Campaigns & Elections. US Government POS 2041

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Dwight Gilmore
5 years ago
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1 Campaigns & Elections US Government POS 2041

3 Votes for Women, inspired by Katja Von Garner. W7gA

4 For Discussion Do you think that democracy is endangered by the need to raise huge amounts of money to run for public office? Is the need for big money leading to less democracy- that is, government by special interests? Would you support public financing of presidential campaigns? Do you think it is ok for someone who has lots f money but no political experience to run for president? Candidates like to describe themselves as outsiders; how beneficial are nonprofessional politicians in Washington to our democracy?

5 What will we examine in this chapter? Place of elections in American political life How election campaigns are conducted in the US Factors which influence voters decisions Money & Elections

6 Summary Three types of elections in the US; Primary: Selection of each party s candidate for general election General Run off Involves people who are most interested in pol People with strong/extreme views

7 How candidates win may vary By winning a plurality of votes Majority of votes Proportional representation State legislatures draw electoral boundaries= electoral districts

8 Majority System: candidate must capture the majority (50+1)of all the votes cast in the election Plurality System: candidate need only capture the most vote cast. Eg. Candidate can win with 30% if no other candidate received more votes Proportional Representation: a multiplemember district system that permits each party to receive representation in proportion to % of votes cast

9 President indirectly elected Presidential elections are different from other American elections President is indirectly elected thru the electoral colleges

10 Campaigns are directed by the candidates & their advisors Secure endorsements Build a organization Secure funds Presidential candidates must campaign in a series of statewide primaries & caucuses that lead up to the national party conventions which formally choose the Democratic & Republican nominees

11 Other factors which influence election results include: Partisan loyalty Voter response to issues Candidates personalities & Qualifications

12 American elections; every 4 years on first Tuesday of Nov Congressional elections are held every 2 years They are referred to as mid-term elections when they don t coincide with the general elections States & local gov organize elections, administration, electoral district boundaries, candidate & voter qualifications

13 Types of elections Primary: selection of the party s candidate for the general elections Primary election winners face off each other in general elections Presidential primaries are indirect: they select state delegates to the nominations conventions at which the parties presidential candidates are chosen US is the only country where the nominations are removed from party officials

14 Closed vs Open Closed Primary Voters participate in the nominations of the candidates But only in the party in which they are enrolled certain time before the primary day Open Primary Voter can wait until the day of the primary to choose which party to enroll

15 Referendum & Recall Referendum (24 states) direct citizens vote. Referring a proposed or passed legislation to vote of the electorate for approval/rejection Recall Procedures for voters to remove state officials from office before term expires

16 Criteria for Winning: electoral systems include Majority system: Candidate must win the majority of votes cast. In US = is usually 50%+1 Plurality System: candidate receive the most vote, not necessarily the majority votes cast US legislative elections are based on the plurality system of vote- first past the post PR: European system with multiple-member district in which each party receives representation proportionate to percentage of total vote

17 Simple plurality, used in Canada, India, the United Kingdom, and some United States election -, first-past-the-post or winner-takes-all. This voting system grants the winner with the most votes Winner not required to gain an absolute majority of votes

18 Some states like Florida- winner take-all Others operate on a proportional (pr0 formula Eg. Republican leadership race 2012 Newt Gingrich won all of SC Mitt Romney won all of Florida Mass = assigns votes based on proportional basis

19 Electoral Districts Boundaries are redrawn every 10 years to reflect population changes in the country Gerrymandering tactics: redrawing electoral boundaries in favor of certain ethnic, racial or political party groups Controversial & often challenged in the courts

20 Ballot Split-ticket ballot Voter can cast ballot for candidates from different parties Straight- ticket ballot Voter can only vote for candidates from same party This is referred to as a Coattail effect

21 Electoral College Indirectly voting for President & VP by presidential electors from each state During the election voters elect the presidential electors, who after the election determine the winner There are 538 electoral votes Votes are formally announced by Congress

22 Election Campaigns Advisers: Creation of formal campaign organization Appoint campaign manager, media consultants, pollster, financial advisor, press person, volunteer director, etc. Polling Formulate strategies based on polling info of electorate: fears, hopes, etc. Primaries Candidates receive major parties nominations

23 Presidential Elections Policy followed for presidential nominations differ from other political offices Often incumbent presidents nominations are not contested Some states run primaries, while others hold caucuses Open/Closed Caucuses

24 The Convention: The step before the nomination is awarded The 2 major parties hold their conventions every 4 years 1830 party conventions allowed more participation in the nomination process Conventions no longer determine nominations

25 Convention Delegates: Who are they? What do they do? Strong political activists Vote at national conventions Democratic delegates reflect diverse population Republicans tend to be mainly white males Democratic party also has super delegates or elected party delegates with special voting privileges

26 General Election Campaign & High Tech Politics More reliance on air power Extensive use of polling & media broadcasts Use of extensive phone banks Direct mail Internet

27 How Voters Decide 3 factors which influence voter s decision i. Partisan Loyalty ii. Issues: economic, foreign policy, social, moral issues iii. Candidate s characteristics: personality & personal attributes Prospective voting= imagined future performance Retrospective voting = based on party s or candidate s past performance

28 2004 Elections GOP ran high on war against terrorism, economy discredited J. Kerry High turn out of religious conservative votes

30 Role of Money Elections are costly Modern elections are fueled by large amounts of money 2008 Presidential elections cost $2 billion In 2008 a congressional rep spends $2 million to win his seat A senator spends $4 million More recently those figures are exceeding $25 million per seat

31 Money & Politics Sources of campaign funds include: Candidates Individual Donors= max $2,300 Political Action Committee, established by corporations, labor unions, etc. Max donation of $ s, 501 (c) Independent committees, non profit org.without limit of how much they can spend or receive 527 s, 501 (c) cannot donate directly to candidates, & can advocate on their behalf, run ads, etc.

32 Independent funders not as by campaign regulations 501 c not required to disclose their funders or exactly how they spend their monies In 2010 Super PAC s created as a result of the Supreme Court s United Citizens ruling Super PAC s could raise unlimited funds for candidates as long as candidates are uninvolved

33 Public Funding/Financing Those with deep pockets influence the balance of powers & protect their interests Business groups, right to life & pro choice groups, labor groups, environmental groups These do not necessarily reflect the broad diversity of American society E.g. Who speaks for the poor & disadvantaged?

34 Public Financing has a checkered history First proposed in Congress introduced then suspended it 1976 fully introduced by Fed Electoral Comm.

35 Presidential candidates eligible to receive primary matching funds Candidate must establish eligibility by showing broad-based public support. Must raise in excess of $5,000 in each of at least 20 states (i.e., over $100,000). Donor s contribution up to $2,500 to a primary candidate, but only a maximum of $250 per individual applies toward the $5,000 threshold in each state.

36 Bradley effect People say one thing to a poll for eg., but when they enter the voting booth, they change their mind. Q. Why might people engage in this switch in this past election?

37 Key Terms Suffrage Grandfather clause- exempted those whose grandfathers were allowed to vote before 1867, excepting that no blacks were allowed to vote in the south before Grandfather clause invalidated 1915 Poll Tax invalidated in 1964 Voting Rights Act of 1965 made it illegal to interfere with anyone s rights to vote Gerrymandering drawing the lines in Congressional districts so as to give advantage to one racial group over another group

39 Key Terms Open Primaries- Some states allow voters to wait until the day of the primary to decide which party they will choose to enroll in to select candidates for the general election Closed Primaries- In other states only registered members of a political party may vote in a primary election to select party s candidates Caucus- meeting (often closed) of political or legislative groups to select candidates, plan strategies, or make decisions on legislative matters Super Tuesday- when many of the southern states simultaneously hold their primaries Hard & Soft money

Political Attitudes &Participation: Campaigns & Elections. State & Local Government POS 2112 Ch 5

Political Attitudes &Participation: Campaigns & Elections State & Local Government POS 2112 Ch 5 Votes for Women, inspired by Katja Von Garner. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvqnjwkw7ga We will examine: