How to Choose a Presidential Running Mate

New Englander John Kerry evened out his 2004 ticket by choosing Southern running mate John Edwards.

As a Presidential nominee, one of the most important decisions you will make is who to choose as your running mate. Your running mate is the politician running for Vice President, so in the event of your death, your running mate will become President. It's important that you choose the right candidate based on a whole host of criteria, as they should in some way facilitate you getting elected as President. Choosing your running mate is a significant decision in your campaign and should not be made lightly.

Instructions

1. Make a list of all the people you are considering for your running mate, from most to least coveted. The candidates you want most as your running mate should appear at the top of the list, and the least desired candidates will appear lower on the list. During this phase of the process you can feel free to put anyone who you feel would be asset on the ticket with you, on the list.

2. Determine your strengths and weaknesses as a Presidential candidate. This is an important step because you will use it when determining which running mate can help make up for policy areas you lack. The candidates you choose should be incredibly strong in the areas in which you are weak, so that you can present yourselves as the complete package. For example, if you are strong on national security but have limited experience with the economy, your running mate should have in-depth knowledge of the economy and experience to back up that knowledge.

3. Figure out which regions of the country you need help with most. Your presidential running mate should be from an area where you haven't been able to secure a significant amount of votes. Because the road to the Presidency requires a specific amount of Electoral Votes, it's important that your campaign is able to remain competitive in all states. If the South is your weak spot, your running mate should be a politician in good standing from the area that will be able to secure those votes for you.

4. Conduct extensive background checks on all of the candidates on your list that make up for what you lack and can get votes in areas where you cannot. Make sure there are no scandals that could hurt the campaign as well as no questionable connections to groups or individuals in contrast to your political agenda. Most importantly, you will need to look extensively at their political past to make sure they are as conservative or liberal as you need them to be to win.

5. Speak with the candidates remaining on your list to determine their interest in being your running mate. During this conversation you should also ask the candidates what they feel they can bring to your ticket, as they may have more strengths than you first anticipated. Use this time to get to know your potential running mates to make sure you will be able to work together should you share a Presidential ticket.

6. Choose the candidate that best meets all the criteria set forth for a Presidential running mate. Make sure they have strengths where you are weak, and can get votes in heavily populated states and states where your support has been meager. The goal is to present a ticket to the voters with the most widespread appeal as possible because widespread appeal often translates into many votes.

Tips & Warnings

• Your running mate should share your views on issues most important to your party.

• A presidential running mate should fill out the ticket.

• Avoid a running mate with scandal in their past.

• Stay away from running mates not aligned with the base of your party.