11. Voting, Campaigns & ElectionsThe Logic of ElectionsWho Uses the Right to Vote?Slide 4Slide 5Slide 6Slide 7Variations in Turnout over Time: Why the decline?How Do Voters Decide?Election CampaignsElection Campaigns: Money & Elections: Policy IssuesThe Logic of Elections Revisited11. Voting, Campaigns & ElectionsThe Logic of Elections•America is a representative democracy, but actually representing all citizens wants and needs is not possible. •Delegation of authority raises the possibility of agency loss, that is, representatives serving themselves and not their constituents.•Regular, free, and competitive elections in which all adult citizens can vote are a hallmark of modern democratic governments.Who Uses the Right to Vote?•If most Americans believe the right to vote is the essence of democracy, why do so many not exercise their rights?•The answer is inherent in the logic of elections. The benefits of elections are collective benefits. In other words, everyone gets the payoff without participating.•The real puzzle is why so many forego free riding and actually vote.Who Uses the Right to Vote?•Voter turnout has varied widely over time.–There was a sharp decline in voter turnout between 1968 and 1972.–Since then, the average turnout of the eligible electorate who registered and voted in presidential elections hovers around 58 percent.–Voter turnout in the 2008 presidential election was nearly 59 percent.Who Uses the Right to Vote?•Individual factors influencing voter turnout–age, education, race, region, community roots, internal and external efficacy, and strong partisanship–living in politically competitive areas and in areas with lower barriers to registration and voting–gender, alone, has no impactWho Uses the Right to Vote?•Institutional factors affecting voter turnout–The institutional context, such as variations in voter registration requirements, affects voter turnout. •As expected, the more onerous the registration requirement, the more costly the act of voting.–Social circumstances, for example, deliberate efforts by political activists and get out the vote activities orchestrated by candidates, political parties, and interest groups, impact voter turnout.Who Uses the Right to Vote?•Wealthy, well-educated, older white people are overrepresented while poor, uneducated, young, and nonwhite people are underrepresented.•Unequal resources but social advantage too–Political parties, interest groups, and campaign organizations devote scarce resources to mobilizing likely voters—that is, people like themselves (educated and wealthy, organized).Variations in Turnout over Time: Why the decline?•Easier registration laws and increased voted education had a positive effect on voter turnout. •Extending the franchise to young people increased the electorate but drove down turnout.•A decline in mobilization, especially, direct voter contact, had a negative effect on turnout. Labor-intensive campaigns are being replaced by money-intensive campaigns.•The smaller the electorate, the greater its upper-class bias.How Do Voters Decide?•Past Performance and Incumbency–retrospective voting•evaluation of incumbent’s job performance•evaluation of majority party’s job performance •Assessing the Issues and Policy Options–personal experience–news media (indirect experience) –single-issue voters •Voting Cues and Shortcuts–news media–candidates’ campaigns–opinion leaders–personal characteristics–party label•The Power of Party Identification–party identification best single predictor of voteElection Campaigns•The Basic Necessities: Candidates and Messages–candidate•can be shown as sufficiently qualified and trustworthy for job – messages•why candidate is best choice•shaped by candidate’s theories about various segments of electorate’s political beliefs, perceptions, and values•focus groups•negative campaigning •The Other Necessity: Campaign Money–need effective way to communicate with voters –democratic equality threatened (one person one vote but money unequally distributed)–representative of private contributors not electorate–regulating campaign money (post 1970)•Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)Election Campaigns:Money & Elections: Policy Issues•Highly competitive elections are expensive. –There is a lingering suspicion that elected officials will be more responsive to large contributors than to voters. •Money buys access.•Evidence that large contributions buy influence is tenuous. •Suggested campaign finance reforms include:–spending ceilings–limiting contributions–eliminating political action committees (PAC)–public funding•The greatest obstacle to campaign finance reform is the First Amendment as currently interpreted by the Supreme Court.The Logic of Elections Revisited•Despite problems with U.S. elections, they work well in preserving democracy.–Citizens can choose their agents and oust those whose performances fall short.–Elections create incentives for entrepreneurs and organizations to solve free-rider and coordination problems. –Political parties, interest groups, candidates’ campaigns reduce information requirements for voters.–The same organizations and groups mobilize voters who may not otherwise go to the polls.–Party labels simplify voters’ choices and allow them to hold elected officials collectively responsible for the job