In the United States, presidential elections are held every four years on the first Tuesday of November. Elections for senators and representatives are held at the same time. Senators and representatives are also elected in “offyear” elections, which take place midway through the four-year presidential term. In advance of the main “general” elections, political parties hold a series of primary elections. In these elections, candidates from the same
party for the same office run against one another to determine which one will be the party’s nominee in the general election. Candidates spend many months running their political campaigns in order to gain the support of the most voters. During this organized effort to persuade people to support them, candidates share their ideas about necessary policy changes and spread their message about why they deserve to be elected. Messages are spread through personal appearances, phone calls, websites, mailings, and television and radio advertisements. Research is conducted to determine who should be included in the candidate’s target audience and what issues are important to these people. Candidates ask supporters to join the campaign by helping to spread the message and making financial contributions. Despite the fact that millions of citizens vote for their favored candidates in these elections, the president is not elected directly by the people. Rather, the citizens elect members of the Electoral College, which is the formal body that actually elects the president. The number of electors for each state is equal to the number of senators and representatives from that state in Congress. These electors cast votes for the presidential candidates. In order to win the presidency, a candidate must receive at least half of the electoral votes. Generally, the candidate who receives the majority of the citizens’ votes within a state receives all of the electoral votes for that state. Because of the way the Electoral College works, a candidate who receives a majority of citizens’ votes nationwide may still fail to gain a majority of electoral votes and thus lose the presidency. The following map shows which candidate in the 2012 presidential election won the electoral votes for each state. Although the number of states won by each candidate is similar, the number of electoral votes each received was quite different.
- ublican was most recently elected President of the United States.
Political Campaigns, Elections, and the Electoral Process
- Which statement is supported by the information in this section?
A. The largest states by area have the greatest number of electoral votes.
B. The president is elected by receiving the majority of votes from voters on Election Day.
C. A presidential candidate who wins the majority of votes nationwide may still lose the election.
D. To win a majority of electoral votes, a candidate must win in a majority of states. - During elections, candidates often use slogans to help voters remember key points about their campaign. In his 1864 reelection campaign, amid the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln’s slogan was “Don’t swap horses in the middle of the stream.” What message was he conveying?
A. Lincoln supported people who raised horses for a living.
B. Lincoln encouraged Americans to buy new horses.
C. Lincoln was urging Americans to keep him in office until the country’s issues were resolved.
D. Lincoln’s wartime policies had been fully successful. - Herbert Hoover’s presidential campaign during the Great Depression promised a return to economic prosperity. Which slogan was most likely used during his 1928 campaign?
A. Sunflowers die in November
B. Building a bridge to the 21st century
C. Hoover we trusted—now we’re busted
D. A chicken in every pot (and a car in every backyard)
Political Campaigns and Elections
- Presidential election process:
Answer: C. A presidential candidate who wins the majority of votes nationwide may still lose the election.
Explanation: The Electoral College system means the popular vote does not guarantee victory. - Lincoln’s 1864 slogan meaning:
Answer: C. Lincoln was urging Americans to keep him in office until the country’s issues were resolved.
Explanation: The slogan suggests stability during a time of crisis. - Hoover’s campaign slogan:
Answer: D. A chicken in every pot (and a car in every backyard).
Explanation: This slogan promised economic prosperity during the Great Depression