POLS 206 Lecture 13Outline of Previous Lectureo8.6Third Partieso8.7American Politics and the Scope of GovernmentDemocracy and Responsible Part of Government-Ch. 9: Campaigns and Voting Behavioro9.1Competing for DelegatesOutline of Current Lectureo9.2Organizing a Campaigno9.3Money and Campaigningo9.4Impact of Campaignso9.5Deciding Whether to VoteWho Votes?Lecture-Evaluating the primary and caucus system-Disproportionate attention goes to early caucuses and primaries -Frontloading-Prominent politicians find it difficult to take time out from their duties to run -Money plays too big a role in the caucuses and primaries -Money doesn’t necessarily win elections but it helps a lot -Participation in primaries and caucuses is low and unrepresentative -System gives too much power to the media o9.2-Organizing a Campaign Get a campaign manager Get a fund-raiser -Sometimes it is the candidate Get a campaign counsel - lawyer Hire media and campaign consultants - PR firm -Helps you make good ads, tells you what to say and not to say, makes your image good Assemble a campaign staff -Involves a lot of volunteers (they are the backbone of a campaign)Plan the logistics Get a research staff and policy advisers - keep candidate informed on issues-Want specialists in all fields important to the campaign Hire a pollster - someone who runs their own polls Hire a good press secretary - spins things in your favor Establish a web site -Where much of the campaign funds come fromo9.3-Money and Campaigning Regulations on campaign contributions -Federal Election Campaign Act (1974)-Who contributed -How money spent -Limits on individual and interest group contributions -Individuals - cap at $2000-PACs - cap at $5000-Federal Election Commission (FEC)-Public financing -Money from government, caps total campaign spending-Loopholes -No limits on spending own money -Soft money -Money given to party not individual candidate -Can be used for generic party building activities Regulations on independent political expenditures-527 Groups -New route for soft money -Independent expenditures -Endorsements forbidden -Citizens United v. FEC (2010)-Supreme Court ruled that corporations and groups are in fact individuals and have freedom of speech -501c groups-Super PACs -Unlimited funding but cannot be affiliated with a candidate or campaign Does Money Buy Victory?-Is there a link between money and votes?-Some say no-Spend more only when weak -Usually when an incumbent is in trouble -More you spend correlates with weakness so more money spent means you are less likely to win-Money does not assure or guarantee victory -Doctrine of sufficiency-No need to outspend opponent to win -Only need to spend "enough", this is subjective so there is a problem with this o9.4-Impact of CampaignsHow important are campaigns?-Reinforcement -Activation-Bring new voters into political arena -Conversion Campaigns mainly reinforce and activate Why are conversions so rare?-Selective perception -Listening to the things you already agree with -Party identification-Single most predictor of how you vote -Incumbent advantage Wedge issues o9.5-Deciding Whether to VoteDoes one vote matter?Voting is costly-Tuesday is a workday Is it rational to vote?-Policy differences-Political efficacy -Civic duty -Who Votes?Education -Main factor -Increased sense of political efficacy -Ease of clearing bureaucratic hurdlesAge -Older = more likely vote -Younger citizens less settled Race and Ethnicity -Black and Hispanic turnout lower Gender, marital status, government