W HY E LECTIONS ? Understanding the Importance and Basics of Elections in American Government

A F EW K EY T ERMS W E S HOULD U NDERSTAND B EFORE M OVING F ORWARD Campaign: the effort taken to win votes in an election Election : a mechanism for making collective decisions Assumes a campaign will be held beforehand Citizen : an individual who has both rights and responsibilities in a country Politics : process of deciding who gets what, when, and how without resorting to violence Constitution : blueprint of the American government; establishes the foundation for American law

F UNCTIONS OF E LECTIONS 1. Choosing public officials Provides a voice to citizens in government Can also choose who will run for office (primary) and can remove people from office (recall) 2. Ensuring accountability Elected representatives must answer to those they represent Trustee Model : elected officials act on behalf of their constituents Delegate Model : elected officials act in place of their constituents

F UNCTIONS OF E LECTIONS C ONTINUED 3. Influencing the direction of policy Weak Form: elected officials react to popular demands to increase chance of reelection Voters have influence, but not control Strong Form: candidates are elected based on their proposed agenda Once elected, claim they have a mandate to govern Initiatives/referendum: citizens vote on legislation 4. Granting legitimacy to government Help determine who the rightful occupant of an office is Maintains the rule of law; lack of violence over transfer of power

E LECTIONS AND T HEMES OF A MERICAN G OVERNMENT 1. Federalism: states vary in their rules and processes, thus creating different scenarios Federal (national) government has limited control 2. Popular Sovereignty: elected officials are chosen and held responsible by the people 3. Separation of Powers: since we elect members of government in different elections at different times, no single election can fully determine policy 4. Limited Government: government officials are limited in their power and elections have constitutional restrictions, thus reelection is not guaranteed

E LECTIONS AS AN I NSTITUTION Has a set of rules Laws passed by Congress (examples: Voting Rights Act, Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act) Constitution Can be reformed Has evolved over time More constitutional amendments deal with elections than any other subject! Has structures (Electoral College, Federal Election Commission)

E LECTIONS AS A P ROCESS Elections are fluid Depends on the actions/decisions of political actors (voters, candidates, media, etc.) Where to campaign? What issues to speak on? Changes in rules shape who gets elected Elections are shaped by current events Role of the “October Surprise”