The Electoral Process Chapter 9

Nominating Process Nomination is the naming of candidates who will run for office. Major function of the political parties Leading reason for the decentralization of the parties Limits the choices of the electorate. Can determine who will win the general election.

Ways That Candidates Are Nominated There are five basic ways that candidates are nominated in US. What are they? Self-announcement Caucus Convention Direct primary Petition

Self Announcement Oldest form Still used in small and local elections Also used by candidates who want to run as independents Examples: George Wallace in 1968, Eugene McCarthy in 1976, John Anderson in 1980 and Ross Perot in 1992.

Caucus Definition. Early days used by the parties to select their candidates for president. Congressional Caucuses Still used in some local elections Still used by some states for presidential nomination.

Convention Major Parties used instead of caucus starting in the 1830s. Why? First party to have a convention? anti-Masons in 1831; Whigs had a convention the same year; Democrats in 1832. Basic procedure Criticized and replaced in early 20th Century. Why?

The Direct Primary Election held within the party to pick the party’s candidates for the general election. Every state has some form today. Most states requires major parties to use for important office. Closely regulated in most states so that state controls them.

Open v. Closed Primary What is the difference between open and closed primary? How many states closed? Open? Advantages of Closed Primary It prevents one party from raiding the other’s primary It helps make candidates more responsive to the party and its platform It makes voters more thoughtful because they have to choose between the parties in order to vote

Open v. Closed Primary Disadvantages of Closed Primary Compromises the secrecy of the ballot because voters have to make the party preference known tends to exclude independent voters from the nomination process

Primaries, Cont. Run-Off Primary --10 states Non-Partisan Primary—usually city elections Evaluating Primaries Can be confusing Turnout is low Primary voters are more extreme and partisan Expensive Divide the party

Nomination by Petition Candidates for public office are nominated by petitions signed by a required number of people. Used most widely at the local level Also used by independent candidates to get on the ballot. State sets the number of signatures needed to get on the ballot.

Section 2--Elections Elections are pointless unless they are open, free and honest.

The Extent of Federal Control Most election law is state law Federal control over state elections Congress has the power to fix the times, place and manner of holding elections for national government (House and Senate). Congress has the power to control time for choosing presidential electors, to set the date for casting electoral votes and to regulate other aspects of Presidential race

Federal Control When are congressional elections? First Tuesday after first Monday in November every even-numbered year. Presidential election is same date every fourth year. Congress requires the use of secret ballot in all federal elections—Not in Constitution. Congress has prohibited certain corrupt practices and passed laws to ensure the right to vote

The Florida Problem What problem was it designed to fix?

Help America Vote Act of 2002 What does it requires states to do? Replace all lever-operated and punch-card voting devices by 2006 Upgrade the administration of elections Centralize and computerize voter registration Allow provisional voting

Absentee and Early Voting Most states make provision for absentee voting by mail for those unable to get to their regular polling places on election day. Absentee voting usually covers three groups of potential voters. Those to ill or disable to make it their polling places those who expect to be away from hone on election day Those in the armed forces. Some states allow early voting for any reason.

The Coattail Effect What is it?. RIDING THE COATTAILS of other candidates on ballots Most apparent in presidential elections, but can be seen in state elections, as well. Reagan had a big one in 1980. Reverse can be true, too. McGovern in 1972, AND Goldwater in 1964, for example. No clear coat-tail effect in recent presidential elections.

Precincts and Polling Places A Precinct is a voting district—is the smallest geographic unit for the conduct of elections. State law restricts their size. 500-1000 eligible voters. A Polling Place—Where people cast their ballots in the precinct.

The Ballot Every state now requires a secret ballot Constitution does not require Why is it considered important? Australian Ballot. Four Features: Printed at public expense Lists the names of all candidates in an election Given out at the polls Voted in secret

The Ballot Two Types Which type do political parties like better? Office-Group Party-Column Which type do political parties like better? Sample ballots Ballot fatigue

—Money and the Election Process The great paradox of modern elections: Money is a corrupting influence but candidates can’t do without it.

Campaign Spending Amounts In 2004 the cost of all elections was 2 Billion House and Senate Campaigns cost 1 billion in 2000 Money is required for mailings, campaign staff, radio ads, web sites, buttons, etc. Biggest single item? TV advertising—Runs approximately 150,000 for 30 seconds in prime time.

Sources of Campaign Funding Private Givers—have always been the major source of funding. Small Contributors Wealthier persons Candidates themselves Special interest groups/Political Action Committees (PACs). Temporary organizations Fund-raising activities by candidates and parties Public funding—State and Federal funds given to candidates under certain circumstances.

Regulating Campaign Finance Federal Election Campaign Act Federal Election Commission Bi-Partisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002.

Federal Election Commission The agency set up in 1974 by Congress to administer federal election laws. Is an independent agency in the executive department. President can’t fire members Members appointed by president and confirmed by congress.

Federal Election Commission Laws overseen fall into four areas: Timely disclosure of campaign finance data limits on contributions limits on expenditures public funding for several parts of the Presidential election process

Disclosure Requirements No gifts in the name of another. Cash gifts limited to $100. No gifts from foreign sources. All advertising must bear the name of the candidate. All contributions must be made through a single committee. Only the committee can spend the money. All contributions above $200 must be identified by source and accounted for. All spending over $200 must be accounted for. All contributes above $5000 must be reported to FEC within 48 hours. Also contributions over $1000 in the last 20 days of campaign. Any independent committee spending more than $250 on behalf of a candidate must also file with FEC

Limits on Contributions Individuals limited to $2000 to any one candidate in the primary and the same in the general election. Limited to $5000 a year to single PAC and $25,000 to a national party. Total contribution limit to candidates and PACs is 95,000, during any election cycle (the two years from one general election to the next one).

The Role of PACs Neither corporations nor labor unions can contribute to any candidate running for a federal office. PACs are the political arms of special-interest groups—business, labor, professional, cause, and other organizations that try to influence government policies. Clout of PACs comes primarily from their ability to raise campaign money and their willingness to give it out. Are more than 4400 PACs today—

The Role of PACs PACs get money from contributors and members of the sponsoring organization. Are usually focused on narrow issues. Distribute money to candidates sympathetic to their views OR have a good chance of winning. Spent more than $600 Mil. in 2004. PACs are limited to $5000 to any single federal candidate in an election, but they can contribute to as many candidates as they want. $15000 limit to parties.

Limits on Expenditures Buckley v. Valeo-- limits on spending abridge free speech. Thus cannot limit: how much candidates spend how much of their own money candidates spend how much third parties spend to promote a candidate. However, Presidential contenders who accept federal subsidies ARE subject to limits on their campaign spending. That is part of the deal.

Public Funding of Presidential Campaigns Fed. Election Campaign Act set up the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. Money is used every four years to finance 1) the preconvention campaigns, 2) the national conventions and 3) the presidential election campaigns. Money is administered by the FEC

Public Funding of Presidential Campaigns Pre-convention Period Primaries are funded by money raised by candidates plus money received from the FEC. To be eligible for the public funds and candidate must raise at least $100,000 in contributions from INDIVIDUALS In lots of $5000 in each of at least 20 states Built from donations of not more than $250 If meet this test, FEC will match the first $250 of each individual donation up to a total of half. Does not match contributions from PACs or political organizations.

Funding Presidential Campaigns Each major party nominee automatically qualifies for a public subsidy-- 74.6 Mil. In 2004 If the candidate accepts the money: Can spend no more than the amount of the subsidy Can not accept campaign funds from any other source.

Funding Presidential Campaigns For a minor party to qualify for public funds, the minor party must either 1) have at least five percent of the popular vote in the last presidential election or 2) win at least that much of the vote in the election itself. Very few minor parties meet this threshold No minor party met this requirement in 2000 or 2004.

Soft Money Nature of the problem Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 Limits soft-money donations to political parties Limits what parties can spend on campaigns