chapter 12 the campaigns, elections, and voting pearson education, inc. © 2006 american government...

Chapter 12

The Campaigns, Elections, and Voting

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006

American Government2006 Edition(to accompany the Essentials Edition)

O’Connor and Sabato


Types of Elections Primary Elections:

Election in which voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election. Closed primary: a primary election in which only a

party’s registered voters are eligible to vote. Open primary: a primary in which party members,

independents, and sometimes members of the other party are allowed to vote.

Crossover voting: participation in the primary of a party with which the voter is not affiliated.

Raiding: An organized attempt by voters of one party to influence the primary results of the other party.


General Elections

General elections are those in which voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices.

In presidential elections voters look for: Leadership and character. Base their judgments on foreign policy and

defense issues that do not arise in state and local elections.


Initiative, Referendum, and Recall Initiative

An election that allows citizens to propose legislation and submit it to the state electorate for popular vote

24 states and D.C. use the initiative Referendum

An election whereby the state legislature submits proposed legislation to the state’s voters for approval

Recall Voters can remove an incumbent from office by

popular vote. Are very rare


Presidential Elections Primary elections or caucuses are

used to elect national convention delegates which choose the nominee. Winner-take-all primary Proportional representation primary Proportional representation with bonus

delegates primary; beauty contest with separate delegate selection; delegate selection with no beauty contest

Caucus


The Party Conventions Out-of-power party holds its convention

first, in late July, followed in mid-August by party holding the presidency.

Conventions were decision-making body in the 19th century.

Today the convention is fundamentally different. Nominations settled well in advance of the convention.


The Nomination Campaign: Selecting the Delegates Unit Rule

A traditional party practice under which the majority of a state delegation can fore the minority to vote for its candidate Abolished by the Democrats

New Democratic party rule decrees that state’s delegates be chosen in proportion to the voters cast in its primary or caucus. (30% of votes = 30% delegates from that state) – proportional allocation

Superdelegates Delegate slot to the Democratic Party’s national

convention that is reserved for an elected party official Some rules originating in Democratic Party have been

enacted as state laws thus applying them to the Republican Party as well.


The Nomination Campaign: Who are the Delegates?

Parties draw delegates from an elite group Higher income and educational levels

Differences between parties 40% Democratic delegates were minorities; 50%

women (1980 rule requires half state delegation be female)

Only 17% Republican delegates were minorities. Up from 9% in 2000.


The General Election Campaign

After the party’s nomination candidates see support of groups and voters

Money and endorsements The brief theme, “slogan”


The Personal Campaign

An effort to meet the public and convince them of their leadership qualities

Grueling schedule Symbolic


The Organizational Campaign

Behind-the-scenes business to fund and support candidate

Voter canvass Get out the vote Campaign manager Campaign consultants


The Media Campaign Communications director Press secretary Media consultants

Paid media Free media Positive ads/negative ads Contrast ads Spot ads Inoculation ads


The Electoral College Representatives of each state who

cast the final ballots that actually elect a president

Total number of electors for each state equal to the number of senators and representatives that a state has in the U.S. Congress

District of Columbia is given 3 electoral votes.


Figure 13.2

The States Drawn in Proportion to Their Electoral College Votes


The Electoral College Result of compromise

Selection by Congress versus direct popular election

Three essentials to understanding the design of the Electoral College: Constructed to work without political parties. Constructed to cover both the nominating and

electing phases of presidential selection. Constructed to produce a nonpartisan president.


The Electoral College in the 19th Century

12th Amendment (1804) Attempt to remedy the confusion between the

selection of vice presidents and presidents that emerged in the election 1800

Provided for separate elections for each office, with each elector having only one vote to cast for each

In event of a tie, the election still went to the House.

Top three candidates go to House. Each state House delegation casts one vote.


The Electoral College Today Apportionment matters. Representation of states in the

Electoral College is altered every ten years to reflect population shifts.

Recent apportionment has favored the Republicans.

With the exception of California, George W. Bush carried all of the states that gained seats in 2000.


The Electoral College: Three Major Reform Ideas

Abolition Congressional District Plan Keep the College, Abolish the Electors


Patterns of Presidential Elections Party Realignments

A shifting of party coalition groupings in the electorate that remains in place for several elections

Critical elections An election that signals a party realignment through

voter polarization Six party realignments in U.S. history; three

associated with tumultuous elections 1860 1890s 1928-1936

Secular Realignments The gradual rearrangement of party coalitions, based

more on demographic shifts than on shocks to the political system


Congressional Elections Very different from presidential elections

Lesser known candidates, more difficulty getting media attention

Incumbency Advantage When incumbents lose it is generally due to:

Redistricting Gerrymandering

Scandals Coattails


Midterm Congressional Elections

Election takes place in the middle of a presidential term President’s party usually loses seats in midterms Tendency for voters to punish the president’s

party more severely in the sixth year of an eight year presidency Retrospective voting Senate elections less inclined to the 6th year itch

2002 midterm elections were an exception Bush picked up seats in the House and Senate


Campaign Finance

Federal Campaign Act (FECA) Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of

2002 (BCRA) McConnell v. FEC - government’s

interest in preventing political party corruption overrides the free speech rights to which the parties would otherwise be entitled


Sources of Political Contributions 2004: $3.9 billion spent on

presidential and congressional elections

Individual contributions Max: $2,000 per election Limit: $45,750 to all candidates

combined in calendar year Strict disclosure laws ($10,000 to air

“electioneering communication”)


Political Action Committees (PAC)

Officially recognized fund-raising organizations allowed by law to participate in federal elections

2004: $266 million to Senate and House candidates

36% of campaign funds of House and 18% of Senate


Other sources of contributions

Political party Member-to-candidate Candidates’ personal funds Public funds Independent expenditures The Internet Soft Money and issue advocacy

advertisements


Voting Behavior Patterns in Voter Turnout

Turnout: the proportion of the voting-age public that votes 40% of the eligible adult population votes 25% are occasional voters

Voters tend to be more educated More voters have higher incomes Younger people vote less Whites vote more regularly than African Americans – related

to income and educational differences in the two groups Hispanics vote less than African Americans

Have potential to wield much influence given their increasing size

Those interested in politics vote more


How America Votes


Why Is Voter Turnout So Low?

Too Busy Difficulty of Registration Difficulty of Absentee Voting Number of Elections Voter Attitudes Weak Political Parties


Patterns in Vote Choice Race and Ethnicity

Whites tend to vote Republican African Americans vote overwhelmingly for

Democrats Hispanics also tend to identify with and vote for

Democrats Kerry 53 percent; Bush 44 percent

Women today more likely to support Democratic candidates

Poor vote less often and more for Democrats Well-to-do vote more often and for Republicans Ideology related closely to vote choice

Conservatives for Republicans Liberals for Democrats


Bringing it Together: The 2004 Presidential Campaigns and Elections

The Party Nomination Battle The incumbent: George W. Bush The Democrat’s race

Lieberman Gephardt Graham Kerry Edwards Sharpton Kucinich Dean Moseley Braun


2004: The Democratic Convention

John Kerry John Edwards as running mate

Attempt to balance the ticket

Emphasis on national security Kerry’s personal history of service Post convention bounce not as good

as expected


2004: The Republican Convention Incumbent: George W. Bush Would Cheney continue as Vice

President? (yes) Held in New York City (a heavy liberal

city) highlighted 9/11 and national security

Protests in the streets comprised of thousands of people from around the nation


2004: The Presidential Debates

Three presidential debates One vice-presidential debate The presidential debates were

considered mainly won by Kerry - making the playing field even going into the final days of the campaign


2004: The Fall Campaign and General Election

Foreign affairs played a great role in the contest

Key states: Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, New Mexico,

Iowa, and Wisconsin


2004: Election Results

National Election Pool (NEP) Kerry carried a lead in the exit polls

up until the final moments Ohio: Bush led by 100,000 votes with

provisional ballots uncounted


2004: Turnout

Highest turnout rate since 1968 Minnesota had a high voter turnout of

76.2% Youth came out in battleground states Third-party not a factor

chapter 12 the campaigns, elections, and voting pearson education, inc. © 2006 american government...

Documents

party members

party conventions

power party

republican party

closed primary

primary results

open primary

presidential elections