The Election Process Elections and Paying for Campaigns

11/18 ● Log onto Canvas!

Campaigning for Office ● Involves a lot of money ● The purpose of campaigns is to convince the public to vote for a particular candidate “There are four parts of any campaign. The candidate, the issues, the campaign organization, and the money” An estimted 7 billion spent in 2012 election!

Campaigning for Office ● Campaign workers use several techniques to convince voters to like and trust a candidate: o Canvassing o Endorsements o Advertising and image molding

Campaign techniques: Canvassing ● Traveling through neighborhoods to: o ask for votes o take public opinion polls ● Canvassing is different at the local, state, and national levels o Example: It would be unusual for a presidential candidate to go door to door.

Campaign Technique: Endorsements ● Enlisting a famous or popular person to endorse your campaign ● A type of propaganda technique ● Link Link ● 2 2

Campaign Techniques: Advertising ● Image molding ● Most campaign funds go to advertising ● Television ads, newspaper ads, online ads

Campaign Expenses ● Campaigning is very expensive o Television commercials o Transportation costs o Salaries of campaign staff o Internet, telephone, postage, and printing costs ● Varies with what type of office you are running for o A small town mayoral race may only cost a few thousand dollars

Financing Campaigns ● Legal methods of campaign financing have been established in legislation and Court decisions ● A push for reform in recent years

Federal Election Campaign Act (1971) ● Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) o established many rules for campaign finance  Public disclosure of candidate spending  Limited the amount of hard money individuals could donate directly to a candidate

Federal Election Commission ● 1974 Amendment to FECA established the Federal Election Commission (FEC) o Is an independent agency of the Executive Branch o Administers all federal election laws o Monitors campaign spending (all donations over $200 must be reported)

Hard vs. Soft Money ● Hard money-money given directly to a candidate or Political Party. Max amount of contribution per individual is $2,700 per election. ● Soft money-money given for general purposes or “Party building” activities. Basically, money that is indirectly given to a candidate o Not regulated by the FEC

Hard Money vs. Soft Money ● “Soft money” is controversial because it is very similar to giving money directly to a candidate ● Differences in tv advertisements

FECA and Public Funding ● FECA set up the Presidential Election Fund ● Taxpayers can choose to designate $3 of their annual tax return to the fund

Buckley v. Valeo (1976) ● Ruled that the government could set limits on campaign contributions to prevent corruption in the election process ● Free speech violation to limit how much money candidates contribute to their own campaign

Political Action Committees (PACs) ● PACs are organizations that collect money to support a candidate ● FECA limits the amount of hard money PACs can give o $5,000 limit to an individual candidate ● No limits on “soft money”

Media Spending ● No limitations placed on political ads that give information, but do not specifically tell you to vote for or against a candidate

Campaign Reform ● Most PACs give campaign money to incumbents ● Incumbent lawmakers are reluctant to change rules

McCain-Feingold Act 2002 ● Prohibited Political Parties, officeholders, and candidates from raising “soft money” ● Raised limits of “hard money”

Campaign Reform ● Opponents of McCain Feingold Act immediately challenged it as a violation of free speech ● McConnell v. Federal Election Commission (2003) found most major provisions constitutional

Campaign Reform ● Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, AKA McCain- Feingold Act (2002) o Time restrictions on broadcasting political ads for interest groups (60 days)  found unconstitutional by Citizens United v. FEC case in 2010

Campaign Reform ● Citizens United v. FEC (2010) ● Ruled that parts of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act were unconstitutional (banning political ads by interest groups 30 days before primary and 60 days before general election)

Formative Assessment In the following slide you will be required to take a formative assessment focused on the information you just learned. Please select the best answer for these questions. If you miss any of these questions, please go back and review the material before you move forward.

Formative Assessment Question 1 What campaign technique involves having a famous or popular person to support your campaign? Endorsement Canvassing Image Molding Advertising

Formative Assessment Question 2 What is money given directly to a candidate or political party called? Hard money Soft money FEC Canvassing

Formative Assessment Question 3 Which independent agency administers all Federal election laws and monitors campaign spending? The Federal Election Commission Political Action Committees The White House Chief of Staff Incumbents

Formative Assessment Question 4 What is the main purpose of a Political Action Committee? Collect money to support a candidate. Monitor campaign spending. Administer federal election laws. Establish controls on campaign financing.

Formative Assessment Question 5 Which is NOT true of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002? It decreased the limit of “hard money” donations. It increased the limit of “hard money” donations. It placed time restrictions on broadcasting political ads It prohibited Political Parties and Federal candidates from raising “soft money”.

Citations (Images and references) Slide 1:. N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 5 Jun Slide 2: Jakeschov, Jana Graphic. n.p. Web. 14 Apr Slide 3: Cyberscooty,. Book Stack Graphic. n.p. Web. 14 Apr Slide 4: Levy, David Photograph. n.p. Web. 28 Apr Use: Code=12&more=yes&nameCnt=1 Code=12&more=yes&nameCnt=1 To make your citations. Take a look at this to see how it is done.