![Page 1: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Elections
American Government: Continuity and Change9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato
![Page 2: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Just a review…..Just a review…..
![Page 3: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Patterns in Voter TurnoutPatterns in Voter Turnout
Turnout: the proportion of the voting-age public that votes
◦40% of the eligible adult population votes
◦25% are occasional voters
◦35% rarely vote
![Page 4: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Patterns in Voter TurnoutPatterns in Voter Turnout
Education: Voters tend to be more educated Income: Consistent voters have higher incomesAge: Younger people vote lessGender: Women vote at the same rate or
slightly higher rate than menRace and Ethnicity:
◦ Whites vote more regularly than African Americans – related to income and educational differences in the two groups
◦ Hispanics vote less than African Americans◦ Have potential to wield much influence given
their increasing size Interest in politics: Those interested in politics
vote more
![Page 5: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Why Is Voter Turnout So Why Is Voter Turnout So Low?Low?Too BusyDifficulty of RegistrationDifficulty of Absentee VotingNumber of ElectionsVoter AttitudesWeakened Influence of Political
Parties
![Page 6: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
![Page 7: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
![Page 8: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Efforts to Improve Voter TurnoutEfforts to Improve Voter Turnout
Easier Registration and Absentee VotingMake Election Day a HolidayStrengthen PartiesOther suggestions
◦ Holding fewer elections◦ Proportional representation system for
congressional elections◦ Saturday or Sunday election day◦ Making voting mandatory◦ Tax credits for voting◦ Election weeks rather than election days◦ Internet voting – FRAUD CONCERNS
![Page 9: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Patterns in Vote ChoicePatterns in Vote Choice Party Identification
◦ Most powerful predictor voter behavior◦ Ticket-splitting: voting for candidates of different parties for
various offices in the same election
Race and Ethnicity◦ Whites increased tendency to vote Republican◦ African Americans vote overwhelmingly for Democrats◦ Hispanics also tend to identify with and vote for Democrats
Women today more likely to support Democratic candidates◦ Gender gap varies by election
Poor vote more often for Democrats; wealthier for Republicans
Ideology related closely to vote choice Conservatives for Republicans Liberals for Democrats
![Page 10: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Voting: What do you think?
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=ZG_IG-S1bfE
![Page 11: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Assignment Assignment I want you to write 4 reflections of at least 5
sentences. You'll be sharing these tomorrow with a small group:
1. Watch this clip (and maybe the next one) and write whether or not you agree with John Stossel.
2. Argue both sides for literacy tests being a requirement for voting - for and against.
3. Argue that the voting age should stay 18 and then argue that it should be raised to 21.
4. Ask a person to share their voting experience (or feelings about voting) with you and summarize it.
5. Come up with three suggestions to improve voter turnout.
![Page 12: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Purposes of ElectionsPurposes of Elections
Regular free elections ◦ guarantee mass political action ◦ enable citizens to influence the actions of their
government
Popular election confers legitimacy on a government that can be achieved no other way
Regular elections also ensure that government is accountable to the people it serves
![Page 13: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Purposes of ElectionsPurposes of ElectionsElectorate
◦Citizens eligible to vote
Mandate:◦A command, indicated by an
electorate’s voters, for the elected officials to carry out their platforms
◦Sometimes the claim of a mandate is suspect because voters are not so much endorsing one candidate as rejecting the other
![Page 14: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Primary ElectionsPrimary ElectionsElection in which voters decide which of the
candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election.
Closed primary: a primary election in which only a party’s registered voters are eligible to vote
Open primary: a primary in which party members, independents, and sometimes members of the other party are allowed to vote
Blanket primary: a primary in which voters can cast votes back and forth between candidates from any party.
![Page 15: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Primary voting can bring:Primary voting can bring: Crossover voting: participation in the
primary of a party with which the voter is not affiliated
Raiding: An organized attempt by voters of one party to influence the primary results of the other party
Runoff primary: a second primary election between the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes in the first primary
![Page 16: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
General ElectionsGeneral Elections
General elections are those in which voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices
Held at many levels
Contests between the candidates of opposing parties
![Page 17: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Initiative, Referendum, and Initiative, Referendum, and RecallRecallInitiative
◦An election that allows citizens to propose legislation and submit it to the state electorate for popular vote
Referendum◦An election whereby the state
legislature submits proposed legislation to the state’s voters for approval
Recall◦Voters can remove an incumbent from
office by popular vote◦Are very rare
![Page 18: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Presidential ElectionsPresidential ElectionsPrimary elections or caucuses are
used to elect national convention delegates which choose the nominee ◦Winner-take-all primary◦Proportional representation primary◦Caucus
![Page 19: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
![Page 20: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Primaries v. CaucusesPrimaries v. Caucuses
Primaries Caucuses
◦More democratic
◦More representative
◦A rigorous test for the candidate
◦ Caucus participants more informed; more interactive and informative
◦ Unfair scheduling affects outcomes
◦ Frontloading (being first in the primary calendar) gives some primary states an advantage Frontloading is the
tendency to choose an early date on the primary schedule
![Page 21: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
2012 Primary Results2012 Primary Resultshttp://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries.html
![Page 22: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
The Party ConventionsThe Party ConventionsOut-of-power party holds its convention
first, usually in late July/August, followed in August/Sept by party holding the presidency
Conventions were decision-making body in the 19th century
Today the convention is fundamentally different ◦ Nominations settled well in advance of the
convention because of primaries
![Page 23: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
For a review on all things For a review on all things elections….elections….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfrXIGclkLA
![Page 24: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
National Convention National Convention ScheduleSchedule
Day 1◦Keynote speaker
Day 2◦Announcement of party platform
![Page 25: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
National Convention National Convention ScheduleScheduleDay 3
◦Candidate nomination & speeches◦Balloting from the states (majority
rule)◦Winner (party nominee) names a VP
running mateDay 4
◦Confirm party nomination◦Nominee Acceptance speech◦Campaign Kickoff
![Page 26: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
2012 National 2012 National ConventionsConventions
Democrats Republicans
September 3 – 6, 2012
Charlotte, NC http://
www.demconvention.com/
August 27 – 30, 2012Tampa, FL www.gopconvention201
2.com
![Page 27: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
National Conventions: The News National Conventions: The News MediaMediaChanging nature of
coverage◦No prime time coverage on
some days◦Extending coverage on the
final day of each convention◦Reflects change in political
culture More interest in the candidates
themselves
◦Convention still generates much coverage for the party
![Page 28: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
The Electoral CollegeThe Electoral Collegehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9H3gvnN468 v=W9H3gvnN468 Representatives of each state
who cast the final ballots that actually elect a president
Total number of electors for each state equal to the number of senators and representatives that a state has in the U.S. Congress
District of Columbia is given 3 electoral votes (23rd Amendment)
![Page 29: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
The Electoral CollegeThe Electoral CollegeStates are “winner takes all”
◦Emphasis is placed on heavily populated states
◦Maine and Nebraska are the exceptions and use proportional voting
Vote of Electors◦First Monday after first Wednesday in
December◦Counted before joint session of
Congress in January by the Vice President.
![Page 30: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
The Electoral CollegeThe Electoral CollegeResult of compromise between:
◦ Selection by Congress versus direct popular election
Three essentials to understanding the design of the Electoral College:◦ Constructed to work without political parties◦ Constructed to cover both the nominating and
electing phases of presidential selection◦ Constructed to produce a nonpartisan
president
![Page 31: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
The Electoral College in the 19The Electoral College in the 19thth CenturyCentury
12th Amendment (1804)◦ Attempt to remedy the confusion between the
selection of vice presidents and presidents that emerged in the election of 1800
◦ Provided for separate elections for each office, with each elector having only one vote to cast for each
◦ In event of a tie, the election still went to the House Top three candidates go to House Each state House delegation casts one vote
![Page 32: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
The Electoral College in the Twentieth The Electoral College in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuriesand Twenty-First Centuries
Electoral college crises◦ At times a candidate can win the Electoral
College vote without having won the popular vote
Reapportionment matters◦ Representation of states in the Electoral
College is altered every ten years to reflect population shifts
◦ Party in power can work to earn more districts as new lines are drawn.
![Page 33: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
![Page 34: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
Congressional ElectionsCongressional ElectionsVery different from presidential elections
◦ Lesser known candidates, more difficulty getting media attention
Incumbency Advantage◦ Better known◦ Fundraising is easier◦ Can use office resources (franking privilege,
staff, travel, etc)◦ Can cite work already done in Washington
![Page 35: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
Congressional ElectionsCongressional ElectionsWhen incumbents lose it is generally due to:◦RedistrictingGerrymandering
◦Scandals◦Presidential Coattails
![Page 36: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
![Page 37: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
Midterm Congressional ElectionsMidterm Congressional Elections
Election takes place in the middle of a presidential term◦President’s party usually loses seats
in midterms◦Tendency for voters to punish the
president’s party more severely in the sixth year of an eight year presidency - 6th year itch Retrospective voting Senate elections less inclined to the
6th year itch
![Page 38: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/38.jpg)
Reforming the Electoral Reforming the Electoral ProcessProcessFocus on the Electoral CollegeOther areas
◦Nomination Regional primaries
◦Campaign Finance Reform◦Online Voting◦Voting by Mail◦Modernizing the Ballot
![Page 39: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/39.jpg)
Electoral College 2008Electoral College 2008
Obama 69,456,897 365McCain 59,534,814 173
![Page 40: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/40.jpg)
2008 Presidential Election2008 Presidential ElectionVoting Age
Population: 231,229,580
Turnout: 132,618,580
%: 56.8%
Obama raised $532,946,511 and spent $513,557,218
McCain raised $379,006,485 and spent $346,666,422
![Page 41: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/41.jpg)
Electoral Projections 2012
![Page 42: Elections American Government: Continuity and Change 9th Edition O’Connor and Sabato](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062719/56649ee95503460f94bfadbe/html5/thumbnails/42.jpg)