Campaigns and Elections Chapter Five

Political Campaigns Conducting Campaigns in the 21 st Century  Today, voters are more likely to face many different kinds of campaign strategies involving television and radio broadcasting, targeted s, yard signs, bumper stickers, newspapers, and billboards.  What are some ways you’ve encountered campaigns?  Youtube videos, twitter, facebook, snapchat  A candidate’s character, political style, physical appearance and personality have become increasingly important because television has become the primary mode of campaigns.  What do you think about this?  Are these things more important than the issues?  One major way candidates use the media is through the use of sound bites, which are brief statements of the candidate’s platform advertised by radio or television

Campaign Reform Campaign reform involves many issues including eliminating negative campaigning, increasing free media access for candidates, and regulating campaign finance.  Eliminating Negative Campaigning  In 2010, research showed that negative commercials influenced voters drawing them away from the candidate being attacked.  How do you feel about negative campaign ads?  Increasing Free Media Access  Paid media advertising is a huge part of political campaigns.  Media outlets generate much of their income from political campaigns.  This is what makes fundraising for campaigns so important.  Regulating Campaign Finance  Candidates need to raise a significant amount of cash at local, state, and national levels in order to ensure a win.  In Houston, mayor needs to often raise as much as $2 million.

Campaign Reform cont’d  Regulating Campaign Finance (cont’d)  Political action committees represent various corporations, labor unions and other organizations. They raise money to contribute to campaigns.  The Texas Ethics Commission is responsible for ensuring that certain standards for lobbyists and public officials, including registration of lobbyists and reporting of political campaign contributions.  The TEC is not as strict as the federal campaign laws, so candidates in Texas often get away with bending campaign finance rules.  Federal courts have gone back and forth regarding campaign finance laws.  On one hand, loose laws give the wealthy an upper hand because only they would be able to finance campaigns with such large sums on money. On the other hand, finance laws that are too tight may be a restriction on free speech.  What are your thoughts?  Soft Money: unregulated political donations  Hard Money: campaign money donated which is restricted by federal law

Racial and Ethnic Politics Racial and ethnic factors are strong influences on Texas politics, and they shape political campaigns. Large majority of Texas’s African American and Latino voters participate in the Democratic primaries and vote for Democratic candidates in general elections.  However, more and more African American and Latino voters are claiming to be independent and don’t identify which either party.  Latinos  Now governor Greg Abbott launched a website in Spanish in 2014 when running for office (page 169).  Major issue concerning the Latino community is immigration reform.  Latino citizens voting behavior depends on issues, not party.  African Americans  Since the 1930s, African American Texans have tended to identify with the Democratic party.  African American Texans constitute 10% of the states potential voters.

Women in Politics  Until 1990, only four women had won a statewide office in Texas.  In the early 1990s, Texas women served as mayors in about 150 of the state’s towns and cities including Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and El Paso.  In 2010, Mayor Annise Parker made history as the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city.  Female candidates in Texas have also succeeded in winning an increasing number of seats in the legislative bodies.  Despite their electoral victories in Texas, fewer women than men seek elective public office.  Why do you think that is? Think about the traditional role of women and Texas ideologies.

Voting For many Texans, voting is their main political activity.  What are some other ways you think be politically active?  Obstacles to Voting  Some historical obstacles you may remember include things like literacy tests, grandfather clause, white primaries (prevented African American and Latinos from participating in Democratic primaries) and the poll tax.  Current obstacles include voter registration restrictions and racial gerrymandering.  Democratization of the Ballot  Voting Rights Act of 1965 expanded the electorate and encouraged voting. The law abolishes the use of poll taxes, prohibits residency requirements more than 30 days, and makes accommodations for language barriers (among other provisions).  Voter Turnout  Unfortunately, universal suffrage (the right to vote) has not resulted in a corresponding increase in voter turnout, either nationally or in Texas.  What are some things you can think of to increase voter turnout? (Think of some interesting ideas to share with the class next Friday)

Voting (cont’d)  Administering Elections  Governed by the Texas Election Code  Qualifications for Voting (main qualifications)  Citizen of United States (native-born or naturalized)  At least 18  Resident of state and county for at least 30 days immediately preceding election day  Voting early is also an option for many Texans.  In-person early voting, voting by mail, and fax machine voting (military personnel).  Six astronauts have cast ballots from space!  Texas is divided into 8500 voting precincts, and each include voters.  Citizens must vote in their designated precinct!

Primary, General, and Special Elections  Primaries  Preliminary election conducted within the party to select candidates who will run for public office in a subsequent general election.  Ex. R vs R and D vs D Not R vs D  Closed vs. Open Primary  In a closed primary, voters must declare their party allegiance prior to voting.  In an open primary, voters may decide who they’ll vote for at the voting booth.  General and Special Elections  Held in November every even-numbered years to elect county and state officials among those candidates who were nominated in the primaries.  Ex. R vs. D  Special elections may occur if there is a vacancy. The governor calls this election to fill the vacancy or vote on a proposed state constitutional amendment or local bond issue.