elections & voting
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ELECTIONS & VOTINGChapters 7, 8, & 9
• The nominating process is a key part of an election because it narrows the field of possible candidates
• Five Ways to Nominate Candidates:
THE NOMINATING PROCESS
Self-Announcement A person declares him or herself to be a candidate
Petition A candidate gets a certain number of qualified voters to sign a petition
Caucus A group of like-minded people meet to select candidates
Convention A political party’s members meet to select candidates
Direct Primary An election is held within a party to pick its candidatesCandidates in most States are now nominated in direct primaries.
• The detailed procedures that govern the casting of votes for elected officials help ensure a democratic way of life.
• Election Procedures
ELECTIONS
The Basics of Election Procedure• Elections are largely governed by State law• Aspects of national elections such as dates are governed by federal law• Voting takes place in voting districts called precincts• Within the precincts, voters cast their votes at polling places• A ballot is used to register a person’s votes• Most States use a form of the Australian ballot – either an office-group ballot or a party-column ballot
Election procedures are clearly established by State law and, in some regards, federal law as well.
• The use of money, a needed campaign resource that poses a variety of problems, is regulated in today’s elections.
• Political Campaign Money
MONEY & ELECTIONS
Political Campaign Money
contributions
publi
c
subsidies
State
Treas
uries
Fede
ral
treas
ury
priva
teind
ividu
alsfam
ilies
Cand
idates
themse
lves
PACs Fede
ral El
ectio
n
Commiss
ion
Regulates federal elections
Does not regulate soft money
Does regulate hard money
Campaign money comes from both public and private sources and is regulated by the Federal Election Commission
• Several factors, including family and education, help to shape a person’s opinions about public affairs
• Factors That Shape Public Opinion
THE FORMATION OF PUBLIC OPINION
Mass media
education occupation
Historic events
race
Opinion leaders Peer
groups
family
PUBLIC OPINION
Many factors play a part in shaping public opinion
• Of the methods for measuring public opinion, polls are the most effective
• Measuring Public Opinion
MEASURING PUBLIC OPINION
PUBLIC OPINION
• Random sample• Quota sample
Indicators of public Opinion
Accurate Measures of Public Opinion
Election
results
Interest
Groups
Media Personal
Contacts
Scientific Polling
• The media are our most important sources of political information
• The Mass Media
THE MASS MEDIA
Mass Media tele
visi
on radi
o
Othe
r m
ediaInterne
t
videocassettes
audiocassettes
filmsbooks
newspaper
s
magazines
The many forms of mass media greatly impact American politics.
• Interest groups offer Americans an important means of influencing U.S. public policy
• Are Interest Groups Good or Bad?
THE NATURE OF INTEREST GROUPS
INTEREST GROUPS
Positives Negatives1. Help stimulate interest in
public affairs2. Are based on shared
views, not shared geography
3. Provide information to government
4. Keep tabs on government5. Can limit each other’s
extremes
1. Can have more influence than they deserve
2. Difficult to figure out how many people they represent
3. Some do not represent the views of all the people for whom they claim to speak
4. Some engage in dishonest behavior
The political power of interest groups is viewed both positively and negatively.
• Interest groups are formed around many issues, such as public interest and economics
• Types of Interest Groups
TYPES OF INTEREST GROUPS
PURPOSE EXAMPLETo promote business American Bankers AssociationTo organize labor Fraternal Order of PoliceTo protect agricultural interests National Farmers UnionTo promote professions American Medical AssociationTo promote social programs Veterans of Foreign WarsFor religious purposes American Jewish CongressFor the public good League of Women Voters
Interest groups work for an array of public policies that benefit their members.
• Interest groups use propaganda, form political action committees, and engage lobbyists in order to influence public policy.
• Techniques Used by Interest Groups
INTEREST GROUPS AT WORK
Techniques Used by Interest Groups to
Achieve Their Goals
PropagandaPersuasive techniques aimed at influencing
individual and group behaviors to create certain beliefs
PACsPolitical action committees that work for or against political candidates and may make
campaign contributions
LOBBYINGBringing pressure to bear on all aspects of
the making of pubic policy
Interest groups use various techniques to influence public opinion, political parties, and the making of public policy
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