegates decide on a party platform
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The issues the president will represent in the
election
ELECTION PROCESS
 GO TO THE PEOPLE
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The candidates make speeches, appear at
rallies, and present the party platform and
their views on current issues
On the first Tuesday in November the
voters go to the polls to vote for electors
The electors then vote for the candidates
ELECTION PROCESS
 GATHER ELECTORAL VOTES
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The group of electors vote for the
President
Each elector has one electoral vote
Each state has a number of electors equal
to the number of their Senators and
Representatives
Known as the Electoral College
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
 A system established by the U.S.
Constitution
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The popular vote (votes by the citizens) is
cast in November
In each state, except Maine and Nebraska,
the candidate who receives the most
popular votes wins all of the state’s
electoral votes
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Rule is called “Winner-take-all”
Electors cast their votes in December
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
 A candidate can win the nation’s popular vote
but still lose the Electoral College!
 In most states, if one candidate gets more
popular votes than the other candidates, he or
she gets all of that state’s electoral votes
 In 2000, Al Gore won the popular vote, but lost
the electoral vote to George W. Bush
 The candidate that wins at least 270 out of 538
electoral votes is declared President
MAJORITY? PLURALITY
 A candidate must receive a majority of
votes (over 50%) to become President
 If no one has a majority, the person with
the most votes has a plurality, but is not
President
 The constitution includes a clause that
guides the selection process in the event
of a plurality.
MAJORITY? PLURALITY
 If the Electoral College does not give any
candidate the necessary majority, the
House of Representatives chooses the
President from among the top three
candidates in electoral votes. Each state
gets one vote and the President must be
chosen by a majority of the states
MAJORITY? PLURALITY
 This constitutional clause has been used
only twice
 In 1800, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron
Burr tied with 69 electoral votes each
and Jefferson became president
 In 1824, Andrew Jackson led in electoral
votes, but did not have a majority so the
House of Representatives elected John
Quincy Adams as President after Henry
Clay gave him his support
PRESIDENTIAL POWERS
AND LIMITATIONS
 The President of the United States is
one of the most powerful democratically
elected officials in the world
 His powers are stated in the Constitution
and through the use of “checks and
balances” his actions are always
controlled and checked by the
Legislative and/or Judicial branches.
PRESIDENTIAL POWERS
AND LIMITATIONS
 The President may not violate laws while
he is in office. If he does the House of
Representatives may bring impeachment
charges against him. He would then be
tried in the Senate and if two-thirds of
the Senators vote to convict him he
would be removed from office.
PRESIDENTIAL POWERS
AND LIMITATIONS
 CHIEF EXECUTOR
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He enforces the Constitution and laws
passed by Congress
Can issue executive orders
Appoints all government officials, including
Cabinet officers, Supreme Court Justices,
and others although his orders can be
declared unconstitutional in the courts and
his appointments must be approved by the
Senate
PRESIDENTIAL POWERS
AND LIMITATIONS
 CHIEF LEGISLATOR
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He can recall Congress into a special
session
He may veto the bills passed by Congress
or use his influence to get a bill passed or
proposed
Congress can override the president’s veto
by a two-thirds majority
PRESIDENTIAL POWERS
AND LIMITATIONS
 JUDICIAL POWERS
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The president may grant pardons to most
individuals
He has indirect control of the courts
He appoints all federal judges
All of his appointments must be approved
by the Senate
PRESIDENTIAL POWERS
AND LIMITATIONS
 CHIEF AMBASSADOR
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He determines the foreign policy of the
nation, directs and negotiates treaties, and
appoints other ambassadors and diplomats
These appointments must also be cleared
by Congress
Treaties must be ratified by the Senate
PRESIDENTIAL POWERS
AND LIMITATIONS
 COMMANDER IN CHIEF
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He maintains civilian control over the military
He appoints top military commanders, gives them
military advice, and has the power to discharge
officers
He can order the armed forces into action
He cannot commit U.S. troops to international
conflicts for more than 90 days without a formal
declaration of war, a power reserved for Congress
BACKUP PLAN
THE CONSTITUTION
In case of death, resignation, or removal of
the President, the Constitution states that
he would be succeeded by the Vice
President
If there is a vacancy in the Presidency and
the Vice Presidency, Speaker of the House
of Representatives, then the President pro
tempore of the Senate, and then the
Cabinet members starting with the
Secretary of State fills those positions
25th AMENDMENT
 This amendment was passed in 1967
and stated that in cases of Presidential
disability, the Vice President would take
office until the disability was resolved
 If the Vice President becomes President,
he could appoint a new Vice President,
subject to approval by the Congress
WHO WILL BE ELECTED IN
2004?