Chapter 7Sections 2 and 3Elections and Money

Elections• A Democratic Government cannot succeed unless we have

free, honest and accurate elections.• What does this mean???

• National elections are held:• November of every even # year• The Tuesday-after-the-first-Monday • This insures election day is never on a Sunday or on the first

day of the month

Absentee voting

• Voting by those unable to get to their regular polling places on election day

• 3 reasons you are allowed to vote absentee• Too ill or disabled• Expect to be away from home for whatever reasons• Military service

Precinct • Voting District• Smallest geographic units for the conduct of elections• They deal with the polling places where people go to vote• Poll watchers: one from each party is allowed at each

polling place• They can challenge anyone they don’t believe is a qualified

voter• Monitor the process• Handout sample ballots

• Loudoun County

Ballot

• The device by which a voter registers a choice in an election• Today: secret ballot• Used to be public

• Office-Group ballot: candidates for an office are grouped together under the title of that office

Australian Ballot• Started in Australia and today all states in the US

use it• 4 features• Printed at public expense• Lists the names of all candidates in an election• Given out only at the polls• One to each qualified voter

• Marked in secret

Money and elections• So much money is spent on elections• Where does that money come from???• 2 major forms• Public and Private

• Spending in 2012

Private Contributions

• Give the most money• Small contributors: those that give small amounts• This has been a major development over the years

• Wealthy Individuals: Large donations• Candidates: give their own money• Perot the most 65 million

• Nonparty Groups: are given donations from their supporters• Political action committees (PAC)• Special interest groups

• Temporary organizations:• Groups formed for the campaign

• Fund raisers

Super PAC• These groups do not directly give the candidate money • HOWEVER, they are able to spend unlimited amounts of

money to support the candidate in the form of adds, publicans and even movies

• Citizen’s United Case• Prior to this ruling there were limits on how much money

corporations could give to candidates• Corporate free speech is the same as individual free speech

FEC• Federal Election Committee• Deals with all federal laws dealing with campaign

finance• Laws cover 4 broad areas• Timely disclosure of campaign finance data• Places limits on campaign contributions• Places limits on campaign expenditures• Provides public funding

• Have to disclose to keep everyone honest

Limits on Contributions• Today no person can give more than 2000 to federal

primary election or general election• 5000 to PAC• 25000 to National Party Committee

• Hard money: money raised and spent to elect candidates for Congress and White House• Limited

• Soft Money: Money given to party organization for stuff like voter registration• No limits until 2002