Please note... n class will be cancelled on Thursday, November n please conceal your disappointment.

VOTING AND ELECTIONS

Explaining Voter Turnout – Voter Disaffection n hypotheses for declining voter turnout –changing demographics »minorities »age –fewer differences between party »electoral strategy »less interest in who wins –less effort at voter mobilization by parties

Explaining Voter Turnout – Voter Disaffection n how much do elections matter? –importance of incumbency »elections are referedums on incumbents »incumbent has to do something to lose »challenger finds it hard to get money, hard to break cycle –importance of primaries –winner-take-all system –effect of the economy

Explaining Voter Turnout – Some Observations n voter turnout and September 11 th n voter turnout and split Congress –split Congress leads to high competition –high competition leads to negative campaigning –negative campaigning leads to depressed voter turnout

Referendums and Initiatives – What are They? n What are They? –initiative – proposal to put some issue to a referendum »requires 3%-15% of voters to sign –proposition »referendum question put directly on the ballot

Referendums and Initiatives – How and When Are They Used? n examples –Oklahoma »banning cockfighting –Nevada »marijuana legalization (3 ozs.!) –California »after-school programs –Oregon »dentures

Referendums and Initiatives – How and When Are They Used? n allowed by 24 states –half of all initiatives take place in five states »Oregon, California, North Dakota, Colorado, Arizona n success rate »50% once they are on the ballot n California »8-12 propositions on EACH ballot »some propositions of VERY considerable importance

Referendums and Initiatives – How and When Are They Used? n California »8-12 propositions on EACH ballot »some propositions of VERY considerable importance –Proposition 13 (1978) »referendum to reduce local property tax –Proposition 209 (1996) »referendum to ban affirmative action programs in government

Election 2002 – Some Final Observations n White House legislative initiatives (January) »judicial nominees »patients bill of rights »energy bill »permanent tax cut –there is no safety net – “no excuses administration” »White House bipartisanship – why?? »who needs who?

AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES JUST HOW DIFFERENT ARE THEY?

Parties -- Why Have Them? n what do parties do? –aggregate interests –simplify voting choices n how important are parties? –are parties different?

Why Two Parties? n legal barriers to entry of third parties –getting on the ballot »established parties typically have automatic access –campaign financing »federal grants paid after election depending on outcome of election n 5% of the vote required n proportional to vote n dominant pattern of socialization n parties and the legislative system –flexibility of parties to co-opt other political viewpoints

Are Parties Different? n How to Measure Differences Between Parties –the ideological spectrum

The American Ideological Spectrum The Left -- Liberal The Right -- Conservative government regulation of the economygovernment regulation of the economy policies to help disadvantaged groupspolicies to help disadvantaged groups policies to redistribute incomepolicies to redistribute income fewer government regulationsfewer government regulations no special treatment for special interest groupsno special treatment for special interest groups lower taxeslower taxes More Gov’t Less Gov’t

Are Parties Different? n How to Measure Differences Between Parties –the ideological spectrum –parties on the spectrum »what people think »who parties attract –the issue of perspective

Are Parties Different? n How to Measure Differences Between Parties –the ideological spectrum –parties on the spectrum »what people think »who parties attract –the issue of perspective »a comparative perspective

Are Parties Different? n How to Measure Differences Between Parties –the ideological spectrum –parties on the spectrum »what people think »who parties attract –the issue of perspective »a comparative perspective »the American perspective

Forces Determining Party Ideology n centrifugal forces –forces pulling parties away from the political centre n centripetal forces –forces pulling parties toward the political centre

Parties and Democratic Participation n act as gatekeepers of public debate –good »structure the vote »filters out political “noise” »ensure that debate takes place within the bounds of a public consensus –bad »parties limit the range of public debate »offer no real “choices” -- only give the illusion of choice »leads to trivialization of politics

Americans and their Views of Parties n American constitutional design –no provision for political parties n American political practice –arose to fill a need in the American political system »how do you maintain levels of political participation »how do you manage high levels of participation n the Conundrum of American Parties –crucial element of the American system –Americans are suspicious of parties