1. Elections
Chapter 13

2. Question to ponder
What is the difference between a primary and a caucus?

3. A command for the elected official to carry out their platforms is call a
Order
Mandate
Injunction
Prescription
Response Grid

4. Purposes of Elections Fill public offices Staff government
Winners claim a mandate from the people

5. The method of primary election that is healthiest for the party system is this type…
Closed
Open
Blanket
Competitive

6. Primary election vs. General Election
Primary Elections: nominate candidates
Open
Closed
Runoff
General Election: fill elective public offices.

7. Other elections Initiative: Proposals supported be the people
Referendum: Proposals submitted by state legislatures
Recall: Voters remove an incumbent from office by popular vote
i.e. Governor Grey Davis was removed by a recall vote, replaced by “Terminator”

8. The most party-oriented means of choosing delegates to the national convention is
Winner-take-all
Proportional representation
Through the use of bonus delegates
The caucus

9. Primary v. Caucus Primary
Winner take all primary: Candidate with majority of votes receives all that state’s delegates.
Proportional representation primary: Candidates receive % of delegates in proportion to their % of popular vote in that state.
Caucus: Party members meet throughout the state to select the party’s delegates

10. Primary vs. Caucus 36 states had primaries in 2012
14 states had caucuses
Iowa caucus begins the nomination season

11. Frontloading
Frontloading: tendency of states to choose an early date on the primary calendar.
Benefits?

13. The parties’ national conventions
Are deliberative bodies
Merely ratify preselected nominees
Are often full of surprises
Behave as decision-makers

14. Party Conventions Held the summer of an election year Media frenzy
First national convention held in 1831 by the Anti-Masonic Party.
Fundamentally different today than what it was in the past

16. Participant Scores Participant 1 Participant 2 Participant 3
Participant 1
Participant 2
Participant 3
Participant 4
Participant 5

17. What percentage of your current points would you like to wager on the next question?0%
25%
50%
75%
100%

18. Exceptional delegates Superdelegates
Delegate slots to the Democratic National Convention that are reserved for elected party officials are called
Units
Ombudsmen
Exceptional delegates
Superdelegates
Countdown 15

19. Factors Decline Roles of Conventions
Delegate selection
Primaries, proportional representation, pre-committed to their candidate, superdelegates
National candidates
Lessened the power of state and local party leaders at the conventions.
News Media
Tracking delegate selection, much exposure and information

20. Who are the Delegates? keen interest in politics
more to the right or left
financially better off

21. Congressional elections differ from those for the presidency because
Many candidates are celebrities
Most candidates are not well-known
Media attention is acute in congressional races
Incumbency is relatively unimportant
Countdown 15

22. Congressional Elections
Occur every two years
Less obscure, popular than presidential elections.
Midterm elections: elections that take place in the middle of a presidential term (2010, 2014, 2018, etc)

23. Incumbency Advantage Incumbent: somebody already in office
Taxpayer funds to run office
Highly visible in districts
Gerrymandering
Franking privilege: ability of congressional leaders to send mail to their constituents at no cost.
Re-election of incumbents are VERY high

24. Michigan’s Congressional Districts

25. Redistricting
Every 10 years, based on U.S. Census, congressional district lines are redrawn.
Redrawn by state legislatures
Reapportionment: when states gain or lose representation in the House

26. Reno v. Shaw

27. Shaw v. Reno (1993) Gerrymandering case
Districts created with race as the dominant consideration violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment

28. Participant Scores Participant 1 Participant 2 Participant 3
Participant 1
Participant 2
Participant 3
Participant 4
Participant 5

29. What percentage of your current points would you like to wager on the next question?0%
25%
50%
75%
100%

30. In general, voter turnout is higher among those who are
Older and wealthier
Less educated with a moderate income
Female
Younger
Countdown 15

31. Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s First Choice
Who Votes?
Education: More education = more likely to vote. Most important factor.
Age: Older = more likely to vote.
Race: Caucasian = more likely to vote. BUT, other ethnicities are higher with comparable education.
Interest in politics (political efficacy)

32. Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s First Choice
Who Votes? (continued)
Marital Status: Married = more likely to vote.
Union Membership: Union member = more likely to vote.
Traits are cumulative - possessing several adds up.

33. Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s First Choice

34. In 1971, the voting age was lowered to 18 by which Amendment?
21st
18th
17th
Countdown 15

35. Reasons for Lower Voter Turnout
Difficulty of Registration (#1 reason)
“Motor Voter” laws: register when apply for license.
Too Busy
Number of Elections
Difficulty of Absentee Voting
Age
Limited opportunities (midweek, limited hours, single day,etc…)

36. The Electoral College was modified by which Amendment?
Countdown 15

37. Electoral College 1 Congress member=1 Electoral Vote
23rd Amendment- 3 electors to D.C.
Winner take all in 48 states
Winner of the popular vote in the state receives ALL of that states electoral votes
Nebraska and Maine: District method
National Popular Vote is IRRELEVANT

38. E.C.-National Popular Vote is IRRELEVENT
1824, 1876, 1888, 2000: President won despite not having the majority of popular vote

39. In the event a candidate does not get a majority of the electoral votes, who decides the winner?
Supreme Court
Congress
Senate
House of Representatives
Countdown 15

40. Elections decided by House of Representatives
In the event no candidate receives majority (more than 1/2 ) of electoral votes, House of Representatives decides
1800- Tie in Electoral College (Result was 12th Amendment)
1824-House chose Adams over Jackson
1876-Hayes over Tilden