Elections!!! Chapter 10

America’s Three Elections (We’re Somethin’ Special) America has three types of elections Primary General Referendum/initiative

Primaries in America Types of primaries Presidential Direct Party elections to select candidates for the general election Clinton vs. Obama Walberg vs. Rooney Primaries have positive and negative effects Forces candidates to take positions Makes voters think about policy positions Nasty primary can damage the image of eventual winner $$$$

How Primaries Can Hurt – Enter Joe Biden Biden speaks to an Indian-American http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIT3jUrNTX0 Biden on the lake http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmRXH7RkCZQ Biden Wheel Chair http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRV5Y1JCGRI

Tensions Flare http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD9F1t9GQzA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL3HZc987NE

More on Primaries Inter-party debate on the direction of the party Tea Party and Republicans Open vs. Closed Advantages vs. Disadvantages – What are they?

Presidential Primaries Each state holds own selection process Primary vs. Caucus Parties set own rules 2,509 Republican vs. 4,322 Democrat Party delegates are selected to attend nominating convention Number of delegates usually based on state’s population Similar to electoral college

Republicans in Da House

Republicans 2008 in the Land of the Hand

Why Might It Matter When Your State Holds It’s Primary/Caucus? Brainstorm http://archive.stateline.org/flash-data/Primary/2008_presidential_primaries.pdf

Primary Terms Frontloading Super Tuesday What MI did!! Jockey for position. Super Tuesday Day with the greatest number of primaries/caucuses held Gotta do well 2008 50+% of Democratic delegates 40+% of Republican delegates

Delegates Are Not Created Equal Pledged Delegate – Regular Folk People selected by state primaries or caucuses Vote tied to a candidate Unpledged Delegate (Super-delegate) – Party Fat-cats Vote at nominating convention based on status in the party No direct connection to a single candidate

Super-Delegates, Part Duex Mostly in the Democratic Party Governors, Senators, Representatives Party Leaders (DNC), Big-Time Donors Few in Republican Party Party Leaders (RNC)

Land of the Hand Gets a Slap on the Wrist Michigan moved it’s primary up Punished by super-delegates from MI

NATIONAL CONVENTIONS – Formal nomination of party’s candidate REPUBLICAN PARTY Last on: Sept. 1-4, 2008 Minneapolis, Minnesota 2,509 delegates 60 from Michigan Candidate needs 1,255 to win the nomination -Lots of white men, why? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrlkcMOMhrQ&feature=related DEMOCRATIC PARTY Last on: August 25-28, 2008 Denver, CO 4,322 delegates 128 from Michigan Candidate needs 2,161 to win the nomination -Women out number men, most minorities ever at a convention, why? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ato7BtisXzE Held in states they want to win Conventions: speeches, parties, music, nominee speech, and you tell the candidates story

The Electoral College Electoral College: A body of electors chosen by the voters of each state to cast the ballots that elect the president and vice-president. Electors are appointed or elected by their political party, and if that party wins the popular vote in that state, the electors who's state has won proceed to the Capital on the Monday following the second Wednesday in December to formally cast their ballots. 538 Electoral College Voters Each states gets the amount of their US Senators + US Reps Winner-take-all for all states except Maine and Nebraska Must have 270 to win In the event of 269-269 tie or less than 270, the House of Representatives decides who the president will be. Each state’s congressional delegation will get one vote.

Dingell vs. Rivers http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129813613

Where are the House Districts?

REDISTRICTING Census: Every ten years = population changes Reapportionment: Allocating all 435 Congressional seats based on population. Redistricting: Redrawing the boundaries of Congressional districts to meet population changes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBNyEkxGOEY&feature=related

Gerrymandering Gerrymandering: Redistricting for political purposes. Some fine examples http://www.slate.com/id/2208216/slideshow/2208554/fs/0//entry/2208555/