The Electoral Process Chapter 7

The Nominating Process Nomination is the first step in the process. There are 5 ways to nominate a candidate in the United States… Self-announcement Caucus Convention Direct primary Petition

Self-Announcements The oldest of the methods of Nomination. The person wanting to run for office just announces that they want to run. This is often done by someone who didn’t get the regular party nomination, but still wants to run.

Caucus A group of like-minded people who meet to select the candidates they will support in an election. At first, a caucus was a private meeting of rich influential men to decide who would run for office…as the years went on, this got a lot of opposition, so the caucus became a legislative process. Today, the caucus is mostly used in small, local elections.

The Convention Replaced the Caucus method of nomination. A party’s members meet in a local caucus to pick candidates for local offices and, at the same time, to select delegates to represent them at a county convention. At the convention, the delegates vote on who will run for their party in the election. Today, the National conventions are more in name only, primaries select our candidates.

The Direct Primary An intra-party election, held within a party to choose that party’s candidates for the general election. Closed Primary- (26 states and DC use this method) a party nominating election in which only declared party members can vote. (You have to register as a member of that party to vote in a closed primary). Open Primary- a party nominating election in which any qualified voter can take part.

Petition Candidates for public office are nominated by means of petitions. Signed by a certain required number of qualified voters in the election district. Used in a lot of local elections.

Elections Section 2

When? Most states follow the same schedule for national voting (because more people are likely to vote for a local election if they are already there to vote in a national election). The “Tuesday-after-the-first- Monday” formula for elections ensures that elections don’t fall on Sundays.

Early/Absentee Voting Absentee voting- voting by those unable to get to their regular polling places on election day.

Who qualifies for absentee voting? Those too ill or disabled to vote that day. Those who will be away from home on election day. Those serving in armed services. If you qualify for absentee voting, you get your ballot by mail and return it by mail also within a specific time period.

The “Coattail Effect” Happens when a strong candidate at the top of the ballot helps attract voters to the other candidates in their party. Ex- If someone is going to vote for Barack Obama (democratic party) and they don’t know who else to vote for, so they just vote for all of the democrats on the ballot (straight ticket voting) They “ride in on the coat tails” of someone else.

Where do you Vote? Precinct-a voting district. Polling place-the place where you vote within your precinct. Ex.- If you live in Franklin, chances are you will either vote at the Williamson County Library (next door) or at Franklin High School (or one of the other high schools or municipal buildings).

Types of Ballots

The Australian Ballot It is printed at the public’s expense. It lists the names of all candidates in an election. It is given out only at the polls; one to each qualified voter. It is marked in secret. Created in Australia in the mid 1850’s, used in the US today.

The Office Group Ballot Original form of the Australian ballot. Candidates for an office are grouped together under the title of that office. Problem- at first, most names were listed in alpha order, that caused a problem because the top name got more votes (people vote for who they see first). Solution- states started to rotate names in different versions on the ballot.

Party-Column Ballot It lists each party’s candidates in a column under the party’s name. Often there is a place at the top where you can just put an X and vote for the entire column. Downside- discourages split- ticket voting.

Other Sample ballots- Bedsheet ballots Available in most states, you can look at them before the election to prepare for the big day…eliminates confusion. A very long ballot, with a lot of things to read and vote on. “As long as a bed sheet”

Online Voting Is this where we are headed as a country? What would be the pros? The cons?

Money and Elections Section 3

Campaign Spending We don’t know exactly how much money is actually spent on elections, we can only estimate. What do they spend money on? Radio and TV time Campaign managers and staff Newspaper ads Pamphlets; internet ads Mass mailings Bumper stickers Office rent Posters Much more…

Sources and Limits of Contributions Small Contributors- give a few dollars here and there. $5, $10, $20, maybe $100.

Sources and Limits of Contributions Wealthy Individuals/Families- give large donations (usually for political favors later). Cannot give more than $2,100 to any federal campaign, in any year. Cannot give more than $5,000 in any year to a PAC. Cannot give more than $26,700 to a national party committee in any year. Cannot give more than $101,400 in an election cycle (every 2 years).

Sources and Limits of Contributions Candidates- they spend A LOT of their own money (this is why you need to be wealthy to run for a big office). There is not limit on how much a candidate can spend of his/her own money.

Sources and Limits of Contributions Political Action Committees (PACS)-political arms of special interest groups. They give money to get the candidates to support their cause. “Segregated Fund Committee” (i.e. business associations, labor unions, and professional organizations). They can only raise money from their members. “Unconnected Committees”- established by an independent entity. Ideologically based; can raise money from the public at large. Ex-EMILY’s List- Early Money Is Like Yeast- it makes dough rise.

PAC Limitations PACS “bundle” their money into a single large fund. Cannot give more than $5,000 to any one federal campaign. Cannot give more than $10,000 in an election cycle. Cannot give more than $15,000 to a political party during any given year. Overall, though, there is no limit on how much the give in any given year.

Sources and Limits of Contributions Temporary Organizations- groups formed within the community for the campaign. Hold fund raisers. $100, $500, $1,000/plate dinners Some reach the $100,000-or-more level in presidential elections. Subsidy- a grant of money, usually from a government. Important to presidential campaigns.

The Federal Election Commission The FEC administers all federal law dealing with campaign finance. What they do: Require the timely disclosure of campaign finance data. Place limits on campaign distributions. Place limits on campaign expenditures. Provide public funding (subsidies).

Public Funding of Presidential Elections Preconvention Campaigns- presidential primary and caucus campaigns are supported by the private contributions a candidate raises plus the public money he or she receives from the FEC.

Public Funding of Presidential Elections 2. National Conventions- if a major party applies for the money, it automatically receives a grant to help pay for its national convention.

Public Funding of Presidential Elections 3. Presidential Election Campaigns- every major party nominee automatically qualifies for a public subsidy to cover the costs of the general election campaign.

Hard Money Money raised and spent to elect candidates for Congress and the White House.

Soft Money Funds given to party organizations for such “party-building activities” such as: Candidate recruitment, Voter registration, “get-out-the-vote” drives, etc.