POLS 207 TAMU Jason Smith - Exam 2

How do most people participate in the political system?

1) voting, used to be protests

2) can also be voting, running for office, participating in marches/demonstrations, giving money or time, attending rallies, writing letters/emails, belonging to an organization

What is a rational voter?

~ vote only if personal benefits outweigh the costs

- can lead to swing voting, can result in

incorrect choice

- single biggest cost is being informed

Who is more likely to vote?

- more education

- more income

- living in a swing state

- older

Who is less likely to vote?

- young people

- less income

- less education

- living in states later in the election process due to early media polls

Why do some states have higher/lower voter turnout

- swing states have more

- Socioeconomic - higher demographic of educated/wealthy

- time, place, equipment, ballots, poll workers

How could voter turnout be increased?

- make it easier to vote at home

- better voting locations

- online registration, ballot requests, voting

- easier for disabled

- better assistance for first time voters

- more education to youth

Who determines voter qualifications?

States decide state, local and federal

~ congress has ability to veto

15th Amendment

1980, banned race discrimination

19th Amendment

1920, banned gender discrimination

24th Amendment

1964, banned poll taxes

26th Amendment

1971, 18-year-old voting allowed

What is the responsible party model?

A party system where each party offers clear policy alternatives AND holds their elected officials responsible for enacting these policies in office.

What is the candidate-centered model?

Individual candidates rather than parties raise funds, create personal organizations, and rely on professional consultants to direct their campaigns

What is the Downs model

How rational parties position themselves near (but not at) the center of public opinion.

The liberal/conservative spectrum

- majority of Americans find themselves close to the center

- Both parties find the center to appeal to independents and swing voters

- Democratic needs to be substantially left to appeal to demographic, however

- Republican needs to be substantially right to appeal to their demographic

Closed Primary?

only registered voters affiliated with the given party have the chance to vote for their candidate within the party

Open Primary?

voter can cast their ballot for either party, but all votes must be for one single party

Blanket Primary

allow voters to vote for whoever they please without having to affiliate with either party and can vote back and forth

Runoff Primary

a second primary election held in some states to decide which of the two highest candidates gets the nomination

Presidential Primaries

run by local and state governments

Presidential Caucuses

private events that are lead by the political parties themselves

Primary Elections

potential candidates campaign to win the vote to represent their party in the general elections

General Elections

People across the country vote for one president and vice president

Initiative Elections

allows citizens to bypass legislature by getting enough votes on a petition to place their own issues directly on the ballot

Recall Election

produce that allows citizens to remove an elected official before their term is over

What do state and national parties do?

~ organize elections and narrow down choices

~ important role in voter choice

~ Shape an image of values

How are prescient and county party chairs selected

1) At-large

2) By district

What do campaigns do?

~ go out and get people to vote for their candidate

~ use media for votes in the eletion

What do interest buy with their money?

influence government officials by lobbying as well as elections by buying media overage

What is the relationship with money and electoral success?

more money is usually means more success

money buys support and recognition

Functions of counties and cities

Counties: provide services to the citizens

Cities: set a government in place and provide emergency response services

What do special districts do?

•Provide services NOT being supplied by existing governments

••Fire protection

••Soil conservation

••Mosquito abatement

••Water and irrigation

••Flood

••Airport

••Convention Center

At-Large Elections

designation of elected members of the governing body to represent the whole membership of the body, rather than a subset of that membership

~ in contrast to voting by electoral districts

Single-member districts elections

candidates chosen by voters in separate geographically defined district

Combination Elections

some elected at-large, some single-member districts

County Administrator

elected commission appoints this position

Elected mayor/executive

voters elect separately from county commission

Officials

Commissioners, sheriff, coroner, district attorney, clerk, etc.

Local Government Structure

~ municipal and county elections

~ nonpartisan: candidates effectively run as independents, mayors and members of city council are elected this way

~ partisan: party involved candidates

State Government Structure

~ party activists are names as electors in the Electoral College if their party carries the state in a presidential election

~ candidates from state office may be chosen through primary election, state convention, or caucus process

National Government Structure

~ each party has its own national committee made up of party leaders, elected officials and the chairs of the state party organizations

~ chair of national committee is chosen by the party's candidate for president.