Campaigns and Elections The nominating process Campaign organization Problems with campaign finance Organization and implementation of elections

The nomination ► The 1 st step: choosing of candidates within each party ► Narrows the field of possible candidates ► Self Nomination= was the main way until the 1800’s (still used in small towns) ► Candidate must file a petition to be on the ballot (number of signatures varies per state) ► If not enough signatures to get on ballot, can be a “write-in candidate”  Rarely successful

Party Caucus ► Constitution doesn’t give instructions for nominating candidates for Pres./V.P.. ► 1797, party leaders (wealthy, influential) decided to keep power by holding caucuses  Early meetings where party leaders chose candidates in secret (voters had no part) ► By 1820, caucuses were controversial, “King Caucus”…they faded away.

Party Nominating Convention ► Replaced caucuses ► Official meeting of a political party candidates and delegates are chosen.  Both systems have been abused  Most states don’t use conventions  National convention still used

The Direct Primary ► Replaced convention system in most states. ► An election held within each party to pick candidates for the general election. ► States usually set the dates and conduct. ► Different kinds of primaries  Closed primary  Open primary  Run-Off Primaries  Nonpartisan elections

Nominating Presidential Candidates ► Begins with state primaries, caucuses and conventions, which are followed by the national party conventions.  State parties, caucuses or conventions  National party conventions ► Adopt the official party platform ► Decide who will be the party’s v.p. and pres. Candidates ► delegates ► Not as important in the nominating process as they once were.

The Campaign

Campaign- originally a military word ► To win = organized, well planned, $  *see diagram on pg. 299 ► Campaign Strategy  Aggressive vs. low key, issues?, theme/slogan? $ for t.v. etc… ► Traditional Techniques  Door to door ► Mass media and computerized techniques ► Opinion polls (tracking polls)

3 ways campaigns make a difference ► Reawaken partisan loyalties of voters  Right after a nomination, that persons popularity with both parties goes up. Media attention during the summer months when not much else is going on. ► See how candidates handle pressure  Negative ads work by stimulating voter turnout ► Allow the voter to judge the core values/character of the candidate.

Campaign costs ► Campaign finance laws

Campaign-Financing Laws ► FECA Federal Election Campaign Act  No limits on overall spending  Restricted amount to be spent on mass media  Limited amount that candidates and their families could contribute to their own campaigns  Required candidates to disclose all expenditures and contributions over $100  $1 checkoff on federal income tax returns (has since been raised to $3)

Amendments to the Act: 1974 ► Created the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for enforcement. ► Public financing for presidential primaries and general elections. ► Limits on pres. Campaign spending: if you agree to fed. Support, you must agree to limit expenditures. ► Required disclosure. ► Limited contributions: citizens can give up to $1000/candidate in each fed election or primary. Total limit for any individual in one year is $25,000. Groups can contribute a max of $5,000 to a candidate in any election. ► 1976 Case: Buckley v. Valeo- court ruled unconstitutional the part that limits amount candidate can spend on his/her own campaign

Barack Obama ► Barack Obama became the first presidential nominee to opt out of the public funding system set up after the Watergate scandal. ► To date, he has raised nearly $650 million (Nov. 4 th 2008) ► By contrast, John McCain, who opted for public funds has raised about 360 million dollars overall.

► Analysts are now questioning that rules that govern how presidential campaigns are funded and many suggest this year's campaign sounds the death knell for public finance, which is funded by voluntary taxpayer contributions.

PAC’s ► FECA gets amended again in 1976, corporations, labor unions, and interest groups can set up political action committees to raise $ for candidates. ► Legitimacy- $ must come from at least 50 volunteer donors, must be given to at least 5 candidates. ► Can contribute up to $5000 per candidate in each election.

PAC’s ctd… ► # of PAC’s dramatically since the 70’s. ► 1976, about 1,000 PAC’s. ► Early 2000’s more than ► Total spending  $19 million $900 million ► They may conduct their own campaigns. (can spend as much as they want on these) ► Spend tons of $ on tv commercials  Praise or attack ads. ► PAC’s tend to give more $ to incumbents.

Ethics and Political Campaigns ► $ and gaining public office. ► How can the avg. person get a seat in Congress? ► The need for $ creates questionable fundraising techniques. ► Once in office, how can someone ignore those who gave the $? ► Negative campaign advertising.

Problems with enforcing Campaign-Financing Rules Loopholes Soft money

► 2000 election, about $900 million spent. ► Only $167 million came from the federal government. ► What about the other $733 million? ► LOOPHOLES

Avoiding Campaign Financing Rules ► 2 significant loopholes  Soft Money, Foreign Contributions ► Soft Money: Nothing prevents people or corporations from contributing to political parties. “Party building” costs. Difficult to track. ► Soft dollars have become the main source of campaign $ in the pres. Race. ► More than twice in 1996, than in 1992!!!!

► Foreign Contributions: it is against federal law for political parties or candidates in the U.S. to accept $ from foreign sources. ► During the 1996 elections, 10’s of millions were sent from foreign sources to U.S. candidates and political parties. ► Legal U.S. residents, even if they have foreign citizenship, can make contributions to political parties. ► U.S. branches of foreign companies can contribute, provided the funds were made in the U.S. (NOT)

Reform Campaign Financing? ► Americans think we should! Can’t agree how. ► Ban or limit contributions by PAC’s’  Pro- they favor incumbents  Con- this would place more power in the hands of gov’t ► Ban or limit foreign contributions  Problem- what is a foreign company?

Campaign Finance ctd… ► Ban or Limit Soft-Money Contributions ► Remove all limits on Private Campaign Spending (document all) ► The Free Speech issue  Buckley v. Valeo

Money and Winning ► In the general election for Pres. $ doesn’t make much difference b/c both major party candidates have the same amount. ► During peacetime, 3 things decide:  Political party affiliation  State of the economy  Character of the candidates ► 80 % of the vote will go to the 2 major parties. This means that the election will be decided by the 20% who can’t be counted on to vote either Dem. Or Rep.

Structure of American Elections General Elections and Special Elections General Election- regularly scheduled, voters choose who will hold many public offices. Special Elections- When an issue must be decided before the next gen. Election. Initiative, referendum, recall

Ballots ► Early days = people gathered in a central place and called out their vote. (influenced?) ► 1800’s, paper ballots. Different colored ballots, ballot box was in plain view. ► Australian Ballot- secret

The Electoral College ► 1 st step- general election (pop. Vote) ► Electors are chosen by the state’s political parties. ► Each state has as many electoral votes as they have Senators + Reps. There are also 3 electors from D.C.. ► Winner take all (except ME,NE) ► Electors meet in Dec., votes counted by Congress in Jan. ► Need more than ½ of the 538 electoral votes (270 to win)

If no one gets a majority of electoral votes, the House votes for Pres.

► There have been more than 500 amendments calling for changes. None have passed.