Elections

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Elections

• AP Government
• Unit 4

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The Functions of Elections

• Elections serve
• to legitimize governments
• 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.

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The Functions of Elections

• Most political change in the United States comes
  about because of elections.
• Elections generally have allowed us to avoid
• Riots
• General strikes
• Coups d'etats

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Why Dont Americans Vote?

• Long and complex ballots
• Confusing to voters
• People are poorly informed
• Disaffection
• Elections are determined by money and special
  interest support
• Loss of trust in government
• Alienation
• Legal barriers
• Poll tax not removed until 24th Amendment

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Registering To Vote

• Voter Registration
• A system adopted by the states that requires
  voters to register in advance
• Motor Voter Act
• Requires states to permit people to register to
  vote when the apply for their drivers license.
• Millions added to electorate but the election
  outcomes were not affected

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Efforts to Lower Costs Voting

• Same day registration
• Easing of registration regulations
• No picture ID required in most states
• Show many forms of ID
• Expansion of ballot access
• absentee or mail balloting
• other mechanisms (internet)??

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Same Day Registration

• Produces higher turnout
• At least 30 of American adults change their home
  address every 2 years --- and hence must
  re-register!

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The Political Consequences of Turnout

• Do fewer voters help Republicans or Democrats?
• Who does higher turnout help the incumbent OR the
  challenger?

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The Political Consequences of Turnout

• Do fewer voters help Republicans or Democrats?
• Usually Republicans
• But increasing categories of voters can make a
  difference in either party
• Who does higher turnout help the incumbent OR the
  challenger?
• Generally helps the challenger

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Five Types of Elections

• Caucus
• Primary Elections
• General Elections
• Initiatives
• Referendums
• Recall elections

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Caucus

• A caucus is when a political party gathers to
  make policy decisions and to select candidates.
• Straw ballots or nonbinding elections may take
  place in a caucus

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The Iowa Caucus

• The Iowa Caucus is the most important because it
  is first
• As a result, Iowa garners a vastly
  disproportionate number of candidate visits and
  amount of media attention. 
• A better than expected showing on caucus night
  can boost a candidacy, while a poor performance
  can spell the end of a candidate's hopes.

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Primary Elections

• Primary elections select party nominees for the
  general election
• Held on different days in different states
• Most states force voters to vote in only one
  primary (Dem or Rep)
• Primaries are run by the parties for the benefit
  of the parties
• In one-party states, the primary election IS the
  only election that matters

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New Hampshire

• The Most Important Primary is held in NH
• The major testing ground for candidates for the
  Republican and Democratic nominations.
• Most important because it is FIRST
• Attracts the most attention of the press corps
• Candidates who do poorly usually have to drop
  out.
• Little known, under funded candidates who do well
  suddenly become contenders, as they gain huge
  amounts of media attention and money
• Some candidates spend 8-12 months there BEFORE
  the election

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Primary elections different types

• Open primaries
• You can enter the voting booth and then decide on
  the party primary in which you will vote
• Closed primaries
• You must reveal your party OR be a registered
  member of that party to vote
• Blanket (or love) Primaries
• In blanket primaries voters may choose from both
  party ballots in a primary
• For instance, a voter might select a Democrat for
  governor and a Republican for senator.
• Californias blanket primary was struck down as
  unconstitutional in 2001

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General Elections

• In general elections we elect office holders
• Two types of general elections
• Presidential election years (2000-2004-2008)
• Party nominated candidates and independents
• First Tuesday after the first Monday in November
• Midterm elections (2002-2006-2010)
• General election but no presidential race
• Still first Tuesday after the first Monday in
  November
• Both party-nominated candidates and independents
  but fewer voters

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General Election Turnout

• Voter turnout is the highest for general
  elections
• In presidential years, the general election
  turnout is the highest
• In midterm elections, general election turnout
  decreases in most states

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Initiatives

• Initiatives allow citizens to propose legislation
  and submit it to popular vote.
• Popular in California and western states
• Initiative 85 - Parental Notification before
  Termination of Teen's Pregnancy
• Initiative 86 - Increase on Cigarette Tax
• Initiative 87 - Funding for alternative forms of
  energy
• Initiative 88 - Property Parcel Tax to fund for
  Education

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Referendum

• A referendum allows the legislature to submit
  proposed legislation for popular approval.
• Special elections on certain topics or issues
• State voters approve or disapprove proposed
  legislation.
• Often used for constitutional amendments
• The Georgia Legislature recently sponsored the
  Marriage Amendment
• It passed with overwhelming support

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Recall Elections

• Recall elections allow citizens to remove someone
  from office.
• Voters decide whether or not to vote out an
  official
• California recalled Governor Gray Davis and
  elected Arnold Schwarzenegger's
• TheGovernator

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Election Techniques

• Propaganda
• Rumors and accusations
• Just Plain Folks
• Vote for me.Im one of you
• Name Calling
• Calling opponent names
• Testimonial
• Using famous people or just citizens to campaign
  for you
• Bandwagon
• Everyone else is voting this way
• Fear
• Bringing up frightening ideas that COULD happen
• And many others

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Do we vote for the Candidate or the Campaign?

• Most people vote for a candidate not the campaign
• He/she is even more important than money ?
• Campaigns are able (most of the time) to downplay
  a candidates weaknesses and emphasize his/her
  strengths.
• However, even the best campaigns cannot put an
  ineffective candidate in the win column most of
  the time ?

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Yellow Dog Democrat

• A Yellow Dog Democrat is a staunch loyalist to
  the Democratic Party.
• The term, Yellow Dog Democrat, first occurred in
  the 1928 elections, when Al Smith ran for
  President against Herbert Hoover.
• Southerners hated Hoover, hence, the popular
  saying, "I'd vote for a yellow dog if he ran on
  the Democratic ticket" was born!
• Blue Dog Republican is a more modern term, and
  less well known termmeans the same thing

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The Electoral College

• Framers wanted president chosen by the elite of
  the country
• The Electoral College was established
• Winner-Take-All system gives bigger emphasis to
  more populated states
• Except for NE and ME
• State parties choose the electors
• Electors are usually party elite

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The Electoral College

• How it works
• Each state has as many votes as it does
  Representatives and Senators.
• Winner of popular vote typically gets ALL the
  Electoral College votes.
• Electors meet in December, votes are reported by
  the vice president in January.
• If no candidate gets 270 votes (a majority), the
  House of Representatives votes for president,
  with each state getting ONE vote.

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Electoral College Map (2000)
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Four instances in which winner of the popular
vote doesnt get the presidency

• 1824 House selects John Quincy Adams (loser
  Andrew Jackson)
• 1876 Samuel Tilden wins popular vote,
  Rutherford Hayes wins presidency.
• 1888 Benjamin Harrison edged in popular vote by
  Grover Cleveland, but Harrison wins in electoral
  college.
• 2000 Gore wins popular vote, Bush takes
  presidency after US Supreme Court decides Florida
  dispute.

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A History of American Elections
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From George Washingtons Farewell Address

• As he addressed Congress and his administration
  he warned about the dangers of political parties
• the spirit of Party are sufficient to make it
  the interest and the duty of a wise People to
  discourage and restrain it.

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Thanks but NO THANKS George

• Political Parties immediately formed
• And the rest is history!!
• 1800
• Federalists v Anti-Federalists
• Big Government v Small Government
• Hamilton v Jefferson

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Party Realignment

• Occurs when a new voting coalition appears in an
  election year
• Often after a long period of little party change
• These are called critical or realigning years
• 1800 (Republican Democrats)
• 1828 (Jacksonian Democrats)
• 1860 (Republicans- abolitionists)
• 1896 (Democrats-Populists and farmers
  Republicans-City and business interests)
• 1932 (New Deal Coalition Democrats)
• 2000???? (Compassionate Conservatives)
• Dont count it yet!!

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Important Elections to Know

• 1800
• 1932
• 1960
• 1992
• 1994
• 2000
• 2004

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Election of 1800

• Thomas Jefferson (RD)
• (Republican Democrats)
• Jeffersonians- common man
• John Adams (F)

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Election of 1828

• Andrew Jackson (D)
• Common man voters
• John Quincy Adams (F)

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Election of 1860

• Abraham Lincoln (R)
• Anti-slavery
• Steven Douglas
• No. Democrat
• John C. Breckenridge
• So. Democrat
• Bell
• Constitutional Unionist

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Election of 1896

• William McKinley (R)
• Pro business and city dwellers
• William Jennings Bryan (D)

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Election of 1932

• Franklin Delano Roosevelt (D)
• New Deal coalition
• Herbert Hoover (R)

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Election of 1960

• John F. Kennedy (D)
• Television
• Richard Nixon (R)

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Election of 1972

• Richard Nixon (R)
• Silent majority
• Southern strategy
• George McGovern (D)

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Election of 1980

• Ronald Reagan (R)
• Anyone but Carter
• Conservative voters
• Jimmy Carter (D)

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Election of 1992

• Bill Clinton (D)
• Its the economy, stupid
• George HW Bush (R)
• Ross Perot (Reform)

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1992
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Election of 1994

• Midterm election
• Ushered in the Conservative Revolution headed
  by Newt Gingrich
• AKAthe Devolution Revolution
• Gingrich and his fellow Conservative Republicans
  offered Americans a Contract with America

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Election of 2000

• George W. Bush (R)
• Squeaker election
• Florida was swing state
• Thrown in to Supreme Ct.
• Gore v Bush
• Al Gore (D)
• Ralph Nader (Green)
• Greens took away natural base of Democrats

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Election of 2004

• George W. Bush (R)
• 9-11
• War on terror
• Character issues
• John Kerry (D)

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• 286 Red -Bush/Cheney
• 251 Blue -Kerry/Edwards
• 1 Light blue -John Edwards.

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Money and Politics
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Money and Politics

• 2000 Bush 193 Gore 134 million.
• Total 2000 327 million
• 2004 Bush 293 Kerry 252 million
• Total 2004 545 Million
• A 60 increase in 4 years!!
• .09 of population gives at least 1,000 to
  political campaigns, 55 of funds raised
• ¼ of Congress are millionaires 1 of U.S.

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Personal Contributions

• In Buckley v. Valeo (1976) the Supreme Court
  struck down limits on personal campaign spending.
• Spending your own money on your campaign is a
  free speech right.
• Steve Forbes, Ross Perot, and other wealthy
  Americans have taken advantage of their personal
  wealth in their quest for office.

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Political Action Committees(PACs)

• PACs are private groups organized to elect or
  defeat government officials and promote
  legislation
• There are over 4,000 PACs registered with the
  Federal Election Commission.
• PACs gave over 200 million to congressional
  candidates in 1996 (individuals gave 444
  million).
• PACs may donate 5,000 per candidate, per
  election(
• Primaries, general elections and special
  elections are counted separately)

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Top PACs in 2004

• EMILY's List 22,767,521
• Service Employees International Union 12,899,352
  
• American Federation of Teachers 12,789,296
• American Medical Association 11,901,542
• National Rifle Association 11,173,358
• Teamsters Union 11,128,729
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
  10,819,724
• National Education Association 10,521,538
• American Federation of State, County and
  Municipal Employees 9,882,022
• Laborers' International Union of North America
  9,523,837

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Hard Money/Individual Contributions

• Hard money is money given directly to the
  candidates
• This is limited by law
• The Federal Election Commission (FEC) limits
  individuals to contributions of 2,000 per
  election, per candidate (2,000 in the primary
  and another 2,000 in the general election).
• Individuals may give a maximum of 37,500 in
  gifts to all candidates combined in any two-year
  election cycle.

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Soft Money

• Soft money is money with no limits or rules that
  is raised and spent outside of federal election
  guidelines.
• PACs contribute soft money to campaigns
• Soft money is often used to pay for ads that do
  not expressly advocate the election or defeat of
  a particular candidate.
• As long as these ads do not use the words "vote
  for", "elect", "vote against ads can be paid
  for with unregulated soft money.
• Many argue that the huge infusion of unregulated
  soft money has destroyed the federal campaign
  laws.

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Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

• The BCRA was passed in 2002
• Also known as the McCain-Feingold Act
• Banned national political party committees from
  accepting or spending soft money contributions
• The original intent has been lost in loopholes

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527s

• 527s are groups that developed from the
  loopholes in the McCain-Feingold Act
• Many 527s are run by special interest groups and
  used to raise unlimited amounts of money to spend
  on issue advocacy and voter mobilization.
• They do not give money to any particular campaign
  or candidate thus ARE NOT regulated by the FEC

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Swiftboating

• On May 5, 2004, the RNC accused MoveOn.org and
  others 527s of coordinating their efforts with
  the John Kerry campaign
• On August 20, 2004, the John Kerry campaign
  accused Swift Boat Veterans for Truth of
  coordinating their efforts with the George W.
  Bush campaign

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Interesting Stats

• The number of registered lobbyists in Washington
  has more than doubled since 2000, from 16,342 to
  34,750
• More television channels, more talk radio,
  internet, blogs, etc.
• Average age of viewer of network news 60
• 40 million watched American Idol finale
• 37 million watched 2nd Bush/Gore debate.

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• 91 of 2004 congressional primary candidates who
  raised the most money won their races.
• Winning Congressional candidates raised 50 more
  in 2004 than in 2002.
• 63 of primary candidates money came from .08
  of the voting age population.
• The sad thing is that in America today if its
  going to take 2 million to win, then normal
  people cant run anymore. You either have to be
  very, very wealthy or very, very bought.
• Janice Bowling, Republican Nominee
• for Tennessees 4th District

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Frederick Webber, 30 years as lobbyist in
Washington, President of Alliance of Automobile
Manufacturers Political fundraising in this
town has gotten out of control. What are the
priorities here? This thing has gotten away from
us Washington Post, September 12,
2005 Ernest Hollings, 38 years in the U.S.
Senate There is a cancer on the body politic
money. The result of this nonsense is that
almost one-third of a senator's time is spent
fundraising. Washington Post, February 19,
2006
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Questions About Elections

• Why do some people vote but not others?
• What do citizens know about politics?
• Are elections predictable?
• AND WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

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Does Low Turnout Matter?

• Demographics of those who turnout differ
  significantly from those who do not
• Whites
• higher income
• higher educational attainment
• residentially stable
• But there is scant evidence that their issue
  preferences differ significantly from those who
  do not turnout

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Consider.

• How can you know what parties or candidates will
  do once in office?
• It is difficult if not impossible to predict the
  future
• How much can you believe politicians during
  election campaigns?

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Conclusions on Improving Turnout

• Reducing cost (time) is key determinants
• Registration and access are the keys for
  improving turnout
• New innovations in registration and ballot access
  could increase turnout

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The End

• Read Chapter 8!!!