The Race for the White House

Multiple Stages and Strategies

1. Preliminary Stage
2. Nomination Stage
3. General Election Stage

Preliminary Stage (year before the election)

Before a candidate officially announces…

• Form an exploratory committee
• Begin fundraising
• Hire a staff (pollsters, campaign manager, fundraiser etc)
• Visit important states (NH, Iowa)
• Generate media attention

Nomination Stage (Jan-June)

Function: Determine who each party’s candidate is going to be

How: Individual states hold primaries or caucuses to select delegates to national convention (20^th century development)

Primaries

• Preliminary election used to select party candidates or delegates
• Used by most (43 states)

Two types of primaries

Closed: voters must be registered party members to vote
Open: anyone may vote regardless of party

New Hampshire = 1^st primary – important to do well there

Caucuses

• Also used to select candidates/delegates but more of a meeting and interactive
• Meet at schools, churches, community centres to discuss and make selections

Iowa = 1^st caucus

Primaries and Caucuses

• Reflect federalism and decentralisation of political parties (each state chooses method/date of election)
• Puts power in the hands of voters, not party leaders
• Typically leads to more choices, including outsiders (e.g. Carter, Clinton)

Criticisms of Primaries/Caucuses

• Low voter turnout = not representative
• Front loading
• Helps better known, well-funded candidates
• Doesn’t test the rigours of the campaign
• Possible solution?
  • Rotating regional primaries?
• Too long and expensive
• Candidates bloodied by own party
• Media too influential? (media favourites?)

National Party Convention (July-August)

• Primaries/caucuses = select delegates to convention
• May be proportional or winner take all
• Super-delegates – Prupose: officially nominate party’s candidate
• More of a coronation or confirmation
• Adoption of party platform
• Selection of running mate

General Election (Aug-Nov)

• Candidates “race to the middle”
• Focus on swing states
• Debates
• Campaign ads
• Culminates in election day/Electoral College