Government
Unit #5 The Executive Branch
Becoming President
Three basic requirements to become President: / 1• At least ___ years of age / 2
• ______United States citizen / 3
• Resident of the United States for at least ____ years
The Process of Electing a President
Column A / Column B______January to June
______August 27-30
______September 3-6
______In the Fall
______November 6
______December 15
______January 20 / A. Democratic National Convention
B. Election Day
C. Primaries or Caucuses
D. Electoral College Vote
E. Republican National Convention
F. Presidential and V.P. Debates
G. Inauguration Day
The Electoral College
/ 1. Which state has the most electoral votes?2. Which states have the fewest electoral votes?
3. How is the number of electoral votes determined?
Identify the number of votes each of the following states has:
______Ohio
______Florida
______Nevada
______North Carolina
______Minnesota
______Alaska
______Michigan / ______Georgia
______Texas
______North Dakota
______Nebraska
______New York
______Pennsylvania
______Kansas
Amendment XXV
Presidential Disability and Succession
Section 1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.
Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall
nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
Section 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.
Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.
Mapping the Primaries
1. The following points are important to note about the election year process.
Though candidates often announce their candidacy and begin their campaign for
votes long before the election, the nominating process for president begins with the
first caucus and primary.
Traditionally, the first caucus is held in Iowa, and the first primary is held in
New Hampshire. Since 1920, New Hampshire’s primary had been the first; in
1972, Iowa’s caucuses supplanted New Hampshire’s in being the first step on
the road to the presidency.
States choose a date for holding their state convention, during which they choose
their delegates to the national convention.
Many states have sought to increase their importance in the selection process
so they have pushed their primaries earlier in the year, “front-loading” the
calendar.
Candidates compete in each state to win delegates to their party’s national conventions.
For the 2012 election, the Republicans met in Tampa, Florida, August 27-30
and the Democrats met in Charlotte, NC, September 3-6. The party that holds
the White House always holds their national convention last.
2. Use markers or colored pencils to color the U.S. map as instructed below:
Iowa: red (first caucus)
New Hampshire: red (first primary)
all other states holding contests in January: blue
all states holding contests in February through March 3: yellow
all states holding contests on March 6: green
all states holding contests in the rest of March: orange
all states holding contests in April: brown
all states holding contests in May and June: outline in black
3. Consider the following questions and be prepared to discuss them.
1. Is it fair that Iowa and New Hampshire, two of the smallest states, start the process?
2. Do the other states voting in January represent other areas of the country?
3. What problems did Super Tuesday pose for the candidates during the 2012 election?
4. During the 2012 campaign, when did Texas hold its primary? Texas originally had
scheduled its 2012 primary on April 3, but a dispute over congressional redistricting
forced a change to a later date. How might this date change have changed the impact
Texas had on the outcome of the nomination?