Systems of Elections

Linkage Institutions #3

Purpose of Elections

1) Select a Set of Leaders/Policy Agenda2) Confer Legitimacy

3) Organize Government

U.S. vs. Europe

• Nomination– In Europe the nomination to office is determined

by party leaders.– In U.S. the nomination is determined by individual

effort to appeal to party members• Role of Parties in Election– In Europe elections are contests between parties– In U.S. the largest roles of parties are to provide

labels and to mobilize voters

Congressional Elections• Differences with Presidential Races

– Size• Candidates need more money in Presidential

– Competition• Presidential Races much more competitive

– Turnout• Off-year elections (Midterm Elections) have much less voter turnout so more

motivated and partisan voters participate– Constituent Service

• Members of Congress can directly “serve” members of district– Distancing from Washington D.C.

• Can run as trying to “clean up” Washington D.C.

• Result– Congressional Elections substantially independent

Congressional Elections

• Single-Member Districts– Members of Congress are

elected by congressional districts

– Each district has an average population of 646,946 people

– Reinforces the two-party system

Congressional Elections

• Reapportioning Districts– Every 10 years the census determines how many

districts a state will have – Each state has laws to determine how the districts

will be drawn out (most are done by the state legislature but it varies from state to state. California has a “commission” that does it).

– Interests involved when drawing up districts

Congressional Elections

• Problems with Reapportioning Districts– Malapportionment• Districts created with very different population

numbers in the past. • Votes in less-populated districts “weigh more”• Baker v. Carr (1962)

– Was a “political question” that courts couldn’t deal with

• Reynolds v. Sims (1964)– Found some districts had up to a 1081:1 ratio– Upheld “one person, one vote” ideal

Congressional Elections

• Problems with Reapportioning Districts– Gerrymandering• Boundaries drawn in odd shapes

to favor one party over the other

– Benign Gerrymandering• Drawing districts to increase

minority representation• Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Congressional Elections

• Incumbency Advantage (98% Reelection Rate)– Safe Seats: Any Congressional District in which the winner

gets 55% of above– Marginal Seats: Any seat with a winner below 55% of the

vote• Reasons– District Drawing (Favors Incumbents)– Ability to Raise Money– Constituent Service– Franking Privilege – Earmarks/Pork Barreling

Congressional Elections

• Staying in Office– Congressional elections are closely tied to local

concerns so party leaders have little influence– This impacts how policy gets made.– What type of Representative will you be?• Delegated: Making decisions based on what your

constituents want• Trustee: Making decisions based on your best

judgement

Presidential Elections

• We call it the Presidential Election (singular) but it practice it is 51 separate elections occurring at the same time (50 states and District of Columbia)

• When you vote for President you are actually voting for an elector to vote for you. That elector is already pledged to vote for a candidate (laws in place to guarantee they do)

The Electoral College

A State’s number of electors is the total number of Senators and Representatives in the House

2 Senators +53 Reps

55 Represenatives

Electoral College

There are a total of 538 Electoral Votes

The District of Columbiais not a state but is given3 Electoral Votes

Electoral College

48 out of the 50 states have a “winner takes all” method.

If you get the most votes in that states you get ALL of their electoral college

votes, regardless of by how much you win.

Electoral College

2 states are different and can divide up their electoral votes based on congressional district- Nebraska and Maine

Nebraska

Electoral College

A Candidate must have 270 electoral votes (Majority) to win the Presidential Election

Electoral College

If no single candidate gets the required 270 electoral votes what happens?

The House of Representatives votes to decide the President

The Senate votesFor VP.

(Romney-Biden?Obama-Paul?)1800

Thomas Jefferson 1824

John Qunicy Adams

Electoral College

It is possible to get more votes overall in the elections from the entire country (popular vote)

and NOT be elected President

1824 Andrew Jackson 151.363 (41.36%) 99 Electoral John Quincy Adams 113,142 (30.92%) 84 Electoral

Election Determined in the House

1876Samuel Tilden 4,286,808 (50.92) 184 ElectoralRutherford B. Hayes 4,034,142 (47.92) 185 Electoral

1888Grover Cleveland 5,538,163 (48.63) 168 ElectoralBenjamin Harrison 5,443,633 (47.80) 233 Electoral

2000Al Gore 50,944,086 (48.4) 266 ElectoralGeorge W. Bush 50,461,092 (47.9) 271 Electoral

Presidential Election

• Impact of Electoral College• Focus on Big States• Focus on “Swing” States• Non-Democratic (just often ends up that way)• Reinforces two party system