Chapter 13: ELECTIONS

Transcription

1 Chapter 13: ELECTIONS

2 Chapter 13: ELECTIONS ROOTS OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS: 13.1 Trace the Roots of American Elections, and Distinguish Among Four Different Types of Elections.

3 (Act 1:26) And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

4 Elections: o Elections are responsible for most political changes in the United States. o Regular free elections guarantee mass political action o Enable citizens to influence the actions of their government.

5 Purposes of Election: o Popular elections gives government the best way to achieve legitimacy. o Elections confirm the very concept of popular sovereignty. o The idea that legitimate political power is derived from the consent of the governed. o This serve as the bedrock for democratic governance.

6 Purposes of Election: o At fixed intervals, the electorate citizens eligible to vote is called on to judge those in power. o Most major office holders in the U.S. win reelection. o Some office holders inevitably lose power. o All candidates are accountable to the voters.

7 Purposes of Election: o Elections also are the primary means to fill public offices. o Organize and staff the government. o Candidates advocate certain politics. o Elections, also provide a choice of direction on a wide range of issues. o From abortion to civil rights to national defense to the environment.

8 Purposes of Election: o Either way, the winner will claim a mandate. o (Literally, a command) from the people to carry out a party platform or policy agenda.

9 Types of Election: o The United States is unrivaled in the number of elections it holds. o Under the Constitution, the states hold much of the administrative power over these elections. o Even when national office holders are being elected. o States have great latitude to set the date and type of elections. o Determine the eligibility requirements for candidates and voters. o Tabulate results.

10 Two Stages Of the Electoral Process: o Primary elections o General elections. o In most jurisdictions, candidates for state and national office must cooperate in both of these races.

11 Types of Election: o Some states, but not the national government. o Use the electoral process to make public policy and remove office holders. o Initiative o Referendum o Recall

12 PRIMARY ELECTIONS: o Voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent the party in the general elections. o Primary elections come in number of different forms. o Depending on who is allowed to participate.

13 PRIMARY ELECTIONS: o Closed primaries allow only a party s registered voters to cast a ballot. o In open primaries, independents and sometimes members of the other party are allowed to participate. o Closed primaries are considered healthier for the party system. o Closed Primaries prevent members of one party from influencing the primaries of the opposition party.

14 PRIMARY ELECTIONS: o Studies of open primaries reveal crossover voting in primary of a party which the voter is not affiliated is frequent. o Research suggests that crossover voters are usually individual decisions.

15 PRIMARY ELECTIONS: o In the initial primary, if none of the candidates secure a majority of votes (10 States) o There is a runoff primary. o A contest between the two candidates with the greatest number of votes.

16 PRIMARY ELECTIONS: o Louisiana has a novel twist in the primary system. o There all candidates for office appear on the ballot on the day of the national general election. o If one candidate receives over 50 percent of the vote. o The candidate wins and no further action is necessary. o If no candidate wins a majority of the vote. o The top two candidates even if they belong to the same party face each other in a runoff election.

17 General elections: o Once the parties have selected their candidates for various offices. o Each state holds it general elections. o In the general election, voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices. o These elections are held at many levels. o Including municipal, county, state and national.

18 General elections: o Primaries are contests between the candidates within each party. o General elections are contests between the candidates of opposing parties.

19 General elections: o Initiative and Referendum. o These are collectively known as ballot measures. o Both allow voters to enact public policy. o They are used by some state and local governments. o But not the national government.

20 Initiative: o Is a process that allows citizens to propose legislation. o Or state constitutional amendments by submitting them to the electorate for popular vote. o Provided the initiative supporters receive a certain number of signatures. o On petitions supporting the placement of the proposal on the ballot. o The initiative process is issued in twentyfour states and the District of Columbia.

21 Referendum: o Is an election whereby the state legislature submits proposed legislation or state constitutional amendments to the voters for approval. o Legislators often use referenda when they want to spend large sums of money or address policy areas. o For which they do not want to be held accountable in the next election cycle.

22 General elections: o Ballot measures have been subject to heated debate in the past decades. o Some critics think that ballot measures are too influenced by interest groups. o Instead of the original intent of giving critics more control over policy making.

23 General elections: o Critics also question the ability of voters to deal with the numerous complex issues that appear on a ballot. o The wording of a ballot measure can have enormous impact on the outcome.

24 General elections: o A yes vote will bring about a policy change. o In other cases, a no vote will cause a change. o Moreover, ballot initiatives are not subject to the same campaign contribution limits. o That limit donations in candidate campaigns.

25 Ballot Measures: o A single wealthy individual can bankroll a ballot measure. o Influence public policy not available to the individual through the normal policy process. o Supporters of ballot measures argue that critics have overstated their case. o That the process was historically been used to champion popular issues. o That were resisted at the state level by entrenched political interests.

26 Initiatives: o Have been instrumental in popular progressive causes. o Such as child labor laws, environmental laws, suffrage for women, campaign finance reform. o The process has also been used to pass popular conservative proposals. o Such as tax relief and banning gay marriage.

27 Recall: o Elections or de-elections allow voters to remove an incumbent from office. o Prior to the next schedule election. o Recall elections are rare. o Sometimes thwarted by an official resignation or impeachment prior to the vote. o The most recent was in 2003 when Governor Grey Davis was replaced with Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.

28 Chapter 13: ELECTIONS ROOTS OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS: Presidential Elections 13.2 outline the electoral procedures for Presidential and General Elections.

29 Introduction: o Presidential elections encompasses voters in a series of state contests. o That run through the spring of the election year. o To select delegates who will attend each party s national convention. o Following the national convention each party, held in mid-and late summer. o There is a final set of fifty separate state elections all held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. o To select the president.

30 Introduction: o This lengthy process exhausts candidates and voters alike. o But it allows diversity of the United States to be displayed.

31 Primaries and Caucuses: o The state party organization uses several types of methods to elect national convention delegates. o Ultimately select the candidates who will run against each other in the general election.

32 Winner-take-all-primary: o Under this system, the candidate who wins the most votes in a state secures all that state s delegates. o While Democrats no longer permit its use. o Because its less representatives than a proportional system; o Republicans generally prefer this process. o It enables a candidate to amass a majority of delegates quickly. o Shortens the divisive primary season.

33 Proportional Representation Primary: o Candidates who secures a threshold percentage of voters are awarded delegates. o In proportion of the number of popular votes won. o Democrats now strongly favor this system. o Use it in many state primaries. o Where they award delegates to anyone who wins more than 15 percent in any congressional district.

34 Proportional Representation Primary: o Proportional representation is probably the fairest way of allocating delegates to candidates, o Its downfall is that it renders the majorities of delegates more difficult to accumulate. o Thus can lengthen the presidential nomination contest.

35 Caucus: o The oldest, most party-oriented method of choosing delegates to the national conventions. o Traditionally, the caucus was a closed meeting of party activists in each state. o Who selected the party s choice for presidential candidate. o Today caucuses are more open and attract a wide range of the party s membership.

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37 Selecting A System: o The mix of preconvention contests has changed over the years o The primary trend being the shift from caucuses to primary elections. o 17 States held primaries (1968) 40 States (2008. o The vast majority of delegates to each party s national convention has been selected through the primary system.

38 Selecting A System: o Many people support the increase in the number of primaries. o Because they believe they are more democratic than caucuses. o Primaries are accessible not only to party activists. o But also to most of those registered to vote.

39 Selecting A System: o Advocates argue that presidential primaries are the best method to nominate presidential candidates. o Both primaries and caucuses attract the most ideologically extreme voters in each party; o Primaries nominate more moderate and appealing candidates. o Those that primary voters believe can win in the general election.

40 Selecting A System: o Primaries are also more similar to the general election and this constitute a rigorous test for the candidates. o A chance to display under pressure some of the skills needed to be a successful president.

41 Front-Loading: o The role of primaries and caucuses in the presidential election has been altered by front-loading. o The tendency of states to choose an early date on the nomination calendar. o Seventy percent of all the delegates to both party conventions are now chosen before the end of February.

42 Front-Loading: o Effects on the nomination process that is of importance include: o Front loading schedule generally benefits the front-runner. o Since opponents have little time to turn the contest around once they fall behind.

43 Front-Loading: o Front-loading gives an advantage to the candidate who wins the invisible party. o That is the one who can raise the bulk of the money before the nomination season begins. o Once primaries and caucuses begin, o There is less opportunity to raise money to finance campaign efforts simultaneously in many states.

44 Front-Loading: o However Online internet donations emerged to soften the advantage. o As candidates can raise money overnight.

45 Electing a President: The Electoral College: o The object of the presidential election is to win the majority of the Electoral College. o The uniquely American institution consists of representatives of each state. o Who cast the final ballots that actually elect a president.

46 Electing a President: The Electoral College: o The total number of electors, the members of the electoral college for each state. o Is equivalent to the number of senators and representatives that state has in the U.S. Congress. o The District of Columbia is accorded three electoral votes making 538. o The number needed to win the presidency is 270.

47 The Electoral College: Reapportionment o Representation in the House of Representatives and the Electoral College is altered every ten years. o To reflect the population shifts. o Reapportionment is simply the reallocation of the number of seats in the House of Representatives. o That take place after each decennial census.

48 HISTORICAL CHALLENGES: o The Electoral College was the result of a compromise between those Framers who argued for selection of the president by congress. o And those who favored selection by direct popular election.

49 THREE ESSENTIALS FOR FRAMERS INTENT: o Work without political parties. o Cover both the nominating and electing phases of presidential selection. o Produce a nonpartisan president.

50 HISTORICAL CHALLENGES: o Most challenges faced by the Electoral Colleges are the result of changes in the practice of elections that occurred over time. o The Framers expected partisanship to have little influence. o The Electoral College originally was designed to elect the president and vice president from the same pool of candidates; o The one who received the most votes would become president. o The runner-up would be vice president.

51 HISTORICAL CHALLENGES: o To accommodate this system each elector was given two votes. o Following the development of the first party system. o The republic s fourth presidential election soon revealed a flaw in this plan.

52 HISTORICAL CHALLENGES: o In 1800, Thomas Jefferson and Arron Burr were respectively the president and vice president candidates advanced by the Democratic Republican party. o Whose supporters controlled the majority of the electoral college. o There was no way under the Constitution for electors to vote separately for President and VP.

53 HISTORICAL CHALLENGES: o Jefferson and Burr tied and the election went to the House of Representatives. o After convincing that the original intent was Jefferson to be president and Burr VP. o Jefferson became president.

54 Twelfth Amendment: o Ratified in 1804 was the Constitutional foundation for presidential elections. o Was an attempt to remedy the confusion between the election of vice presidents and presidents that beset the election of o The amendment provided for separate selections for each office.

55 Twelfth Amendment: o In the event of a tie or when no candidate received a majority of the total number of electors. o The election still went to the House of Representatives. o Now, however each state delegation would have one vote to cast for one of three candidates. o Who have received the greatest number of electoral votes.

56 HISTORICAL CHALLENGES: Further Problems o In 1824 neither John Quincy Adams nor Andrew Jackson secured a majority of electoral votes. o It went to the House of Representatives where John Quincy Adams won although Andrew Jackson won the popular vote. o The 2000 presidential election and its aftermath after the Supreme Court stopped a recount of votes cast in Florida. o Led to Bush defeating Gore by 4 electoral votes led to proposals for reform.

57 TWO PROPOSALS: o First, some observers suggested using the national popular vote to choose the president. o While this is the most democratic reform. o It is by far the least likely to be enacted given that the U.S. Constitution would have to be amended to abolish the electoral-college.

58 Should the Electoral College Be Reformed: o The Senate would most likely deny it. o Because small states cling to equal representation regardless of population. o That the electoral college promotes.

59 Should the Electoral College Be Reformed: o Another proposed reform is known as the Congressional district plan. o This plan would retain the Electoral College but give each candidate one electoral vote for each congressional district that he or she wins. o In a state and the winner of the overall popular vote in each state would receive two bonus votes (one for each senator) for that state.

60 Should the Electoral College Be Reformed: o One advantage of this plan is that it can be adopted without Constitutional amendment. o Any state that wants to split its electoral college votes need only pass a law to this effect.

61 Should the Electoral College Be Reformed: o It may promote more diffuse political campaigns instead of campaigning only in states that are in play in the Electoral College. o Candidates might also have to campaign in competitive districts in otherwise safe states.

62 Should the Electoral College Be Reformed: o But Congressional district plan also has some unintended consequences. o First the winner of the popular vote might still lose the presidency under this plan. o Second, this reform would further politicize the congressional redistricting process. o If electoral votes at stake, parties would seek to maximize the number of safe electoral districts for their presidential nominee. o While minimizing the number of competitive districts.

63 Should the Electoral College Be Reformed: o Finally, although candidates would not ignore entire states. o They would quickly learn to focus their campaign on competitive districts while ignoring secure districts. o Eliminating some of the democratizing effect of such change.

64 Chapter 13: ELECTIONS Congressional Elections: 13.3 Compare and contrast congressional and presidential elections and explain the incumbency advantage.

65 (Rom 12:8) Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

66 Purposes of Election: o Compared with presidential elections. o Congressional elections receive scant national attention. o Unlike major party presidential contenders. o Most candidates for Congress labor in relative obscurity.

67 The Incumbency Advantage: o The current system enhances the advantages of incumbency. o Or already holding an office. o Those people in office tend to remain in office. o In 2010, 90 percent of incumbents were reelected.

68 Staff Support: o Members of the House of Representatives are permitted to hire 18 permanent and 4 nonpermanent aides. o To work in their Washington and district offices. o Senators typically enjoy far larger staffs. o With the actual size determined by the number of people in the state they represent.

69 Staff Support: o Both House and Senate members also enjoy the additional benefits. o Such as unpaid interns who assist in office duties. o Many of the activities of staff members directly or indirectly promote the legislator through constituency services. o The wide array of assistance by a number of Congressmen to voters in need.

70 Visibility: o Most incumbents are highly visible in their districts. o They have easy access to local media and are visible in local public events. o Convenient schedules and generous travel allowances increase the local availability of incumbents.

71 The Scare off effect: o Incumbents have the ability of the office holder. o To fend off challenges from strong opposition candidates. o Scare off quality challengers.

72 The Scare off effect: Institutional Advantages of Office: o Such as high name recognition. o Large war chests. o Free constituent mailings. o Staff attached to legislative offices. o Overall experience in running a successful campaign.

73 The Scare off effect: o Potential strong challengers facing this initial uphill challenge. o Will often wait until the incumbent retires rather than challenge him or her.

74 Why Incumbents Lose: Four Major Reasons: o Redistricting: At least every ten years, state legislators redraw congressional district lines. o To reflect population shifts, both in the state and in the nation at large.

75 Why Incumbents Lose: Redistricting o This very political process may be used to secure incumbency advantage by retreating safe seats. o For members of the majority party in the state legislature. o But it can also be used to punish incumbents in the out-of-power party. o Some incumbents can be put in the same districts as other incumbents. o Or other representatives base on political support can be weakened by adding territory favorable to the opposition party.

76 Why Incumbents Lose: Scandals: o Scandals in many varieties in this age of investigative journalism. o The old standby of financial impropriety. o Other forms of career-ending incidents such as sexual improprieties. o Incumbents implicated in scandals typically do not lose reelections. o Because they simply chose to retire rather than face defeat.

77 Why Incumbents Lose: Presidential Coattails o Result of presidential coattails. o Successful presidential candidates usually carry into office congressional candidates of the same party in the year of their election.

78 Why Incumbents Lose: Presidential Coattails o The strength of the coattail effect has however declined in modern times. o As party identification has weakened. o The powers and perks of incumbency have grown.

79 Why Incumbents Lose: Midterm Elections: o Elections in the middle of the presidential terms called midterm elections. o Present a threat to incumbents of the president s party. o Just as the presidential party usually gains seats in presidential election years. o It usually loses seats in off years.

80 Why Incumbents Lose: Midterm Elections: o The problems and tribulations of governing normally cost a president some popularity. o Alienate key groups. o Cause the public to want to send the president a message of one sort or another. o An economic downturn or presidential scandal can underscore and expand this circumstance.

81 Why Incumbents Lose: Midterm Elections: o Senate elections are less inclined to follow these off-year patterns that are House Elections. o The idiosyncratic nature of Senate contests is due to their intermittent scheduling. o (Only one-third of the seats come up for election every two years) o The existence of well-funded, well-known candidates. o Who can sometimes swim against whatever political tide is rising.

82 Chapter 13: POLITICAL PARTIES Patterns in Vote Choice 13.4 Identify seven factors that influence voter choice.

83 Joh_18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

84 Introduction: o Citizens who turn out to the polls. o Decide the outcomes of American elections. o The acts of voting is the most common form of conventional political participation. o Or activism that attempts to influence the political process. o Through commonly accepted forms of persuasions.

85 Conventional Political Participation: o Writing letters. o Making campaign contributions.

86 Unconventional Political Participation: o Activism that attempts to influence the political process through unusual or extreme measures. o Protests o Boycotts o Picketing.

87 Factors that Influence Citizens To Support Candidate: o Party affiliation and ideology are at the forefront of these predictors. o Income and education. o Race and ethnicity. o Gender o Religion o Political issues.

88 Party Identification: o The most powerful predictor of voter choice. o Self described Democrats tend to vote for Democratic candidates. o Self-described republicans tend to vote for Republican candidates. o This trend is particularly obvious in lessvisible elections. o Where voters may not know anything about the candidates. o And need a cue to help them cast their ballot.

89 Ticket-Splitting: o In recent years observers have noted higher levels of ticket-splitting. o Voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election. o Scholars have posted several potential explanation for ticket splitting.

90 Ticket-Splitting: o Engage in ticket-splitting because they trust neither party to govern. o Under this interpretation, ticketsplitters are aware of the differences between the two parties. o Split their tickets to augment the checks and balances already present in the U.S. Constitution.

91 Ticket Splitting: o Alternatively voters split their tickets possibly because partisanship has become less relevant as a voting cue. o The growth of issue and candidate centered politics. o Has made party less important as a voting cue.

92 Ideology: o Represents one of the most significant divisions in contemporary American politics. o Liberals generally speaking, favor government involvement. o In social programs. o Are committed to the ideals of tolerance and social justice.

93 Ideology: o Conservatives are dedicated to the ideals of individualism and market-based competition. o Tend to view government as a necessary evil. o Rather than an agent of social improvement.

94 Ideology: o Moderates lie somewhere between liberals and conservatives. o On the ideological spectrum they favor conservative positions on some issues. o liberal positions on others. o Ideology is very closely related to voter choice. o Liberals tend to vote for Democrats. o Conservatives tend to vote for Republicans.

95 Income and Education: o Income has been a remarkable stable correlative of vote choice. o The poor vote more Democratic. o The well-to-do heavily Republican. o More educated people tend to make more money. o The most educated and the least educated citizens tend to vote Democratic. o Those in the middle, for example, with a bachelor s degree tend to vote Republican.

96 Race and Ethnicity: o Racial and Ethnic groups tend to vote in distinct patterns. o Whites tend to vote Republican. o African American votes remain overwhelmingly Democratic.

97 Race and Ethnicity: o Hispanics also tend to identify and vote for Democrats. o Although not as monolithically as do African Americans. o Asian and Pacific Island Americans are more variable in their voting than Hispanic or African American communities. o Chinese Americans tend to vote Democratic. o Vietnamese Americans with strong anticommunist leanings tend to support Republicans.

98 Gender: o Since 1980, the gender gap, the difference between the voting choices of men and women, has become a staple of American politics. o In general, women are more likely to support Democratic candidates. o Men are more likely to support Republicans.

99 Gender: o The size of the gender gap varies considerably from election to election. o Though normally the gender gap is between 5 and 7 percentage points.

100 Religion: o Religious groups also have tended to vote in distinct patterns. o Some traditional differences have declined considerably in recent years. o The most cohesive of religious groups has been Jewish voters. o A majority who vote for every Democratic presidential candidates since the New Deal Realignment.

101 Religion: o Protestants are increasingly Republican in their vote choice. o This increase in support owes largely to the rise of social conservatives. o As well as Republican emphasis on personal responsibility.

102 Religion: o Catholic voters are much more divided group. o Historically, Catholic voters tended to identify with the Democratic party. o Its support of social justice issues and anti-poverty programs. o But since the abortion issue, Catholic voters have supported Republican candidates in large numbers.

103 Issues: o One of the most important driving forces is the state of the economy. o Voters tend to reward the party in government, usually the president s party. o During good economic times. o Punish the party in government during periods of economic downturns.

104 Issues: o When this occurs, the electorate is exercising retrospective judgment. o That is voters are rendering judgment on the party in power based on past performance on particular issues. o In this case, the economy. o At other times, voters might use prospective judgment. o They vote based on what a candidate pledges to do about an issue if elected.

105 Issues: o Other citizens cast ballots for more forward-looking prospective reasons. o Among citizens who were very concerned about rising health care costs. o A policy area Obama vowed to reform. o This led to 66 percent ballots for Democratic candidate.

106 Chapter 13: POLITICAL PARTIES Voter Turnout 13.5:Identify six factors that affect voter turnout.

107 Turnout: o Is the proportion of voting age public that casts a ballot. o In general, all citizens who are age eighteen or older are eligible to vote. o States add a number of different regulations to limit the pool of eligible voters. o Such as restricting felons participating. o Requiring voter identification.

108 Factors that Influence Voter turnout: o income and education o Race and ethnicity o Gender o Age o Civic engagement o Interest in politics.

109 Income and Education: o Considerably higher percentage of citizens of annual income of $65,000 vote. o Than do citizens with incomes under $35,000. o Wealthy citizens are more likely than poor ones to think that the system works for them. o Their votes make a difference.

110 Income and Education: o People with higher incomes are more likely to recognize their direct financial stake in the decision of the government. o Thus spurring them into action.

111 Income and Education: o Lower-income citizens often feel alienated from politics. o Possibly believing that conditions will remain the same no matter who holds office.

112 Income and Education: o As with vote choice, income and education are highly correlated. o A higher income is often the result of greater educational attainment.

113 Income and Education: o With all other things being equal, college educates are much more likely to vote. o Than those with less education. o People with advanced degrees are most likely to vote. o People with more education tend to learn more about politics. o Are less hindered by resignation requirements. o Are more self-confident about their ability to affect public life.

114 Race and Ethnicity: o Despite substantial gains in voting rates among minority groups, especially African Americans. o Race, remains an important factor in voter participation. o Whites traditionally vote more regularly than minority groups. o But African Americans who are wealthier and more highly educated are more likely to vote. o Than whites of similar background.

115 Voting Rights Act of 1965: o The Deep South historically had severe restrictions upon minorities in their right to vote. o The Voting Rights Act of 1965 have helped change this situation. o By targeting states that once used literacy or morality tests or poll taxes to exclude minorities from the polls.

116 Voting Rights Act of 1965: o The act bans any voting device or procedure that interferes with a minority citizen s right to vote. o It requires approval for any changes in voting qualifications or procedures. o In certain areas where minority registration is not in proportion to the racial composition of the district.

117 Voting Rights Act (1965) o It authorizes the federal government to monitor all elections in areas where discrimination was found to be practiced. o Or where less than 50 percent of the voting-age public was registered to vote in the 1964 election. o As a result, voting turnout increased for African Americans.

118 Race and Ethnicity: o Hispanics emerged to have potential to have powerful political power. o Their votes are coveted by politicians in both parties. o However the voter turnout is only 7.4 percent of those who turned out to vote in 2008.

119 Other Factors: Gender o Gender: 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. o Today, they have become the majority of the American electorate that votes.

120 Other Factors: Age: o A strong correlation exists between age and voter turnout. o The Twenty-sixth amendment to the Constitution ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to eighteen.

121 Age: o A much higher percentage of citizens age thirty and older vote. o Than do citizens younger than thirty vote. o One reason for the lack of young voters is because they are more mobile and yet to put down roots in a community.

122 Civic Engagement: o Individuals who are members of civic organizations, trade and professional organizations and labor unions are more likely to vote and participate in politics. o Than those who are not members of these or similar types of groups.

123 Civic Engagement: o People who more frequently attend church or other religious services, moreover also are more likely to vote. o Than people who rarely attend or do not belong to religious institutions. o Many of these organizations emphasize community involvement.

124 Interest In Politics: o People who are highly interested in politics constitute only a small minority of the U.S. population. o The most politically active Americans, party and issue-group activists make less than 5 percent of the population. o Although these percentages appear low. o They translate into millions of Americans who are reliable voters. o And also contribute more than just votes to the system.

125 Chapter 13: POLITICAL PARTIES TOWARD REFORM: Problems with Voter Turnout Explain why voter turnout is low and evaluate methods for improving voter turnout.

126 Interest In Politics: o Inspiring citizens to turn out to vote is particularly important in the United States. o Because of the winner-take-all electoral system. o Why Don t Americans Turn Out?

127 Other Commitments: o Census reports show that nonvoters reported that they did not vote because they were too busy. o Or had conflicting work or school schedules. o Some reported that they were ill, disabled, or had a family emergency.

128 Other Commitments: o These reasons account for a large portion of the people surveyed. o Also reflect the respondents desire not to seem uneducated about the candidates and issues. o Or apathetic about the political process.

129 Difficulty of Registration: o Relative low percentage of the adult population is registered to vote. o This is a major reason for a lack of participation in the U.S. o Requiring citizens to take the initiative to register to vote is an American invention.

130 Difficulty of Registration: o Nearly every other democratic country places the burden of registration on the government rather than on the individual. o The cost in terms of time and effort of registering to vote is higher in the United States. o Than it is in other industrialized democracies.

131 National Voter Registration Act of 1993 o Commonly known as the Motor Voter Act. o Was a significant national attempt to ease the bureaucratic hurdles and requires states to provide the opportunity to register. o Through driver s license agencies, public assistance agencies, and the mail.

132 Difficulty of Absentee Voting: o Stringent absentee ballot laws are another factor affecting voter turnout in the U.S. o Many states, for instance, require citizens to apply in person for absentee ballots. o A burdensome requirement given that a person s inability to be present in his or her home state. o Is often the reason for absentee balloting in the first place.

133 Number of Elections: o Sheer number and frequency of elections is another explanation for low turnout o American federalism with its separate elections. o At the local, state, and national levels, and its use of primary elections for the selection of candidates. o This contributes to the number of elections in which Americans are called on to participate.

134 Voters Attitudes: o Voter attitudes also affect the low rates of voter turnout observed in the United States. o Some voters are alienated and others are just plain apathetic. o Possibly because of a lack of pressing issues in a particular year. o Satisfaction with the status quo, or uncompetitive elections. o Many citizens may be turned off by the quality of the campaigns on petty issues.

135 Weakened Influence of Political Parties: o Parties are not as effective because candidate and issue centered campaigns. o And growth of expansive party bureaucracies. o Have resulted in somewhat more distant parties, o With which fewer people identity very strongly.

136 Ways to Improve Voter Turnout: Make Election Day A Holiday: o Since elections traditionally are held on Tuesdays. o The busy workday is an obstacle for many world-be voters. o Some reformers, have therefore proposed that Election Day should be a national holiday.

137 Enable Early Voting: o In attempt to make voting more convenient for citizens who may have other commitments on Election Day. o Thirty-four states currently allow voters to engage in a practice known as early voting in some jurisdictions.

138 Enable Early Voting: o Critics of early voting charge that the method decrease the importance of the campaign. o They also fear that voters who cast early ballots may later come to regret their choices.

139 Permit Mail and Online Voting: o Reformers have also proposed several voting methods citizens could do from their homes. o For example, Oregon, Washington, and some California counties vote almost entirely by mail-in ballots. o This has been credited with increasing voter turn out rates in those states. o But in voting by mail, has its downsides because of voting security.

140 Permit Mail and Online Voting: o Internet voting may be a more instantaneous way to tally votes. o Some states have experimented with suing this method to cast ballots in primary elections. o But it has been slow to catch on because of security concerns. o And the lack of internet access for poorer voters.

141 Making Registration Easier: o Nine States permit Election Day Registration. o All U.S. Citizens could be registered automatically at the age of eighteen.

142 Modernize the Ballot: o Following the 2000 election, when the outcome of the presidential election in Florida and by extension the nation. o Hinged on hanging chads-punch card ballots that had not been fully separated. o Legislators and other observers called for reforms to modernize the ballot. o The federal government even enacted the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) to aid states in upgrading voting equipment.

143 Modernize the Ballot: o Reformers, hoped that these changes would make the process of voting easier. o More approachable, and more reliable. o States and localities have made significant changes in the types of ballots. o There are more electronic voting machines.

144 Strengthen Parties: o Reformers have long argued that strengthening the political parties would increase voter turnout. o Because parties have historically been most successful at mobilizing citizens to vote.

145 Strengthen Parties: o One way to strengthen parties is to allow parties to spend greater sums of money during the campaign process. o Such a reform, however raises ethical questions about the role and influence of money in politics.

146 Strengthen Parties: o Another potential change would to allow for multiparty system and facilitate greater party competition. o Ultimately, the solution may lie in encouraging the parties to enhance their get-out-the vote efforts.