CAMPAIGNS AND ELECTIONS

General Information

US has more elected officials than any other country

In US this is a highly individual process, you get your name on the ballot, raise money, you appeal to voters in primary elections on the basis of your personality and your take on the issues

Do we get better candidates than we did 100 years ago?

General Information

Majority of election laws determined by state elections scheduled far in advance/fixed terms

vs. parliamentary systems where prime minister can call them at anytime within a 5 year period

precinctan election district of a city or town, regulated by precinct election board

Australian ballotmost widely used form, given out only at polls to qualified voters (pp.366-367 C&W)

General Information

TRENDSmore states are permitting either early voting or voting by mail in efforts to increase voter turnout

By 2000 21 states permitted early voting/mail balloting In 2008 California residents, could mail in your ballot

or vote early at 1 of 11 electronic polling stations Vote by mail process is open between October 4,

2010 and October 26. In the presidential election of 2008, approximately

30% of voters used early voting (29 million); only 14% used early voting in 2000.

Does voting by mail increase voter turnout? Does it increase voter fraud?

Elections serve as…

a method of selecting political leaders for office

a form of political participation a way for linking citizens to their

government a method of legitimizing authority in the

political system

What type of electoral system does the United States have?

Winner-take-all Single member district Plurality system Consequences of this system?

Types of Elections

Primary Elections Caucuses General Elections

Primary Elections

Primary elections select a party’s candidate for the general election

Closed Primary-voter must declare party affiliation ahead of time; most states

Open Primary-voter decides which primary he/she wants to participate in on election day (MT, ND, UT, VT, WI)

Blanket Primary (free love)-all voters receive the same ballot with all candidates listed

More About Primaries California Democratic Party v. Jones (2000)

CA’s blanket primary declared unconstitutional because it was a violation of the 1st Amendment provisions of freedom of association

Washington State Grange v. Washington State Republican Party (2008) Using above as precedent, 9th District Court ruled that

Washington’s primary system was unconstitutional Voters approved Initiative 872 which created a modified

blanket primary Each candidate associated with a preferred party;

allowed blanket primaries to continue Louisiana Blanket (Cajun) Primary-If no

candidate wins a majority, the two top vote getters would be on run-off ballot; only used in State and local races

Even More About Primaries

California has had a modified closed primary system since 2000. “Decline to State” voters can participate in

one primary if the party allows it

Caucuses

Meeting of leaders of a political party to select candidates

Used in 18th and 19th centuries, decline in their use gives more power to the individual candidate, mostly used at state and local levels

Important in presidential politics because good performance in early caucuses (IA in Feb.) gives boost to endorsed candidate

General Election

Tuesday after first Monday in November in even numbered years

winner of general election fills public office V.O. Key three broad types of

presidential elections landslide for the out-party reaffirmation of support realignment

What Decides An Election?

Position Issues-rival candidates have opposing views on a question that also divides the voters

Valence Issues-An issue on which voters distinguish rival parties by the degree to which they associate each party or candidate with conditions, goals, or symbols the electorate universally approves or disapproves of

What Decides an Election?

Presidential (in peace time)

Congressional (prospective v. retrospective voting)

Congressional v. Presidential Campaigns

(see pp. 359-368 and pp. 410-421) Congressional elections are regional House elections are less competitive than

Senate or presidential elections (incumbency advantage strongest in the House)

Voters in midterm elections are usually more ideologically consistent

Presidential popularity affects congressional elections (coattail)

More About Presidential v. Congressional Elections

Congressional elections involve more direct communication with constituents.

Congressional candidates can deny responsibility for problems with the government.

Changes to Presidential Campaigns

More extremist candidates Longer campaigns Increased cost of campaigns Early fundraising important for creating momentum Media coverage of campaigns=horserace Frontloading Professional consultants Process is becoming more representative because voter

has more say in delegate selection Running for election=full time job Decrease in party leadership roles Increased importance of primaries/decreased importance

of conventions Development of regional primary blocks

Presidential Campaigns

Deciding to Announce (24-12 months) Gathering support Funding war chest Testing waters

Presidential Campaigns

Primary/Caucus Phase (Jan-June prior; 11-6 months prior) Winning delegates (primary and caucuses indirect

elections) Frontloading – process by which states move primary or

caucus dates forward to try to increase their influence in the nominating process

Election 2008-DNC changed calendar causing frontloading; NH, IA still first; CA and NY Feb. 5th, MI, FL January (violation); later states did play large role because of MI/FL controversy; not settled until June, 2008

Super Delegates-free to vote conscience; don’t have to follow primary election results

Presidential Campaigns

Convention Phase (late Aug., early Sept.) First held in Jackson’s time Formal selection of nominees Delegates from each state attend convention

and vote for nominees

Presidential Campaigns

General Election Phase (late Aug-1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in Nov.) Winner gets the office Where most of campaign funds get spent Use of debates since 1960 Candidates become more moderate

Campaign Strategies And Tactics

Move to more candidate centered campaign More reliance on professional staff, use of

media and polls to direct the campaign

Campaign Strategies and Tactics

Negative Campaigning (Begley and Interlandi, 2008) Declaration of Independence Negative (positions on issues) versus Attack (criticism

of character) Conventional wisdom depress voter turn out Even though people say they don’t have a place in

campaigns, studies show that they don’t depress turnout

Negative ads are effective because people are more motivated to react to negative information than positive

More likely to be about important issues than positive ads

Adds information to campaign because press fact checks the ads and cause target of ad to respond

Convey information about target of ad as well as sponsor

Campaign Strategies and Tactics

Role of issues see “What decides an election” slides

Role of Campaigns

Don’t matter much because more than ½ of voters have decided who they will vote for before the campaign (campaigns solidify existing views)

Matter a lot because 1/3 of voters are undecided and this 1/3 can make a difference in the outcome of a very close election

How issues are framed can influence how people will vote as well as psychological and sociological factors

Role of Elections in a Democracy

Effects on political process Decides who governs and this can have long term

implications (composition of Supreme Court) Because of primary elections, party activists, individual

voters, and single issue groups have more influence in the selection process

Effects on public policy Usually not a drastic change because policy making

involves finding a coalition of diverse interests to support policies

Sometimes it does matter (1860, 1896, 1932, 1964, 1980)

Elections have more effect on public policy in parliamentary systems

Role of Money in Campaigns and Elections

(see campaign finance scavenger hunt)