1. Elections and Campaigns

2. Presidential Elections
Exploration
Announcement/Press Conference
Money, Organization, Strategy and Themes
Primary Elections and caucuses: closed, open and blanket primaries
Nominating Conventions
Campaigning and the General Election
The Electoral College (270 electoral votes needed to win)

3. General Characteristics of Running for Federal Office
Congress has a 93% incumbency rate
Safe districts
House seats are less contested than Senate or Governor
The coattail effect
Technology has caused all campaigns to go up in cost
Campaigns are now concentrated on media
Negative campaigns attacking opponent work more often than not

4. House and Senate Elections
Incumbents rarely challenged in primaries
Open seats – must have personal money, organization, timing, consultants
Name recognition and high visibility are the keys to success
Why do incumbents win???
Franking privilege
Constituent service
Free press coverage
Seniority and “plums” of committee assignments
Senate elections are more visible, more expensive

5. Campaign Finance Reform
Federal Elections Campaign Act (FECA) 1974:
There are federal matching funds if candidate receives at least 5% of the votes cast
$1,000 limit for individuals
$5,000 limit for corporations
$25,000 limit for all campaigns for all individuals
Buckley v. Valeo 1976
Spending limits established by FECA were unconstitutional and violated the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of expression
Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act (BRCA)
Banned the use of “soft” money and increasing the 1974 limits A result of BCRA was the formation of “527” political organizations
Citizens United v. Federal Elections Committee 2010