poly sci

Article 1, Section 2:

You are eligible to vote in federal elections if you are eligible to vote in state elections

Female enfranchisement

19th amendment (1920)

Arguments for female enfranchisement

war effort, tax paying, counter black votes

Arguments against

Politics are too rough and degrading, women aren’t smart enough, it destroys traditional gender roles,

Reconstruction act of 1867

ratification of the 14th amendment and the universal manhood suffrage.

1877- 1900

nearly complete disenfranchisement include potential for poor white and black alliances 

15th amendment

universal manhood suffrage

devices used to deny the right to vote

literacy test, understanding tests, poll taxes, white voter reference

national government may regulate voter qualifications as well as other voting procedures 

15th amendment, necessary and proper clause

Factors that effected voting and the ballot

The australian ballot, citizenship, felony status, residency requirements, registration

sophomore surge

in a MOC 2nd term they historically get a bump in vote share of 2-3 points, used to be 7-8

incumbent institutional advantages

press coverage, name recognition, franking privilege

Franking

you can send mailings to your district “informing them of DC” for free

Why decline in incumbency advantage?

Nationalization of politics, increased party loyalty, high caliber challengers

Vanishing Marginals

number of districts with narrow wins (55% or less) are fewer. more safe seats (60% or more)

incumbents and money

stronger incumbents raise less money. Weaker incumbents raise more money 

Why does money matter more to challengers than incumbents?

incumbents are already elected and have captured the partisan crowd in their district

The expansionist phase

The early career stage where MOC work on building their reelection coalition through active district outreach

The protectionist phase

The later career stage where a senior MOC shifts from building their coalition to defending and maintaining electoral safety

4 layers of constituency

Geographic, Supporter, Primary, and personal

Geographic Constituency

physical boundaries of the district, every single resident despite demographic

Supporter Constituency

Voters the MOC thinks will vote for them, members of their own political party

Primary Constituency

Super partian and political activist supporters. Huge in the primary elections. MOC cater to them

Personal Constituency

The innermost circle consisting of trusted advisers, close friends, family, and long-time campaign insiders.

homestyle policy

Voting on legislation that aligns with the district's views

Constituency Service (casework)

tracking down delayed Social Security checks, helping veterans with benefits, or expediting passports) Non partisan work, making friends without making enemies

Pork Barrel Projects

Bringing back federal money and new capital projects directly to the district funding local highways, bridges, community centers

First Federal Campaign regulations

Tillman act 1907

Federal Corrupt Practices Act 1910

Tillman act 1907

Prohibited corporations and national banks from making direct financial contributions to political campaigns for federal offices

Federal Corrupt Practices Act 1910

Required political campaign committees to publicly disclose all campaign contributions and expenditures after elections. Set the first federal limits on how much money candidates could spend on their own campaigns ($5,000 for House candidates, $10,000 for Senate candidates).

FECA 1971

Federal Election Campaign Act

FECA Individuals

$3,500 per candidate per election per year

FECA PACs

$5,000 per candidate per election per year

FECA State, District, and Local Party Committees

$10,000 per calendar year

FECA Cash Contributions:

Max $100

Super PACs / Independent Expenditures:

Individuals can contribute unlimited amounts to Super PACs and hybrid PACs that make independent expenditures (funds cannot be coordinated directly with a candidate's campaign)

Contributions

may be regulated, expression of support not free speech

expenditures

May NOT be regulated, spending money to produce political speech IS political speech itself.

Federal Election Commission

administers campaign finance laws 

Hard Money

money directly contributed to a candidates campaign to help elect or defeat a specific candidate. subject to strict fec limits under FECA

Soft money

uncapped funds raised for party building activities like voter registration, turn out events, and mobilization

primary source of federal election money

independent donations and expenditures outside fec regulatory framework

Independent expenditures

spending money on signs or commercials for or against a candidate that is made without any coordination with a candidate or party

pro regulation on campaign finances

prevents corruption and the appearance of corruption, quid pro quo, equal playing field, no outside influence

against regulation on campaign finances

Protecting 1st amendment rights of free speech. as campaign spending is necessary to communicate political views to voters at scale

ambivalent money

campaign contributions primarily buy influence where directed at impartial/undecided legislators who face no electoral risk from public backlash

super PAC

an organization that may spend an unlimited amount of money on a political campaign, as long as the spending is not coordinated with a campaign