10/18/1010/18/10•Bell Ringer: KWL chart for elections and campaigns. Q: Is are current nomination and election process sufficient in producing good government officials? Explain your answer

•Mission: Look at the United States nomination system as well as how general elections are run.

•After Class: Review Notes from Chapter 9, Check out class blogs and see Mr. Kubey about Campaign Program

•Bell Ringer: KWL chart for elections and campaigns. Q: Is are current nomination and election process sufficient in producing good government officials? Explain your answer

•Mission: Look at the United States nomination system as well as how general elections are run.

•After Class: Review Notes from Chapter 9, Check out class blogs and see Mr. Kubey about Campaign Program

Nominations, Elections, and

Campaigns

Nominations, Elections, and

Campaigns

Chapter 9Chapter 9

Nomination ProcessNomination Process•Why have a nomination process? To have parties choose who will be their candidate for election

•Gone from more party centered to people centered.

•Primary Election - Votes are cast by each individual within the party

•For Prez primary...

•Democratic party has every candidate above 15% get proportional number of delegates

•Republicans do winner take all

•Why have a nomination process? To have parties choose who will be their candidate for election

•Gone from more party centered to people centered.

•Primary Election - Votes are cast by each individual within the party

•For Prez primary...

•Democratic party has every candidate above 15% get proportional number of delegates

•Republicans do winner take all

Open vs. ClosedOpen vs. Closed•Nomination for Congress and State Offices

Types of Primary Elections:

Closed primary: voters must declare their party affiliation to vote on that party’s potential nominees

Open primary: voters need not declare their party affiliation and can choose one party’s primary ballot to take into the voting booth

Modified closed primary: allows individual state parties decide whether to permit independents to vote in their primaries and for which office

Modified open primary: entitles independent voters to vote in a party’s primary

•Nomination for Congress and State Offices

Types of Primary Elections:

Closed primary: voters must declare their party affiliation to vote on that party’s potential nominees

Open primary: voters need not declare their party affiliation and can choose one party’s primary ballot to take into the voting booth

Modified closed primary: allows individual state parties decide whether to permit independents to vote in their primaries and for which office

Modified open primary: entitles independent voters to vote in a party’s primary

CaucusCaucus•Iowa, meeting of party voters who discuss issues and candidates to choose who each caucus will choose.

•Any candidate over 15% will be valid

•Check page 270 in text for exact differences

•Why is nomination important? Party leaders vs. public nomination

•I have a scream speech

•Iowa, meeting of party voters who discuss issues and candidates to choose who each caucus will choose.

•Any candidate over 15% will be valid

•Check page 270 in text for exact differences

•Why is nomination important? Party leaders vs. public nomination

•I have a scream speech

NominationsNominationsn Primary Election = select who in party will run for office

n Primary can be more true party voters

n Closed vs Open Primary = Party only voters vs anyone can vote

n direct primary vs Caucus = vote with secret ballot vs local meeting

n Front-loading (Iowa and New Hampshire)

Iowa and New Hampshire

Iowa and New Hampshire•Nomination for President

• Front Loading, Iowa and New Hampshire

Until the 1960s, delegates chose their party’s nominee at the national convention

Since 1972, national conventions have simply ratified the results of the complex process for selecting convention delegates

•Nomination for President

• Front Loading, Iowa and New Hampshire

Until the 1960s, delegates chose their party’s nominee at the national convention

Since 1972, national conventions have simply ratified the results of the complex process for selecting convention delegates

Benefits and Problems of Primaries

Benefits and Problems of Primariesn Earlier and earlier candidates announcing

bid for presidency

n favors more party oriented candidates

n negative ads between party candidates can be used in general election

n Long primary season makes sure candidate is liked by whole country

n political and financial campaigning for candidates

General ElectionGeneral Election•General election: a national election held by law in November of

every even-numbered year

All seats in the House of Representatives

One-third of the seats in the Senate

Numerous state and local offices

Presidential Elections and the Electoral College

The Electoral College: Structure

535 + 3 (for DC)

Need 270 votes to win

If no candidate receives a majority, election goes to the House of Representatives

Apportionment of votes changes after 2000 census

•General election: a national election held by law in November of every even-numbered year

All seats in the House of Representatives

One-third of the seats in the Senate

Numerous state and local offices

Presidential Elections and the Electoral College

The Electoral College: Structure

535 + 3 (for DC)

Need 270 votes to win

If no candidate receives a majority, election goes to the House of Representatives

Apportionment of votes changes after 2000 census

Abolish it?Abolish it?• Presidential Elections and the Electoral

College

The Electoral College: Abolish It?

Must distinguish between electoral “college” and electoral “system”

Electoral college is the set of individuals empowered to cast state’s electoral votes

-Elected directly

-

-May be “faithless”

-May be good reason to oppose need for body of electors to translate the decision of voters

• Presidential Elections and the Electoral College

The Electoral College: Abolish It?

Must distinguish between electoral “college” and electoral “system”

Electoral college is the set of individuals empowered to cast state’s electoral votes

-Elected directly

-

-May be “faithless”

-May be good reason to oppose need for body of electors to translate the decision of voters

Popular Vote?Popular Vote?• Presidential Elections and the Electoral

College

The Electoral College: Abolish It?

The electoral “system”

Candidate can win a plurality of the vote but still not win the presidency

From 1888-2000, the electoral college magnified the margin of victory

2000 election showed that the candidate could win the popular vote and still lose the federal election

• Presidential Elections and the Electoral College

The Electoral College: Abolish It?

The electoral “system”

Candidate can win a plurality of the vote but still not win the presidency

From 1888-2000, the electoral college magnified the margin of victory

2000 election showed that the candidate could win the popular vote and still lose the federal election

Why keep it!Why keep it!• Presidential Elections and the Electoral College

The Electoral College: Abolish It?

Reasons to support the electoral system

Gives small states more weight in the vote

Encourages candidates to campaign on foot and in rural areas

If a nationwide recount were necessary, the problems of Florida would be multiplied by 50

• Presidential Elections and the Electoral College

The Electoral College: Abolish It?

Reasons to support the electoral system

Gives small states more weight in the vote

Encourages candidates to campaign on foot and in rural areas

If a nationwide recount were necessary, the problems of Florida would be multiplied by 50

How People VoteHow People Voten Straight Ticket = vote for one single party

n Split Ticket = vote for candidates from different parties for president and congress

Straight or Split?Straight or Split?• The Popular Vote and the Electoral Vote

Ballots list candidates for presidency, then national offices, then state and local offices

Straight ticket: in voting, a single party’s candidates for all the offices

Split ticket: in voting, candidates from different parties for different offices

Split ticket voting results in divided government

• The Popular Vote and the Electoral Vote

Ballots list candidates for presidency, then national offices, then state and local offices

Straight ticket: in voting, a single party’s candidates for all the offices

Split ticket: in voting, candidates from different parties for different offices

Split ticket voting results in divided government

Different types of election systems

Different types of election systems

n First past the post election - winner is the one with the most votes, even if its not a majority

n rank order election - each voter ranks the candidates so that your vote will always be counted

n coalition election - two minority parties will join together to form majority

n Proportionate representation - each party will receive the percentage representation of votes they received

Regulating Campaign Finance

Regulating Campaign Finance

n FEC(Federal Election Commission): bipartisan federal agency of 6 members that oversee the financing of national elections

n enforcing limits, full disclosure of spending, admin public financing of prez elections

n Hard (direct to candidate) and Soft (donations to party) Money contributions

n is campaign contributions free speech?

Reforming Campaigns Finance

Reforming Campaigns Financen BCRA 2002 (Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act)

n Bush and Kerry accepted public funds for the general election

n Allows for 527 committees -unaffiliated groups that take position on an issues. Not work for party or candidates

n contributions rose from $151 million in 2002 to $424 million in 2004