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Congressional Elections
Free-Write
Write a short essay discussing what constitutes good representation, in your mind. What characteristics of a representative would make you feel like he or she should do a good job representing you and your interests? What behavior should a good representative engage in? When, if ever, should a representative put his constituents’ interests aside and think of the greater good?
You will turn this essay in for participation credit.
Values associated with representation
• Looking like me, having my background– “Symbolic representation”
• Rep. uses own judgment to act on my behalf– “Representative-as-delegate”
• Doing exactly what I would do– “Representative as agent”
• Communication with me
Questions to consider:
• Who do Members of Congress represent?
• Do congressional elections ensure accountable representatives?
• What kinds of candidates do elections favor?
Rules governing election to Congress
• The Constitution
Constitution: election to the House of Representatives
• Election every 2 years• Must be 25 years old• Citizenship for 7 years• Live in the state• Selected same way as largest house of state
legislature (popular vote)• Apportioned among states based on population
Constitution: election to the Senate
• Election every 6 years– Three Classes
• Must be at least 30 years old
• Citizen for 9 years
• Live in the state
• Selected by state legislatures
• 2 per state
Rules governing election to Congress
• The Constitution
• Single-member, winner-take all districts
• Reapportionment and redistricting
• Primary election laws– Open vs. Closed
• FECA
Federal Election Campaign Act(as amended by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002)
• Contribution limit (individuals) = $2000
• Total cycle contribution limit = $95,000
• Contribution limit (PACs) = $5000
How do voters decide?
Heuristics:
• Party ID
• Name recognition
• Incumbency!
Sources of incumbent advantage
• Voters recognize their name
• Gerrymandering
• Privileges of office
• Ease of raising money
How do voters decide?
• Heuristics
• Campaigns
Cost of campaigns
2000 House:
• Ave. expenditures: $693,952
• Incumbents’ ave. expenditures: $814,507
• Challengers’ ave. expenditures: $369,823
Where does money come from?House candidates' ave. funding sources,
2000
Candidate11%
Individuals51%
Other5%
Party2%
PACs31%
Individuals PACs Party Candidate Other
Where does money come from?Senate candidates' funding sources, 2000
PACs13%
Party4%
Candidate24%
Other6%
Individuals53%
Individuals PACs Party Candidate Other
Fundraising9.40%
TV21.80%
Staff salaries17.80%
Other comm.3.90%
Travel 2.5%
Polling2.1%Direct mail
8.10%
Radio ads12.30%
Newspaper ads .4%
Voter reg/GOTV
1.30%
Campaign literature
8.00%
Overhead10.50%
Budget of a typical House campaign
Median Voter Theorem
• Assume that Ideology and issue positions are normally distributed in the population
• In a winner-take-all system, candidates will try to get one more vote than the other candidate by moving toward the center.
• Goal is to win over the “median voter”
Who gets elected?
• White men
Who gets elected?
• White men
• Lawyers
• Christians
• Previously elected officials
Questions to consider:
• What kinds of candidates does this system of elections favor?
• Do you think these elections produce people who are representative of the whole population?
• Do they produce people who can represent the whole population well?
• Do these elections have the potential to hold members accountable to their constituents?