Announcing candidacy & organizing

1. Announcing candidacy & organizing • Candidates officially enter the “race” to the Presidency • Campaign is organized for upcoming events: • Network of workers/volunteers (phone calls, publicity, planners, etc.) • Accounts created for future fundraising abcnews.go.com

2. Pre-primary fundraising, campaigning, and debating • Candidates begin fundraising for the upcoming spring primary/caucus season • Campaigning for the party primary/caucus is in full swing during this time • Debates will be held between the main contenders washingtonpost.com

3. Spring Primaries & CaucusesJanuary-June of Election Year • Primary – an election where party members choose nominee for party • Open – any voter may vote in any party’s primary • Closed – only party members may vote in party primary (PA) • Caucus – meeting of party members to select nominee for party • Provides opportunity for members to debate, bargain, & express preferences • Open only to party members / activists attend

4. Nationaljournal.com Iowa Caucus • First major electoral event in the election process. • Candidates campaign in Iowa months before the caucus • Ads, paid staffers, and publicity is centered around the many precincts in Iowa • The winner of the Iowa caucus has served as an indication of the person who will win their parties nomination

5. New Hampshire Primary • First primary of election year • Focused upon by candidates • Media attention • Early success in contests / must perform well to continue in race nhhistory.org

6. Nominating Convention • Official nomination of party candidate (decided in primaries & caucuses) • Party rally, media event, showcase for fall campaign • Adopt party platform (states party/candidate stance on issues) • Vice Presidential nominee selected & announced • VP chosen by party nominee iop.harvard.edu

7. Fall CampaignAfter convention to Election Day • Candidates travel from state to state (speaking, rallies fundraising, etc.) • Focus on swing states (states that are contested) • Run TV ads to increase name recognition, spread ideas, “mud-sling” • Debates held against opponent (media attention, show “likeability”, appear presidential, etc.) thesoundsofhistory.com

8. General Election • Held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November • November 2-8 • Eligible citizens of the U.S. cast votes for the candidate of their choice for President. • Popular vote winner in each state helps determine the electors who will cast the official vote in the Electoral College Time.com

9. Electoral CollegeDecember – After General Election • Distributes votes to states based upon # of senators & representatives • State’s popular vote winner earns all Electoral votes of state • Must earn majority (270) of Electoral votes to win election • Map: 2012 distribution • Used originally to “check” voters (uneducated & uniformed) census.gov

10. Inauguration • Inauguration Day – January 20 • Established by 20th Amend. • “Swearing” in of the President • Presidential term officially begins at noon on January 20th • Supreme Court Chief Justice administers the oath “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” -- Article II Sec. 1 • Inauguration Address Instanthistory.com