How American Elections WorkHow American Elections Work
Three types of elections:– Select party nominees (primary elections; take
place in spring)– Select officeholders (general elections; takes
place in Nov.)– Select options on specific policies (special
elections)
Special Elections & Ballot Special Elections & Ballot MeasuresMeasures
Referendum:– State voters approve or disapprove proposed
legislation.– Often used for constitutional amendments.
Initiative petition:– Voters in some states propose legislation to be voted
on.– Requires a specific number of signatures to be valid.– Can still be voted down by the people.
The Expansion of SuffrageThe Expansion of Suffrage
Suffrage or franchise is the right to voteIt has been expanded throughout US historyToday nearly all Americans over the age of
18 can vote in elections
The Expansion of SuffrageThe Expansion of Suffrage
15th Amendment (1870) granted suffrage to African Americans (and other non-whites)
19th Amendment (1920) granted suffrage to women
26th Amendment (1971) set the minimum voting age at 18 (from 21)
Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s First ChoiceFirst Choice
Deciding Whether to Vote– U.S. typically has low voter turnouts—
historically around 50% in most presidential elections.
– Some argue it is a rational choice to not vote.
Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s First Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s First ChoiceChoice
The Decline of Turnout: 1892-2004 (Figure 10.2)
Whether to Vote: RegistrationWhether to Vote: Registration
49 states require registration—officially signing up to vote.
Registration procedures differ from state to state.Registration requirements reduce turnout– It requires voters to register well in advance of the
election day.– Motor Voter Act: Requires states to permit people
to register to vote when they apply for their driver’s license.
Other reasons cited for not Other reasons cited for not voting…voting…
Some believe there is little ideological difference between the two parties’ candidates
They believe one vote among millions cast doesn’t matter
They are unable to leave work on a Tuesday to vote
Some reasons people are Some reasons people are more likely more likely to vote…to vote…
They perceive an ideological difference between candidates
They have a sense of political efficacy—they believe their vote makes a difference
The want to perform their civic duty in a democracy
Predict who is likely to votePredict who is likely to vote
GenderRace (Caucasian, Latino, African American)AgeEducationReligion (pick three)IncomeUrban or rural
Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s First ChoiceFirst Choice
Who Votes?– Education: More education = more likely to
vote. Most important factor.– Age: Older = more likely to vote.– Race: Caucasian = more likely to vote. BUT,
other ethnicities are higher with comparable education.
– Gender: Female = more likely to vote.
Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s First ChoiceFirst Choice
Who Votes? (continued)– Marital Status: Married = more likely to vote.– Union Membership: Union member = more
likely to vote.– Traits are cumulative - possessing several adds
up.
Voter ReformsVoter Reforms
Studies show that if turnout increases among groups with low rates, Democrats would probably receive more votes
Republicans are unlikely to support reforms that would cost them this advantage
Who Votes How?Who Votes How?
Republicans– Upper income, evangelical Christians,
conservative religious, Cuban Americans
Democrats– African Americans, Jews, women, Latinos
How Americans Vote:How Americans Vote:Explaining Citizens’ DecisionsExplaining Citizens’ DecisionsMandate Theory of Elections
– The idea that the winning candidate has a mandate from the people to carry out his or her platforms and politics.
– Politicians like the theory better than political scientists do.
How Americans Vote: How Americans Vote: Explaining Citizen's DecisionsExplaining Citizen's Decisions
1. Party Identification– People generally vote for the party they agree
with.– They don’t have to become informed about
every issue– This trend is declining as parties have lost some
significance in the political process (with rise of Independents)
How Americans Vote: Explaining How Americans Vote: Explaining Citizen’s DecisionsCitizen’s Decisions
How Americans Vote: How Americans Vote: Explaining Citizen's DecisionsExplaining Citizen's Decisions
2. Candidate’s Personalities– A candidate’s appearance may play an
unconscious role in decision-making– People tend to value integrity, reliability, and
competence.– Voters with college education are more likely
to base their decision on personality
How Americans Vote: How Americans Vote: Explaining Citizen's DecisionsExplaining Citizen's Decisions
3. Policy Preferences– People vote for candidates who share their policy
preferences.– Must know where they and the candidates stand on
issues and see differences between candidates.– Candidates can be ambiguous on the issues.– Today candidates are forced to take a clear stand in the
party primaries.– Retrospective Voting: choosing a candidate who vows
to continue policies helpful to him/her
The Last Battle: The Electoral The Last Battle: The Electoral CollegeCollege
Electoral College actually elects the President - founders wanted president chosen by the elite of the country
States choose the electorsWinner-Take-All system gives bigger
emphasis to more populated states and swing states during campaign
The Last Battle: The Electoral The Last Battle: The Electoral CollegeCollege
How it works today:– 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.
Electoral College: Electoral College: Winner Take AllWinner Take All
48 states are winner-take-allIf Candidate A gets 51% and Candidate B
gets 49% of vote, Candidate A gets all electoral votes
In Oregon, A=7 B=0
Electoral College: Electoral College: Maine and NebraskaMaine and Nebraska
Separate vote by House districtPopular vote winner in each district gets the
electoral voteWinner of state popular vote gets final 2
electoral votes(show map www.270towin.c0m)
2000 Election2000 Election
Illustrates a key weakness to the Electoral College—winner of popular vote can lose in the E.C.
Bush won more small states which are overrepresented in E.C.
Gore won more populous states—they are underrepresented in E.C.
Overall popular vote was close
Should the Electoral College Should the Electoral College be Reformed?be Reformed?
Think-Pair-Share ActivityMake a list of the greatest benefits and
greatest weaknesses of the Electoral College system (3 of each…at least)
Should the system be reformed? How? Defend your answer.
Evaluating the E.C.Evaluating the E.C.
Weaknesses– Doesn’t always represent the popular vote totals– Small states overrepresented / large states underrepresented– Faithless electors– Deflates voter turnout– Campaigns ignore some states
Strengths– Winner-Take-All system provides a clear victor– Clear, Quick results– Traditional system / known quantity– Reduced risk of fraud
Understanding Elections and Understanding Elections and Voting BehaviorVoting Behavior
Democracy and Elections– Voters can steer government only when there
are noticeable policy differences between the candidates.
– Candidates who vow to continue popular policies are more likely to win elections.
– Policies affect voting behavior through retrospective voting.
– Bad economies make politicians nervous.