VOTING and ELECTIONS (Conclusion) July 16 th, 2003

Explaining Voter Turnout strategic votingstrategic voting –vote in elections that are close race –vote in elections with candidates that voter has strong feelings for/against –vote in elections with issues of relevance to voter the “Seinfeld” election in 2002?the “Seinfeld” election in 2002? –vote in elections where multiple offices/issues in play

Explaining Voter Turnout low voter turnoutlow voter turnout voter fatiguevoter fatigue voter satisfactionvoter satisfaction voter disaffectionvoter disaffection

Explaining Voter Turnout – Voter Disaffection do elections matter?do elections matter? –incumbency elections are referendums on incumbentselections are referendums on incumbents incumbent has to do something to loseincumbent has to do something to lose challenger finds it hard to get money, hard to break cyclechallenger finds it hard to get money, hard to break cycle –primaries –winner-take-all

Explaining Voter Turnout declining voter turnoutdeclining voter turnout –demographics –fewer differences between party electoral strategyelectoral strategy less interest in who winsless interest in who wins –less effort at voter mobilization by parties

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

Referendums and Initiatives – How and When Are They Used? allowed by 24 statesallowed by 24 states –half of all initiatives take place in five states Oregon, California, North Dakota, Colorado, ArizonaOregon, California, North Dakota, Colorado, Arizona success ratesuccess rate 50% once they are on the ballot50% once they are on the ballot CaliforniaCalifornia 8-12 propositions on EACH ballot8-12 propositions on EACH ballot some propositions of VERY considerable importancesome propositions of VERY considerable importance

Main Point! the American political system is geared towards providing considerable opportunities for mass political participationthe American political system is geared towards providing considerable opportunities for mass political participation actual levels of mass participation may not reach the “ideal”; however, consensus that the “ideal” is high mass participationactual levels of mass participation may not reach the “ideal”; however, consensus that the “ideal” is high mass participation

AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES JUST HOW DIFFERENT ARE THEY? July 16 th, 2003

Parties – How Important are They? what do parties do?what do parties do? how well do they do it?how well do they do it?

Americans Parties – The Context American constitutional designAmerican constitutional design –no provision for political parties American political practiceAmerican political practice –arose to fill a need in the American political system how does the system maintain levels of mass political participationhow does the system maintain levels of mass political participation how does the system manage high levels of mass political participationhow does the system manage high levels of mass political participation –aggregate interests –structure the vote – simplify voting choices –create social consensus »filters out political “noise” »ensure that debate takes place within the bounds of a public consensus

Americans Parties – The Context American constitutional designAmerican constitutional design American political practiceAmerican political practice the Conundrum of American Partiesthe Conundrum of American Parties –crucial element of the American system –Americans are suspicious of parties

American Parties – The Context two party systemtwo party system legal barriers to entry of third partieslegal barriers to entry of third parties –getting on the ballot established parties typically have automatic accessestablished parties typically have automatic access –campaign financing federal grants paid after election depending on outcome of electionfederal grants paid after election depending on outcome of election –5% of the vote required –proportional to vote dominant pattern of socializationdominant pattern of socialization parties and the legislative systemparties and the legislative system –flexibility of parties to co-opt other political viewpoints

Are Parties Different? How to Measure Differences Between PartiesHow 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? How to Measure Differences Between PartiesHow to Measure Differences Between Parties –the ideological spectrum –parties on the spectrum what people thinkwhat people think who parties attractwho parties attract

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? How to Measure Differences Between PartiesHow to Measure Differences Between Parties –the ideological spectrum –parties on the spectrum what people thinkwhat people think who parties attractwho parties attract –the issue of perspective a comparative perspectivea comparative perspective

The American Ideological Spectrum in Comparative Perspective The Left -- Liberal The Right -- Conservative US Canada Italy/France

Are Parties Different? How to Measure Differences Between PartiesHow to Measure Differences Between Parties –the ideological spectrum –parties on the spectrum what people thinkwhat people think who parties attractwho parties attract –the issue of perspective a comparative perspectivea comparative perspective the American perspectivethe American perspective

Are Parties Different? measuring difference between partiesmeasuring difference between parties explaining differences between partiesexplaining differences between parties –forces determining degree of party difference forces pulling parties away from the political centreforces pulling parties away from the political centre –“product differentiation” forces pulling parties toward the political centreforces pulling parties toward the political centre –political “saleability”

Main Point!! American parties are necessary for both creating and managing mass participationAmerican parties are necessary for both creating and managing mass participation –these two functions may be contradictory to the extent that American parties are effective in managing mass participation, they may undermine the value of mass participationto the extent that American parties are effective in managing mass participation, they may undermine the value of mass participation to the extent that American parties provide limited choices, it is because they are responding to the imperatives of mass participationto the extent that American parties provide limited choices, it is because they are responding to the imperatives of mass participation