VOTING and ELECTIONS (Cont’d) July 14 th, 2003

Voting and Elections Campaigns and ElectionsCampaigns and Elections –primaries –general elections Campaign financingCampaign financing public opinion pollingpublic opinion polling Voting TurnoutVoting Turnout Initiatives/ReferendumsInitiatives/Referendums

Campaign Financing $1 billion dollars in TV ads $1 billion dollars in TV ads basic rulesbasic rules –FEC –public funding – matching funds –spending limits –contribution limits –disclosure requirements the problem of “soft money”the problem of “soft money” –contributions to parties (as opposed to candidates)

Campaign Financing the rules collapse...the rules collapse... –spending limits enforced by federal matching funding candidates can ignore limits if they do not accept matching fundingcandidates can ignore limits if they do not accept matching funding –the problem of “soft money” parties use soft money for party-building and get out the vote campaignsparties use soft money for party-building and get out the vote campaigns can be used to get around election spending limits (e.g. are not included in limits)can be used to get around election spending limits (e.g. are not included in limits)

Campaign Financing – Recent Attempts at Regulation Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, 2002 (McCain-Feingold)Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, 2002 (McCain-Feingold) –bans the use of soft money by federal parties –limits the ability of independent groups to run issue ads in the final weeks of a campaign

Campaign Financing – Recent Attempts at Regulation McCain-Feingold challengeMcCain-Feingold challenge –federal court ruling ban on raising of soft money struck downban on raising of soft money struck down –upholds ban on party advertisements that “...appear to urge a federal candidate’s election or defeat – even if the ads not say so explicitly.” ban on third party issue ads struck downban on third party issue ads struck down –third parties would not be allowed to run ads urging a candidates election or defeat at any time federal court decision stayed pending Supreme Court decision (schedule for hearing September 8 th )federal court decision stayed pending Supreme Court decision (schedule for hearing September 8 th )

Campaign Finance -- Conclusion regulation of campaign finance made difficult because campaign contributions are seen to contribute to mass participation as well as a means of mass participationregulation of campaign finance made difficult because campaign contributions are seen to contribute to mass participation as well as a means of mass participation –parties to use soft money to “get out the vote” –contributing to campaign is seen as a mechanism of political participation –running ads in campaign is seen to constitute free speech

Public Opinion Polls centrality of pollingcentrality of polling misuse of pollsmisuse of polls –nation-wide polls nation-wide polls do not translate directly into votes in the electoral collegenation-wide polls do not translate directly into votes in the electoral college –misreading polls

Voter Turnout levels of voter turnoutlevels of voter turnout explaining voter turnoutexplaining voter turnout –low voter turnout –declining voter turnout

Explaining Voter Turnout registration proceduresregistration procedures requires registrationrequires registration motor voter lawsmotor voter laws why is voter registration even an issue?why is voter registration even an issue? low voter turnoutlow voter turnout voter fatiguevoter fatigue voter satisfactionvoter satisfaction

Voter Turnout high opportunities for mass participationhigh opportunities for mass participation –range of elective offices

Elections in Massachusetts PresidentPresident US House of RepresentativesUS House of Representatives US SenateUS Senate state governorstate governor state representativestate representative state senatestate senate state attorney generalstate attorney general state auditorstate auditor state treasurer secretary of state county commissioner sheriff clerks of courts mayor city councillors school committee members

Voter Turnout high opportunities for mass participationhigh opportunities for mass participation –range of elective offices –primary elections –referendums and initiatives actual participationactual participation –primaries (5%-20%) –general election (45%-55%)

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 referedums on incumbentselections are referedums 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 –economy

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