The US presidential elections

(1)

Die Kopiergebühren sind abgegolten. Bildnachweis: shutterstock, Chuck Rausin.

1

Great!

Great! Niveau A2/ B1 US presidential election A08108-50148020

very four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, the people of the USA choose a new president and vice president.

2012 is presidential election year in the USA. So this year, on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, a new US president will be elected. The two most important candidates this year are Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.

Obama is the current president. He’s a Democrat.

Romney is a Republican. The Democrats are a left of center or left-wing party. The Republicans are a right of center or right-wing party.

The US presidential election system is quite complicated. First of all, during the summer before the presidential election, each party decides who their candidate is going to be. People in the same party compete against each other in these elections. These elections are called primaries and caucuses. After the primaries and caucuses each party chooses one person who they nominate to become president.

Once the candidates have won their party’s nomination they organise and run huge campaigns. The candidates travel across the country visiting different constituencies trying to win votes. They debate on important issues on TV. The campaigns cost a lot of money and the candidates have to raise this money themselves.

Then, in November, it’s Election Day or General Election Day. Americans have to be US citizens to be able to vote, and they have to be at least 18 years old. Each state has certain rules of their own for their voters, so it’s not the same in every state. On Election Day the voters go to the polls. Usually, people go to voting booths and put their ballot paper into a ballot box. But in Oregon, people only vote by mail.

Voters don’t vote for the president directly. They vote for delegates or electors. These delegates then formally elect the president. This takes place in December. In 2012 electors will formally elect the new president on December 17, 2012.

In the following January the electors’ votes are counted by the US Congress. This will take place on January 6, 2013. The new president is announced and is finally inaugurated in office and begins his term at the end of January. The inauguration ceremony is a big public event in the US. It will take place on January 20, 2013. The president and his/her family always live in the White House during the presidency. The president’s wife is known as the First Lady.

So far, no woman has ever been elected president of the United States. Barack Obama is the first black president of the United States. The first president of the US was George Washington (1789 – 1797). Since 1789 there have been 18 Republican presidents and 15 Democratic presidents. Four presidents have been assassinated while in office. One president has resigned because of a scandal during his term of office.

The US presidential elections

E

A08108-50148020_US_Elections.indd 1 16.10.2012 13:33:59

(2)

2

Great!

US Presidential Election Crossword

1

2 3 4 5 6

7

8 9 10 11

12 13 14

15

16 17

18 19

20 21

22

23 24

25 26

DOWN ➞

1 decision which takes place in the summer before the General Election when a party chooses its candidate

2 deputy head of the USA after the president;

person who takes over if something happens to the president

3 official political group

5 election in which people vote for the government or Head of State

6 in the US presidential election: person elected by voters who then elects the president

7 place where people vote

8 to officially and formally start a term of office, often with a big ceremony

10 leader of the USA

14 day on which people vote 15 right of center

17 name of the president’s home

18 paper with names of all candidates used for voting

19 to choose in an election 20 election, survey

ACROSS ➞

4 all the things a political person does in order to try and win votes

6 member of the political party that is left of center

9 member of the political party that is right of center

11 to choose in an election

12 election which takes place in the summer before the General Election when a party chooses its candidate.

13 in the US presidential election: person elected by voters who then elects the president 16 left of center

21 box into which ballot papers are put after voting 22 person who is standing for election to become

president

23 to propose a candidate

24 name given to a region in which people who can vote live

25 title given to president’s wife

26 in the USA: elected body that creates laws

(3)

3

Great!

V P C A M P A I G N D E M O C R A T C

I V A E E U

C O I R E P U B L I C A N E L E C T C

E T N T R E E U

P R I M A R Y E L E C T O R R G S

R N U S L R A A

E G G I E I L E F T W I N G

S B U W D C G E E

I O R H E T H L B V

D O A I N I T E A O P

E T T T T O W C B A L L O T B O X

N H E E C A N D I D A T E L E L

T H D N I O L

O A G N O M I N A T E

C O N S T I T U E N C Y N P

S F I R S T L A D Y

C O N G R E S S P

R E Solutions

US Presidential Election Crossword

1

2 3 4 5 6

7

8 9 10 11

12 13 14

15

16 17

18 19

20 21

22

23 24

25 26

DOWN ➞

1 caucus decision which takes place in the summer before the General Election when a party chooses its candidate

2 vicepresident deputy head of the USA after the president; person who takes over if something happens to the president

3 party official political group

5 GeneralElection election in which people vote for the government or Head of State

6 delegate in the US presidential election: person elected by voters who then elects the president 7 votingbooth place where people vote

8 inaugurate to officially and formally start a term of office, often with a big ceremony

10 president leader of the USA

14 ElectionDay day on which people vote 15 right-wing right of center

17 WhiteHouse name of the president’s home 18 ballotpaper paper with names of all candidates

used for voting

19 vote to choose in an election 20 poll election, survey

ACROSS ➞

4 campaign all the things a political person does in order to try and win votes

6 Democrat member of the political party that is left of center

9 Republican member of the political party that is right of center

11 elect to choose in an election

12 primary election which takes place in the summer before the General Election when a party chooses its candidate.

13 elector in the US presidential election: person elected by voters who then elects the president 16 left-wing left of center

21 ballotbox box into which ballot papers are put after voting

22 candidate person who is standing for election to become president

23 nominate to propose a candidate

24 constituency name given to a region in which people who can vote live

25 FirstLady title given to president’s wife 26 congress in the USA: elected body that

creates laws