AP US Gov Ch. 9: Elections, Campaigns, and Voting

forms of political participation

voting, running for office, volunteering

examples of grassroots organizing

GOTV drives

order of the election season

Primary, Candidate nomination, general

factors in general election competitiveness

presence and strength of incumbency, degree of party competition, and level of office

Voting eligibility in primary elections

Some states: only registered party members

Other states: any registered voter

ND don’t need to register

Role of the delegate in the party nomination process

Attend party’s nomination convention, vote for party’s nominee (locally selected)

1968 convention

Primaries would count, voter influence, anti-Vietnam protest riot over VP nomination, Democratic National Chair Committee appointed McGovern-Fraser Commission which recommended reforms to selection process

Caucuses

Meeting of party members held to select delegates to the national convention

Open primaries

Both party ballots are available in voting booth, voters select one on which to register their preferences

Closed primary

Voting in a party’s primary is limited to members of that party

Timing of primary elections

Determined by states

Super Tuesday

Tuesday in March, most primary elections held, many southern states

Month of most general elections

November

Day of presidential election

Tuesday after first Monday of November

Votes needed to win a congressional election

Most (winner take all, >50%)

Run-off elections

Follow up election held when no candidate recieves the majority vote

Referendum

Election in which voters in a state can vote for or against a measure proposed by the state legislature

Initiatives

Citizen sponsored proposal that can result in new or amended legislation or a state constitutional amendment

Proposition

Proposed measure placed on ballot in an initiative

Recall

special election in which voters can remove an officeholder before their term is over, can cut term short

Characterize balloting in US

Government prepares ballots, counted by government officials, first country with secret ballot (Australian)

Florida 2000

Voting system under scrutiny, ballot design accidental votes for Pat Buchanan

Different types of ballots and their effects

Party-column ballots: organizes by party, coattail effect

Office-block ballot: arranged under office name

Oregon

All mail

Most accommodating region for voters?

West coast/pacific northwest

Vote by mail criticism

may occur too early before vital info, eliminates privacy, undermines civic engagement, fraud

Motivations to run for office

sense of civic responsibility, party loyalty, personal goals, name recognition

Age limit for president

At least 35, no limit

Requirement for VP

Can’t be resident of same state as president

Formal eligibility for elected office

President: US born, at least 35, US resident for 14 years

VP: US born, at least 35, not from same state

Senator: citizen for 9, at least 30, state resident

US Rep.: citizen for 7, at least 25, state resident

Informal qualification for federal office

College degree, considerable professional and leadership experience, strong communication skill, sometimes religious affiliation, ethnicity, or other

Roles in a political campaign

campaign manager, campaign strategy, fund raising consultant, media consultant, pollsters

Teapot Dome scandal

Led congress to try to limit influence of money on politics through legislation

Political Activities Act

Congressional attempt to eliminate political corruption.

Banned partisan political activities by all federal government employees except P, VP, and senate-confirmed appointees.

Sought to regulate campaign finance system by limiting spending $ and capping contributions.

Federal Election Campaign Act

Attempt to overhaul finance system. Considerable limitations on campaign expenditures and contributions. Voluntary tax return check-off for qualified presidential candidates

Enforcement mechanism

Buckley v. Valeo

Placing limitations on amount an individual candidate can spend on campaign violates 1st Amendment free speech

Characterize PACs

Political Action Committee - risen dramatically, subject to constraints, can’t take money from treasuries

Soft money

Contributions to political parties for ‘party building activities’, non transparent

McCain-Feingold Act

2002 banned soft money contributions, ads that aired 30-60 days prior to election

Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc.

Advertising within 30-60 day window could not be prohibited. As long as you’re not coordinating with campaign (free speech)

Amount an individual can contribute to a candidate

$2700

Amount a national party committee can contribute to a candidate

$5,000

Amount a PAC can contribute to a national party committee

$15,000 or $33,400

510©4s

Nonprofit organizations operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare, including lobbying or engaging in political campaigning

527s

Nonprofit and unregulated interest groups, focus on issues, loophole in McCain-Feingold

Citizen United v Federal Election Commission

As long as their not coordinating with a campaign, groups aren’t subject to PAC constraints (free speech)

Super PACs

-Political organizations that use contributions from individuals, corps., and labor unions

-Unlimited spending independent from campaigns, yet influence outcome

Characterize Electoral College

538 elections, 270 to win, CA most

Factors in voter participation

Education level, age, race, ideology

Age and voting in the US

18 years (26th Amendment lowered from 25 yrs)

Voter turnout in 2012 election

-Lowest turnout from youth, key deciding factor

-Highest turnout from 65-74

Prospective judegement

Focusing on candidate promises

Retrospective judgement

Focusing on past performance

Most important factor in how a person will vote

Party affiliation, policy prioritees

Salient issues

Issues with resonance, cause intense interest

Characterize political campaigns in recent years

Negative, changed due to technology, communication methods, voter behavior

Length of presidential campaigns

More than a year

Theories of voting

Rational abstention thesis: thinking costs of voting outweigh the benefits