Candidate
Candidate Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
Each game consists of the following equipment.
- one 16" x 22" gameboard
- one 80-card deck
- one pawn
- one sheet of die-cut Vote, Band Wagon, Groundwork, Favorite and Runner-up markers
- two Electoral Vote Logs
How to Win
The first player with a majority (270) of the 538 electoral votes wins. If no player has a majority after all the primaries are resolved, the game proceeds to the Convention wherein candidates are eliminated one at a time by campaigning for the support of the player with the least votes, until someone gains a majority.
Prepare to Play
- Set-Up: Place the 51 Vote markers on the map in their respective states. The number on each marker is the amount of votes at stake in that state. Each player selects a candidate, takes his Favorite, Runner-up, and Groundwork markers, and sits by the map edge of that candidate's Campaign Area.
(Graphic: an example Vote marker reading "MN 10".)
- Deal: Shuffle the cards and deal five to each player. All players select as many cards from their hand as they wish and place them face down in the "A" box of their Campaign section. When each has done so, the selected cards are revealed and the player who played the highest total worth of Money cards becomes the Dealer for the first turn. Players return their revealed cards to their hand for the opening turn. Thereafter, play proceeds in clockwise rotation with the next player becoming Dealer in each succeeding turn.
Sequence of Play
(Graphic: a Pawn.)
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Primary Selection: The Dealer checks his hand and activates a one-, two-, or three-state Primary still containing Vote markers by placing the Primary Pawn in that area of the map and moving the Electoral Vote markers therein to the "Polls Are Open" Display in the lower left corner of the board.
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Campaigning: Each player, in turn, starting with the player to the left of the dealer, places his cards face-down beneath the board edge of the appropriate boxes of his Campaign area and/or above the appropriate boxes of any opponent's Campaign Area.
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Primary Resolution: Once all cards are placed, all committed cards for the first state of the selected Primary are turned face-up and the election is resolved. All played cards are placed face-up in the Discard pile. Those states requiring more campaigning repeat steps 2 and 3. Then, all committed cards for the second state (if any) are turned face-up and resolved, etc.
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Refill Hands: The winner of each state collects the Vote marker for that state and places it face-up in front of him. After the entire Primary is resolved, the Dealer deals all players enough cards to refill their hands to five cards. Players are not required to play cards and therefore may keep all or part of their hands intact for the next turn. The player who won the most votes in the just-completed Primary may draw a sixth card (or a seventh if already in possession of the "Bandwagon 1" marker). The scorekeeper totals and records on scrap paper all votes won to date and announces the standings.
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New Dealer: The player to the left of the Dealer becomes the new Dealer and repeats steps 1 to 5 until all Primaries have been resolved.
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Convention: If no player has at least 270 Electoral Votes at the end of the Primaries, play proceeds to the Convention where players contest all votes in the Undecided sector as if it were a one-state Primary (repeat steps 1 to 5). If the winner of this block of votes still lacks 270 Electoral Votes, the player with the least votes is eliminated and his votes are again contested as if it were a one-state Primary. This process is repeated until a player controls 270 or more Electoral Votes. All Problem cards except "Deadlock" and "Favorite Son" have full effect during the Convention.
When all cards have been drawn, shuffle the Discards and place them face down to form a new Draw pile.
Primaries
There are three types of Primaries: Single (one yellow state with a "★" marking its capital), Double (two green states with "■'s" marking their capitals), and Triple (three red states with "●'s" marking their capitals). State capitals play no other role in the game. The order in which Primaries will be resolved is determined by the Dealer placing each state's Electoral Vote marker in the "A", "B", or "C" sections of the "Polls Are Open" display.
Campaigning
After the Dealer chooses the Primary, the player to his left starts campaigning by placing some, none, or all of his face-down cards partially beneath the board in the "A", "B", and/or "C" sections of his Campaign space and/or above those sections of opposing Campaign spaces. IMPORTANT: Cards placed in an opponent's section must be placed face-down above the board.
A legal play for each state in a player's own section (beneath the board) may consist of:
a. one Money card,
and/or b. any number of Endorsements, Squelch Rumors, and Zero cards,
and/or c. one Problem card,
or d. a Pass (i.e., no cards played).
A legal play for each state in an opponent's section (above the board) may consist of a maximum of one card from each player. Any number of players can each play a card on an opponent's space. [Note: A money card played on an opponent's section is considered spent to raise issues that happen to benefit him; though it does not represent a direct monetary contribution to the opposing player, it has the same effect.]
During a player's turn to campaign, if he participates in a Primary, he may play or pass on each of the states in that Primary. He may not play again after observing how others have played behind him. The dealer always gets the last play in each round.
The player with the most money committed to a state (after adding any applicable Endorsements and/or subtracting applicable Rumors) wins that state if the total is positive. If the highest total is a negative amount or zero, that state's votes go to the Undecided Box.
Ties: If two or more players tie in the campaigning for a state, only the tied players campaign again to determine the winner. They do so with only those cards remaining in their hands at the time. The new campaign occurs before the resolution of the next state. Should the new campaign also fail to produce a winner, campaigning continues until the state is won or all eligible campaigners pass and the votes go to the Undecided Box.
Rumors: There are ten Rumor cards which reduce an opposing Candidate's monetary total when played on his Campaign section. A player who suspects he may be the victim of a Rumor campaign may play one of the five "Squelch Rumor" cards beneath his own Campaign section to void any Rumors played against him in that state during that round.
(Card graphics: "RUMOR minus $10,000" reads "Several key backers withdraw support on rumor of conflict of interest." "SQUELCH RUMOR" reads "This card cancels all RUMOR cards played on the campaign box on which it is played during this round.")
(Card graphics: "PROBLEM SCANDAL" reads "Cancels and discards all cards played on this state in this round except DEADLOCK. Recampaign immediately." "PROBLEM PARTY RULING" reads "Cancels all endorsements of all candidates in this state during this round." "PROBLEM FAVORITE SON" reads "Wins this state automatically unless canceled by DEADLOCK or SCANDAL. May be played only once by each player. Treat as ZERO card during Convention or second use by same player.")
Problems
Five types of Problem cards can change the resolution of an election:
Scandal: Each of the four Scandals voids all cards played in its state. The played cards are discarded and all players campaign again with their remaining cards before resolving the next state. If tied or voided again, campaigning continues until the state is won, or all eligible campaigners pass and the votes go to the Undecided Box.
Party Ruling: Each of the two Party Rulings voids all played Endorsements for that state in that round. The election is resolved normally using only Money cards after removing all played Endorsements.
State Ruling: The State Ruling voids only the Endorsements of the opposing Candidate on whom it is played for that round of that state.
Favorite Son: The Favorite Son wins the state unless that election round is voided by a "Scandal" or "Deadlock" card. A player may use the Favorite Son card as such only once whether he played it himself or had it played on him by an opponent. Its first use by each player should be noted by the scorekeeper to prevent its use by that player a second time — even if the first use was voided. Subsequent play of a Favorite Son card by someone who has already used it is limited to use as a Zero card or play on another eligible Candidate. It is void and treated as a Zero card during the Convention.
Deadlock: The Deadlock voids that state's election. The state's votes go to the Undecided Box and all played cards are discarded. It is void and treated as a Zero card during the Convention.
Laying Groundwork
During a player's turn to campaign in any Primary, he may opt not to participate in that Primary and announce he is preparing for another one instead. He discards face-up any Money cards he wishes to use there. Only Money cards can be used to lay Groundwork. A marker of that player's color is placed in the box of the Electoral Vote Log equal to the money spent in $10,000 increments. If the money spent is between $110,000 and $200,000 use a "+10" marker, if between $210,000 and $300,000 use a "+20" marker, and so on. A player may increase pre-existing Groundwork or place additional Groundwork elsewhere — by not participating in a subsequent Primary. However, a player may lay Groundwork in only one Primary per turn. A player laying Groundwork cannot campaign in any state of the Primary currently being resolved, but cards placed on his section by other players shall be counted when tallying the results.
(Icons: a "+10" marker box and a bell-shaped box, shown beside the Groundwork text.)
The player who currently has the most Groundwork in a Primary places one of his "Favorite" markers on the Electoral Vote Log in that Primary area until it is resolved or his Groundwork total is surpassed. Likewise, the player with the second-most Groundwork in a Primary should mark his status on the Electoral Vote Log with one of his "Runner-Up" markers. Ties (for most Groundwork and Runner-Up status) are resolved in favor of the player with the most Electoral Votes just prior to the Primary being resolved. If still tied, resolve in favor of the Dealer or the involved player closest to the Dealer in clockwise direction. Players with no Groundwork in a Primary cannot be considered the Favorite or Runner-Up regardless of their electoral lead.
(Icons: a "Favorite" arrow box and a "Runner-Up" heart box.)
A Primary in which one or more players have laid Groundwork is resolved differently. Prior to any cards being played in that Primary, the Favorite may randomly draw one card from the hand of each opponent (except the Runner-Up) and add it to his own. The Favorite must play (or discard) a number of cards at least equal to the number he has drawn from his opponents during that Primary. The Favorite may not lay Groundwork elsewhere during that Primary. A player cannot lay Groundwork in the Convention or Undecided Box.
After all extra cards have been drawn from opponents by the Favorite in a Primary, all Groundwork markers in that Primary are removed.
Electoral Vote Log status example (the printed grid; columns 1 to 10 under "STATUS", with "270 Needed For Majority" at the right):
| Total Votes | States | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | CA. 54 | [+10 marker and Favorite box] | 2 | [Favorite arrow] | 4 | [Runner-Up heart] | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 48 | NJ. 15, NY. 33 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
In the example above, Rep. Bench has played $110,000 in Groundwork in California and is currently the favorite there. Senator Heart has played $50,000 in Groundwork there and is currently the Runner-Up. General Hammer has played $30,000 in Groundwork in the state with no official benefits at the moment.
Bandwagon Effect
(Marker graphic: "Bandwagon 1, Draw 6th Card.")
The player who has taken the most votes in the last Primary draws an extra card and takes the Bandwagon marker. If two players tie for the most Electoral Votes won in the last Primary, they each draw an extra card, but neither takes possession of the Bandwagon marker. A player already in possession of the Bandwagon marker who takes the most votes in the next Primary may draw two extra cards. If no Electoral Votes are awarded during the preceding Primary due to a Deadlock or negative totals, the Bandwagon effect is not awarded and the Bandwagon marker is returned to the Undecided Box until the resolution of the next Primary.
A player with more than five cards in his hand who chooses not to participate in a Primary nor lay Groundwork, may continue to hold his increased hand.
The Bandwagon effect also applies to the winner of the last Primary before the Convention. However, after drawing any extra cards to which he is entitled, he must surrender the Bandwagon marker to the player with the most votes at the start of the Convention who may then also draw another card. The Bandwagon effect then applies normally to the winner of each round of the Convention.
NOTE: Bandwagon bonuses are cumulative. If a player had a double Bandwagon prior to the Convention and also had the most votes at the start of the Convention, he would be entitled to three extra cards.
Convention Rules
If there is a tie for the lowest number of votes during the Convention, the tied players campaign against each other as if it were a one-state Primary. During this tie-breaker round, nobody wins votes; this round just determines which player is eliminated. The winner may refill his hand, but may not draw any bonus cards for Bandwagon effect. If this (or any Convention election) fails to produce a winner after additional votes have exhausted all the cards players want to play, all affected players redraw a new five-card hand to continue the campaign.
Super Tuesday Option
(Card graphic: "ZERO 0" card, reading "This is not a MONEY card. Two ZERO cards can activate Super Tuesday.")
The Dealer's selection of the next Primary site can be cancelled by any player who discards two Zero cards and proclaims "Super Tuesday". After drawing two new cards from the Draw pile to replace his discarded Zero cards, the discarding player may then select any two Primaries (up to six states) with a common border to be resolved in the upcoming turn. All players (starting with the Dealer and proceeding clockwise) draw three extra cards before the combined Primary is resolved. The Dealer then selects which of the two Primaries is to be resolved first and resolves it normally. The second Primary is then also resolved with the Dealer again campaigning last, but without any players refilling hands between the two Primaries. The Bandwagon marker is awarded to the player gaining the most votes in the combined Primary. Any Groundwork totals in the two Primaries are totalled to determine the overall Favorite and Runner-Up status for the combined Primary. Super Tuesday can reoccur as long as there are two primaries remaining unresolved with common borders. Alaska and Hawaii have no common borders. Following the resolution of Super Tuesday, the deal again passes to the next player in clockwise order. The Dealer whose choice of Primaries was cancelled by Super Tuesday does not retain the deal.
Incumbent Option
If playing two successive games, allow the winner of the first game to hold a six-card hand prior to the addition of any bonus cards due to his inherent advantage as the incumbent. The challenge lies in the other players joining ranks to prevent him from repeating as a two-term president.
Prolonged Convention Option
Instead of resolving all states in the Undecided Box as a single Primary, the Dealer has the option of naming which states therein (all, some, or one) will be resolved. Regardless of the number of states selected, they will be resolved collectively as a one-state Primary. Any left unresolved are subject to similar selection choices by the next Dealer. Only after all states have been resolved is the player with the least Electoral Votes eliminated and his votes made the subject of the next round of campaigning.
Designer's Notes
The presidential primaries are a strictly American invention, which did not enter the political scene until the early 20th century. Prior to that, party leaders from each state chose their candidates and delegates to the convention in the proverbial "smoke-filled room". As a way of returning government to the people and giving more people a chance to participate, party reformers initiated the primary as a way of choosing delegates to the national party conventions.
With the primary concept quickly gathering steam, 1916 saw 26 states holding some sort of primary. However, this wave of enthusiasm for primaries quickly waned, and the number of states holding primaries dropped to a low of 14 in 1936. It wasn't until the '70's that the number of primaries began to grow dramatically, climaxing in 1988 with 40 state primaries.
Although the increase in primaries helped bring about a grass-roots participation, problems also arose. For one thing, holding primaries all over the country added extra cost and wear and tear on the campaigners. To cut down both the cost and physical strain on the candidates, the Democrats in 1976 initiated the first two regional primaries (Super Tuesday), whereby adjoining states held their primaries on the same day.
Another problem surfaced when party leaders realized they were losing control of the situation since the primaries often strengthened candidates who were unpopular with the political bosses. One solution was to abandon the primary, in which the voters directly elect convention delegates, and go back to the caucus, where party leaders had more say as to the selection of the delegates. Another was to retain the primary but add "super delegates," uncommitted delegates reserved for party leaders. In 1984, the Democrats inaugurated this idea by reserving about 14% of the convention delegate total for "super delegates".
As primaries increased, so did attempts at reform. One of the notable changes by the Democrats was the switch in most states from the unit rule (winner-take-all) to either proportional representation, where the delegates were divided among the candidates according to their vote totals, or a winner bonus plan (winner-take-more), that would award the winner in each district one extra delegate. They also awarded bonus votes as a reward to states for faithfully backing the party ticket and winning the state in the previous election. In spite of these bonus plans, it still remained the general policy of both Republicans and Democrats to distribute delegate votes based closely on the state's Electoral College strength.
CANDIDATE is a game based on the presidential primary system but differs in two major ways. It uses all 50 states in the primary elections whereas no party has ever had more than 37 state primaries. However, even more importantly, it uses the more stable Electoral College votes instead of actual primary voting schemes which change from year to year and between different parties. In spite of these variations, however, CANDIDATE still captures the spirit of the colorful and uniquely American system of primaries and conventions while allowing the excitement to build to the climax that ends the game in a final stroke at the convention.