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American Government

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VOTING AND ELECTIONS Chapter 12 O’Connor and Sabato American Government: Continuity and ChangeIn this chapter we will cover… • The Purposes Served by Elections • Different Kinds of Elections • Presidential Elections • Congressional Elections • Campaign Finance Laws • Sources of Campaign Contributions • Voting Behavior VOTING AND ELECTIONSThe Purposes Served by Elections • Most change in the United States comes about on the basis of elections. • Elections generally allow us to avoid: – general strikes – coups d'etats – riots • Elections serve – to legitimate governments through the mandates of the electorate – to fill public offices and organize governments – to allow people with different views and policy agendas to come to power – to ensure that the government remains accountable to the people.PRIMARY ELECTIONS A primary election is one in which voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election. TYPES OF PRIMARIES • Closed Primary: Only registered party members are allowed to vote. – Advantage: Members of one party do not influence the outcomes of another party’s primary. Allows the party maximum control. • Open Primary: Allows independents and members of other parties to vote. – Advantage: more democratic • Blanket Primary: Voters may vote in either party’s primary, but not in both, on an office by office basis. • Runoff Primary: If no candidate wins in these primaries, a second primary election is held between the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes in the first primary.GENERAL ELECTION • A general election is one in which voters decide which candidate will actually fill elective public office.Other Types of Elections Initiative, Referendum, and Recall – Initiatives allow citizens to propose legislation and submit it to popular vote. – A referendum allows the legislature to submit proposed legislation for popular approval. – Recall elections allow citizens to remove someone from office. Used in 24 states and the District of ColumbiaNATIONAL CONVENTION DELEGATES Convention delegates: Selected at state primaries and caucuses, January – early Summer of the election year • Unrepresentative collection of people – more ideologically pure • Chosen based on rules of each party – Winner of the primary gets all the delegates – Proportional representation – candidates are awarded delegates according to the percentage of votes won – Caucus – closed party meeting to select delegatesNATIONAL PARTY CONVENTIONS • Few surprises • Ratify choices made during the primary season • Pre-convention political processes have lessened the importance of the national conventions • Mass media has changed the nature of the convention – conventions are staged managed public relations campaigns geared to play in prime time.GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN After winning the party’s nomination, the candidate embarks on the general election campaign which consists of three elements: • Personal Campaign • Organizational Campaign • Media CampaignPresidential Elections • Choosing the nation’s chief executive is a long, exhilarating, and exhausting process that often begins even before the previous election ends. • The presidential election is held every four years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.Electoral College • The Electoral College was a compromise created by the Framers to ensure that the president was chosen intelligently and with the input of each of the states. • The number of electors is determined by the federal representation for each state. • For example, California has 53 members of the House of Representatives and 2 Senators – 55 electoral votes.Presidential Election 2000 Al Gore (D) • 50,996,116 votes • 48% • 21 States Won • 266 Electoral Votes George Bush (R) • 50,456,169 votes • 48% • 30 States Won • 271 Electoral Votes Does your vote matter?Electoral College • There are a total of 538 electoral votes (535 members of Congress and 3 for the District of Columbia) • Each state is allocated one elector for each U.S. representative and senator it has. Washington D.C. receives three electors, the same number of electors as the least populous state. The total number of electors is 538. • A majority of 270 wins the presidency.How the Electoral College Works • Just as George W. Bush did in 2000, a candidate can win a majority of electoral votes with a minority of popular votes and still be elected to the office. • Most electors are nominated at state party conventions. The electors names are given to the state’s election official.How the Electoral College Works • On Election Day, voters in each state cast their ballot for the slate of electors representing their choice of presidential ticket. The electors names do not usually appear on the ballot. • The slate of electors for the presidential ticket that receives the most votes is appointed, and all the electoral votes for that state go to those candidates.How the Electoral College Works • A candidate needs to win a majority of electoral votes- 270 – to be elected president. If no candidate wins a majority of electoral votes, the House chooses the president and the Senate chooses the vice president. • In December, in a largely ceremonial gesture, the electors cast their ballots for president and vice president, and they are expected to follow the popular vote of their state. • Votes are counted at a joint session of Congress, and the president officially is elected.Electoral Votes Per State for 2004 ElectionCongressional Elections In Congressional elections: • candidates tend to be less visible. • most candidates are or were state legislators. • name recognition is often the most important battle of the campaign. • candidates receive little media coverage.Incumbency Incumbency advantage – the electoral edge afforded to those already in office…achieved through: • Higher visibility • Experience • Organization • Fund-raising abilityINCUMBENCY • Re-election rates for incumbent House members is over 90% – Redistricting is usually the reason for loss of an incumbents seat •


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