The Administration of Elections Elections are primarily regulated by State law, but there are some overreaching federal regulations. Congress Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every evennumbered year for congressional elections presidential election being held the same day every fourth year. States registration requirements absentee voting early voting 2 3 Chapter 7, Section 2
Precincts and Polling Places Precincts A precinct is a voting district. Precincts are the smallest geographic units used to carry out elections. A precinct election board supervises the voting process in each precinct. Polling Places A polling place is where the voters who live in a precinct go to vote. It is located in or near each precinct. Polling places are supposed to be located conveniently for voters. 2 3 Chapter 7, Section 2
Office-Group and Party-Column Ballots 2 3 Chapter 7, Section 2
Bad Ballots 2 3
Bad Ballots 2 3
Voting Machines and Innovations Electronic vote counting has been in use since the 960s. Punch-card ballots are often used to cast votes. Vote-by-mail elections have come into use in recent years. Online voting is a trend that may be encountered in the near future. 2 3 Chapter 7, Section 2
Campaign Spending 2 3 Chapter 7, Section 3
Sources of Funding Private and Public Sources of Campaign Money Small contributors Wealthy supporters Candidates Nonparty groups such as PACs Temporary fund-raising organizations Government subsidies 2 3 Chapter 7, Section 3
Regulating Campaign Financing The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) of 97: public funding The FECA Amendments of 974 were passed in response to the Watergate scandal. (limited campaign spending, $ contributed by candidates, $ spent by outsiders must be < or = $000 w/o candidates approval) Buckley v. Valeo invalidated some of the measures in the FECA Amendments of 974. Most significantly, it also stipulated that several of the limits that the 974 amendments placed on spending only apply to candidates who accept campaign money from the government, not those who raise money independently. The FECA Amendments of 976 were passed in response to Buckley v. Valeo. Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA/McCain-Feingold) -soft money in campaign financing: -The proliferation of issue ads -campaign practices 2 3 Chapter 7, Section 3
Major Provisions of BCRA prohibition on soft money contributions to national political parties. Limitations on the use of soft money in races where federal candidates also appear on the ballot. A prohibition on Federal candidates and officeholders accepting or directing the spending of soft money. A prohibition on broadcast advertising by any union or incorporated entity when candidate s name and/or election mentioned within 60 days of an election 2 3
Major Provisions of BCRA Disclosure of sources of finance for "electioneering communications" in excess of $0,000 per year. Contribution limits raised and indexed for inflation: -individual contributions per candidate per election increased from $,000 to $2,000 ($2300 as of 2007) -Limit for individual contributions to National Party Committees increased from $20,000 to $25,000 per year ($28,500 as of 2007). -Limit for individual contributions to state and local party committees increased from $5,000 to $0,000 (not indexed for inflation). -Total contribution limit raised to $97,500 (as of 2007, $08,200) 2 3
The Federal Election Commission The Federal Election Commission (FEC) enforces: the timely disclosure of campaign finance information limits on campaign contributions limits on campaign expenditures provisions for public funding of presidential campaigns 2 3 Chapter 7, Section 3
Loopholes in the Law More loophole than law Lyndon Johnson Soft money money given to State and local party organizations for party-building activities that is filtered to presidential or congressional campaigns. $500 million was given to campaigns in this way in 2000. (Muted by BCRA) Independent campaign spending a person unrelated and unconnected to a candidate or party can spend as much money as they want to benefit or work against candidates. Issue ads take a stand on certain issues in order to criticize or support a certain candidate without actually mentioning that person s name. 2 3 Chapter 7, Section 3