TH

RO
AD

TO

TH

IT
E

US
E

H
O

HOW TO
BECOME
PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED
STATES

WHAT ARE FIVE THINGS YOU WOULD

LOOK FOR IN A PRESIDENT?

What
else
would be
importan
t to you?

WHAT DOES THE

CONSTITUTION SAY ABOUT
WHO CAN
BE PRESIDENT?
The President must
be:

Do you agree with the

Constitutional
qualifications?

:
1

S
E

R ES
P
A S
E
T
M
I
S R CU
P AU
C
T
HA
W

E
R
A

TH

?
EY

STEP 1

Primaries and Caucuses

HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENT OF

THE UNITED STATES
There are
many people
who have
their own
ideas about
how
government
should work.

People with similar

ideas group together
and form political
parties

What are the two main

political parties in the
United States today?

STEP 1

Primaries and Caucuses

HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENT OF

THE UNITED STATES
Candidates from each party
campaign to gain leadership
within their own party.

Multiple people from each party

may decide they want to be the
candidate.

STEP 1

Primaries and Caucuses

HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENT OF

THE UNITED STATES
Most states hold
a primary, in
which voters cast
secret ballots for
the best
candidate that
will represent the
Clickparty
HERE to read
more about
in the
primaries.
general election.
This is where voters can cast their
vote to determine who will
represent each party.

STEP 1

Primaries and Caucuses

HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENT OF

THE UNITED STATES
In some states,
a caucus is held
to select the
best candidate
from each party
through
discussions and
Click HERE to read more about
open
votes.
caucuses.
Which states hold
caucuses?

Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas,

Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, North

:
2

L ON
A its
Now
time to
I
P
N
T
officially
decide
E
O
N
I
T
who
will
be
the
E
T
S A VPresidential and
N ON Vice Presidential
C candidate for each
party.
S

National Conventions

STEP 2

HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENT OF

THE UNITED STATES
Each party holds a national
convention to select a final
presidential nominee.

Photo from:
www.politicususa.com

National Conventions

STEP 2

HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENT OF

THE UNITED STATES

At the convention, the Presidential

candidate announces a running
mate (Vice Presidential
Candidate).

Photo from: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezraklein/files/2012/08/wonk0831.jpg

Photo from:
http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2012/09/07/bidenobamafdc1cd7ef8ae88d3fffb9cae1f3fb6c1e8977604-s3.jpg

What do you think a

Presidential candidate is
looking for in a Vice

:
N
3 IG
P
A
E
P
T
S AM
C

Campaigning

STEP 3

HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENT OF

THE UNITED STATES
The Presidential candidates
campaign throughout the country
to win the support of the general
population.

What do you think about the

campaign ads you have seen?

:
4 AL
P
N
R
E
E IO
T
S EN CT
G LE
E

General Election

STEP 4

HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENT OF

THE UNITED STATES
People in every state across
the country vote for a
President and Vice
President.
When people cast their vote,
they are actually voting for a
group of people known as
electors who are part of the
process called the Electoral
What is the
Electoral
College
.

College?

:
5

A
R
P
O
E
E
T
G
T
C
S LE LE
E OL
C

Electoral College

STEP 5

HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENT OF

THE UNITED STATES
In the Electoral
College system,
each state gets a
certain number of
electors based on
its representation in
Congress.

THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

The Electoral College is a
system where 538 electors
cast votes to decide who will
be the President and Vice
President.

Why
538?
This is the total of the
members of the U.S. House of
Representatives,
the U.S. Senate,
and three votes for the
District of Columbia.

In Florida, electors are nominated

by their political party and
approved by the Governor.
Because Florida has 29 electoral
votes, each party (Democrat and
Republican) is allowed to appoint
29 electors.

Why
29?

Florida has 27 Congressional

Districts (FL gained two
districts due to a population
increase) and 2 Senators.for
a total of 29.

435* + 100 + 3 = 538

Public Law 62-5 says that 435 will be the number in the House of
Representatives. This number does not change, rather other states lose

THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

Whichever candidate receives the popular
(majority) vote in a state (>50%), wins the
electoral
votes. in
For example,

Florida:
Candidate A

29 Electors

Candidate
B

29 Electors

If candidate B wins more than

50% of the popular vote, their
29 electors get to cast their
votes for that Candidate.

Electoral College

STEP 5

HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENT OF

THE UNITED STATES
Each elector casts one vote
following the general election,
and the candidate who gets more
than half (270 of 538) wins.

Florida
has 29
electora
l votes.

E IS
H
T R
D NE
N N
A I
W

The newly elected

President and
Vice President
are inaugurated
(sworn into
office) in January.

Note: Inauguration Day by law is January 20th.

However, since the 20th is a Sunday, a private
ceremony will be held on January 20th, with a
public inauguration taking place on January
st

O
D

T
A
Comparing
H
Electoral
?
W OU KCollege
N
models:
Y HI Which is
T
better?

WHICH MODEL IS BETTER?

WINNER TAKE ALL

THE DISTRICT SYSTEM

More than 50% of the

popular vote wins ALL
of the elector votes

One electoral vote is

awarded to each candidate
winning the popular vote in
each congressional district *

48 of the states use

this system

The two remaining votes

are awarded to the
candidates with the most
votes statewide
Maine and Nebraska use
this system

*Remember, the number of electors

are based on the number of members
in the United States House of
Representatives (who represent
congressional districts within a state)

and two U.S. Senators.

SOURCES
http://magazines.scholastic.com/Election-2012/faqs-primary
http://kids.usa.gov/president/index.shtml
http://www.factcheck.org/2008/04/caucus-vs-primary/