© 2010 Pearson Education

Chapter 9Campaigns & Elections

Case Study: Democratic

Presidential Nomination– The race for the Democratic presidential

nomination came down to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

– In 2000 and 2004, the party’s nominee was secured by the end of March.

• In early June 2008, Obama finally racked up enough delegates to claim the nomination.

Types of Elections

• Americans have the opportunity to cast ballots in several types of elections. – A general election

• Voters may cast split tickets or straight tickets.

Types of Elections (cont.)– In most states, major parties choose their

general election candidates in primary elections. • Month or more before the November election • Closed primary

– Limited to voters who are registered to vote as party affiliates

• Other states hold open primaries

– Voters may participate in either party’s election, but not both.

Election Districts and Redistricting

• Voters select public officials through:Voters select public officials through:– An An at-large electionat-large election

• Voters choose public officials whereby an entire Voters choose public officials whereby an entire political subdivision, such as a state, is at stake.political subdivision, such as a state, is at stake.

– Or, a Or, a district electiondistrict election • Voters choose public officials in which a political Voters choose public officials in which a political

subdivision, such as a state, is divided into districts subdivision, such as a state, is divided into districts and each district elects one official. and each district elects one official.

Election Districts and Redistricting: Reapportionment

• Legislative district boundaries must be Legislative district boundaries must be redrawn redrawn – every 10 years orevery 10 years or– after the national census is taken. after the national census is taken. – This This redistrictingredistricting process can be used to process can be used to

advance the interests of a political party or a advance the interests of a political party or a particular individual through the practice of particular individual through the practice of gerrymanderinggerrymandering..

Election Districts and Redistricting: Reapportionment

(cont.)Census data are used for apportioning the 435 seats of the U.S. House of Representatives.

– Legislative districts must also be redrawn to reflect population movement within a state.

– Legislative districts must be nearly equal in population size.

– The 2000 census

Election Districts and Redistricting:

The Voting Rights Act

• The The Voting Rights ActVoting Rights Act – Affects the redistricting process Affects the redistricting process

• Increases legislative representation for African Increases legislative representation for African American and Hispanic Democrats and, ironically, American and Hispanic Democrats and, ironically, white Republicanswhite Republicans

Election Districts and Redistricting: Gerrymandering and

Mid-Cycle Redistricting• GerrymanderingGerrymandering

– The designing of election districts to give advantage The designing of election districts to give advantage to one group over another might be accomplished to one group over another might be accomplished with a view to:with a view to:

• race race • income income • partyparty• some other political advantagesome other political advantage

Election Districts and Redistricting: Gerrymandering and

Mid-Cycle Redistricting• Mid-Cycle redistrictingMid-Cycle redistricting

– Practice of redrawing legislative districts outside the Practice of redrawing legislative districts outside the regular redistricting cycle in order to gain political regular redistricting cycle in order to gain political advantage advantage

Election Campaigns

• A political campaign – An attempt to get information to voters that will

persuade them to support or oppose a candidate

• Big-time political campaigns are expensive. Campaign money raised from:

• Individuals• Groups• Parties• The candidates themselves

• House Elections– U.S. House of Representatives

incumbents are usually reelected. • Congressional campaigns have grown

more expensive and challengers have been unable to raise sufficient funds.

• Incumbents benefit from the growing tendency of voters to regard House races as a local contest.

– Although incumbency is the most important factor affecting House elections, national factors have an influence as well.

Congressional Elections

Congressional Elections

• Senate Elections– More competitive than House elections – There are a number of differences between Senate and

House races that account for the relatively greater vulnerability of Senate incumbents.

• Senate constituencies are more diverse than most House constituencies and hence more competitive.

• Incumbent senators generally face stronger challengers than House incumbents.

• Voters tend to perceive Senate races as national election contests.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Elections consist of 2 phases:Presidential Elections consist of 2 phases:1) The Presidential Nomination Phase1) The Presidential Nomination Phase

• Contests in which each candidate competes for his or her Contests in which each candidate competes for his or her party’s nomination.party’s nomination.

2) General Election Phase2) General Election Phase• The two major party candidates (along with third party The two major party candidates (along with third party

candidates) compete to win an Electoral College majority in candidates) compete to win an Electoral College majority in the November general election. the November general election.

Presidential Elections: The Presidential Nomination Phase

– The first phase, each candidate competes for his or her party’s nomination.

– Nominations are awarded at a national party convention.

Presidential Elections:The Road to Nomination

Six stages in today’s presidential nomination process • Pre-primary positioning phase • Iowa & New Hampshire• Super Tuesday• Post-Super Tuesday Contests• Transition• National party conventions

The Delegate Selection ProcessThe Delegate Selection Process

• Varies from Varies from state to state state to state

• Presidential Presidential preference preference primariesprimaries

• Caucus Caucus methodmethod

Reforming the Delegate Reforming the Delegate Selection ProcessSelection Process

For more than a century, the Democratic and For more than a century, the Democratic and Republican parties nominated their candidates Republican parties nominated their candidates at national conventions. at national conventions.

• Dominated by elected officials and local party leaders Dominated by elected officials and local party leaders

– The 1968 Democratic Convention was the catalyst for The 1968 Democratic Convention was the catalyst for reforming the delegate selection process. reforming the delegate selection process.

– The effectThe effect• Weakened the authority of party leaders in the nomination Weakened the authority of party leaders in the nomination

process process • Increased the power of party voters and activists Increased the power of party voters and activists

The General Election Phase: The Electoral College

The General Election Phase

• The Fall Campaign– Candidates target large states

where the election is expected to be close.

– Full funding is available for the finalists from the Presidential Campaign Fund.

The General Election PhaseBlue States, Red States, and the 2008 Election

The Voters Decide

• Political scientists believe that a number of factors Political scientists believe that a number of factors determine voter choice. Such factors may include:determine voter choice. Such factors may include:

– Political campaignsPolitical campaigns– Political party identificationPolitical party identification– Issue concernsIssue concerns– Perceptions of candidates’ personal qualitiesPerceptions of candidates’ personal qualities– RetrospectiveRetrospective and and prospective votingprospective voting

Conclusion: Elections and Policymaking• The relationship between elections and

specific public policies is indirect at best. – Elections are fought over many different issues. – Voter choice is based on more than the issues. – Election constituencies overlap. – The constitutional system tempers the short-term impact

of electoral change.

• It is very difficult to bring about significant policy change as a result of one election.