Suffrage- Securing the Right to Vote – A Brief History)

Voting and Voter Turnout

World’s Election Turnout

Why People Don’t Vote

Philosophical Sides A huge army of nonvoters, “hangs over the democratic process like a bomb ready to explode and change the course of history.” -Arthur Hadley “I’m not going to shed any crocodile tears if people don’t care enough to vote….I’d be extremely happy if nobody in the United States voted except for the people who thought about the issues and made up their own minds and wanted to vote.” - the late Senator Sam Ervin

Purposes of Elections Select policymakers and staff the government –Ensures accountability to the electorate –Promotes ethical behavior and attention to public opinion Sets agenda for policy and shapes public policy –Linkage Institution –Reelection = confirmation of policy ideas Confer legitimacy on governments –Popular Sovereignty  political power is derived directly from the people (Consent of the governed)

Presidential Elections Stage 1: The Nomination Nomination- Party’s official endorsement of a candidate 3 M’s to win –Money –Media Attention Candidate Centered Campaigns Horserace Journalism –Momentum

Presidential Elections Stage 1: The Nomination Campaigning begins well before any declaration of candidacy, as candidates try to –line up supporters to win caucuses or primaries in key states –raise money for their nomination effort Kansas Republicans will send 40 delegates to the GOP national convention in Cleveland, Ohio. It will take 1,144 delegates to win the party's nomination.

Presidential Elections: Nominating Process Primary Elections –Open Primaries  party members, independents, and members of other party can participate –Closed Primaries  only registered voters of party are allowed to participate Caucuses –Some states use this this system instead of primaries because it is cheaper including KS. States pay for primary elections but parties pay for caucus –Seen by many as “un-democratic” due to lack of participation among “regular” party members – _6Ihttps:// _6I

Presidential Elections: Nominating Process Front-Loading  states choosing an early date on the primary schedule Advantage to the “front-runner” (Big Mo) Iowa – Jan 18, 2016 New Hampshire- Jan 26, 2016 Kansas Caucus March 5 th 2016

Presidential Elections: Nominating Process Criticisms of current nominating system: –Disproportionate influence to early states (35% of all election coverage on NH and IA = only 2% of delegates!) –“Hype” and coverage surrounding the winners/losers is out of proportion to entirety of the race –Low voter participation (15-20% eligible voters)

Presidential Elections Stage 2: Convention National Party Convention (Summer before election) A national meeting of delegates selected in primaries, caucuses, and conventions who assemble every four years to nominate candidates for president and vice- president, ratify the party platform, elect party officers, and adopt rules.

Presidential Elections Stage 2: Convention Party Conventions –Serve 3 general purposes: Endorsement of president and vice- presidential candidates Endorse and/or change the party’s platform Raise voter awareness about the party –Selection of delegates primarily done through primary/caucus season Superdelegates  elected officials, national party officers –Designed to exercise some control over the nominating process by the party

Presidential Elections Stage 3: The General Election “Presidential debates give candidates an opportunity to show how quickly and accurately they can respond to questions and outline their goals” Campaign Strategies –Party Centered –Issue Oriented –Candidate Centered

Presidential Elections Stage 3: The General Election Electoral College - Representatives + Senators= # of electoral votes per state -538 total electoral votes -Unfaithful Electors -270 to win -What if no majority? -Winner take all system (Effects) -Swing states -Large States -Urban Areas -

Straight ticket vs Split Ticket Voting Campaign Strategies –Party Centered –Issue Oriented –Candidate Centered

Congressional Elections: Incumbency Advantage Incumbents have a strong advantage when seeking reelection –Name recognition –“Scare-off” Effect –Campaign contributions –Resources of office/Staff Support –Media and Travel –Redistricting – “Gerrymandering”

Congressional Elections: Incumbency Advantage How do we attempt to counter the forces of incumbency advantage? Redistricting efforts Presidential Coattails –Popular OR unpopular president

President’s party almost always gains seat during their 1 st Election President’s party usually gains seats during 2 nd election YearPresidentPartyHouse SeatsSenate Seats 1932Franklin D. Roosevelt Democratic Franklin D. Roosevelt Democratic Franklin D. Roosevelt Democratic Franklin D. Roosevelt Democratic Harry S. Truman Democratic Dwight D. Eisenhower Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower Republican John F. Kennedy Democratic Lyndon B. Johnson Democratic Richard Nixon Republican Richard Nixon Republican Jimmy CarterDemocratic Ronald Reagan Republican Ronald Reagan Republican George BushRepublican William J. Clinton Democratic William J. Clinton Democratic George W. Bush Republican George W. Bush Republican Barack Obama Democratic Barack Obama Democratic+8+1 “Riding the Coattails”

Congressional Elections- Midterms President’s party usually loses Congressional seats during the midterm election

Campaign Finance Super Pacs (Tom Richey)- tch?v=kcnkgDHU9I8