Ch 9:

Overview: The presidential nomination process is a two-phase system, with the Constitution remaining silent on nominations.
- Nomination Stage: Candidates aim to accrue a majority of delegates at their respective national party conventions.
- General Election Stage: Candidates strive to collect a majority of electoral votes to triumph in the election.

Rules of the Game for Major Party Candidates: The primary objective for candidates is to gather support from a majority of delegates to the national party conventions.
- Winning Delegates:
- Invisible Primary: This involves candidates garnering support from electoral officials, influential fundraisers, and skilled political aides. The premise asserts success hinges on winning elite leaders' backing in the political party.
- Primaries and Caucuses: Candidates engage in state-based contests to secure delegates.

Participating Voter Types: The nature of voters participating varies between caucuses and primaries.
Candidate Strategy: Strategies differ based on whether it’s a primary or a caucus.
Democratic vs. Republican Delegate Accumulation:
- Republicans: More prevalent winner-take-all systems.
- Democrats: Generally employ proportional delegate systems (vary by state), including the concept of “super-delegates,” which saw their role limited starting in 2020.

Evolution of the System: Previously, gaining backing from party leaders was sufficient. This changed post-McGovern-Fraser Commission (1970s), which tied delegate support closely to primary and caucus performance, necessitating candidates to gain popular support.
Candidate Strategy Implications:
- Establish strong organizational structures and raise funds early.
- Perform well in early contests to build momentum.

Disproportionate Attention: Early caucuses receive excessive focus, marginalizing later states.
Frontloading: States aim to hold contests early for relevance.
Challenges for Prominent Politicians: Straining their ability to balance duties with campaigning.
Money Influence: Significant money involvement in caucuses and primaries.
- Matching Funds: Available to candidates adhering to spending limits.
Low Participation rates: Primaries and caucuses often have low voter turnout and unrepresentative demographics.
Regional Bias: Decision-making can skew based on regional factors.
Media Influence: Media plays a substantial role in shaping campaign expectations.

Formal Functions:
- Certifying delegate credentials.
- Setting party rules for the next four years.
- Developing and adopting a party platform.
- Officially nominating presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
Other Functions:
- Serve as a rallying event for party members.
- Provide extensive media coverage opportunities.

Electoral College:
- Basics: The system involves state-by-state contests, compelling candidates to focus efforts on states with substantial electoral votes they can realistically win.
- Battleground States: States where polls indicate competitive races require more attention.
Criticism: The Electoral College has been criticized for its structure and implications for fairness in elections.

Financial Overview: Approximately $6.4 billion spent in US elections in 2016 for congressional and presidential elections.
- Comparisons:
- Vitamins: $28 billion (2012)
- Pet Food: $21.3 billion (2013)
- Deodorant: $2.3 billion (2006)
Potential Problems with Money:
- Distribution: Resource imbalances.
- Source Transparency: Concerns about where money originates and expectations of reciprocity (corruption).
- Time Investment: Politicians may spend excessive time fundraising, detracting from other responsibilities.
Ethical Challenge: Balancing the freedom to raise money while minimizing negative impacts.

Federal Election Campaign Act: Established in the early 1970s, aimed at enhancing transparency and imposing contribution limits.
- Contribution Limits:
- Individuals: $2,800 per election.
- Political Action Committees (PACs): $5,000 per election.
Federal Election Commission (FEC): Oversees compliance and enforcement of campaign finance laws.
Public Funding: $3 checkoff system for taxpayers, with a low participation rate (7% of Americans).

Soft Money: Eliminated by the BCRA (McCain-Feingold) in 2002.
527 Groups: Engage in issue advertising only without being directly tied to Candidate campaigning.
Citizens United v. FEC (2010): Ruled that there can be no limits on spending by wealthy individuals, corporations, and unions for advocating candidates, barring direct coordination with campaigns.
SuperPACs: Independent expenditure-only groups raised and spent unlimited funds without being able to coordinate with candidates.

Impact of Campaigns:
- Campaigns can reinforce existing voter preferences, activate voter engagement (contributing money or volunteer work), and have the potential to convert undecided voters.
- Research indicates that campaigns rarely convert voters due to selective perception, where voters favor information aligning with their beliefs.
Key Influencers:
- Party Identification: Strongly guides voting behavior.
- Incumbency Advantage: Candidates often hold name recognition benefits.
- In competitive races, effective campaign strategies can be crucial for success.

Voter Characteristics Affecting Turnout:
- Education: Higher education levels correlate with increased turnout.
- Age: Older individuals are generally more likely to vote.
- Race and Ethnicity: Different demographic groups have varying turnout rates.
- Gender: Gender divisions affect political engagement.
- Marital Status: Married individuals tend to vote more than single individuals.
- Government Employment: Those employed by the government may have higher civic engagement.
Influential Attitudes:
- Recognition of policy differences between parties.
- A sense of civic duty increases likelihood of voting.
- High levels of political efficacy, or the belief that personal actions can influence government.

Key Elements:
- Party Identification: Essential for predicting voting patterns.
- Candidate Evaluations: Personal assessments of candidates can sway decisions.
- Policy Voting: Voters may choose candidates based on alignment with personal policy preferences.