Voting and Elections

VS. Voting and Elections I. Voting II. Elections A. Types of Participation B. Turnout Trends C. Who Votes? II. Elections A. The Election Process B. Money and Elections C. Variations in Federal Elections D. How Voters Decide VS.

What does Voting Involve? The Right to vote… Registering to vote and paying attention to political agendas for each candidate. Voting for Multiple Offices at different Levels Primary elections – voters choose party candidate to run in General election General elections – voters choose leaders from the candidates offered by the two parties. Types of elections… Presidential – every 4 years Congressional – every 2 years Congressional and Presidential elections occur in even numbered years.

Who Votes? Q: What’s most important to you as a young citizen? Q: Why is turnout so low? – Difficulty in Registration – Number and Frequency of Elections – Weak Political Parties / Weak Candidates –Voter Apathy – “My vote doesn’t count/matter.” Q: What is voting related to? – Age – Income – Education – Race Q: What’s most important to you as a young citizen? ________________________________________________________________________

Voter apathy…

Elections Basic Election Rules: Regularly scheduled elections Fixed, staggered, and sometimes limited terms Primaries – Where party candidates win the party nomination for Presidential Candidate. The electoral college – The body of electors from each state that actually select the Presidential winner (and Vice President).

The Electoral College

Campaigns and Funding For 2006, House campaigns averaged about $1.2 million; Senate averaged $9.6 million, but varies by state size NY 2004 (Clinton and Lazio) spent $69 million Jon Corzine (NJ) spent $60 million (mostly own money) to win Senate seat in 2000 Presidential candidates needs about $25 million to start a credible campaign. Obama spent roughly 88 million in 2008 McCain spent roughly 100 million in 2008 – Most ever? = 700 million total in 2004

Should there be Limits to Campaign spending?

Campaign Spending Should Campaign spending be limited? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________