1. Paying For Election Campaigns
Chapter 10
Section 3

2. Key Terms
Propaganda: An attempt to promote a particular person or idea
Soft Money:Donations given to political parties and not designated for a particular candidate’s election campaign
Political Action Committees (PACs): Political organization established by a cooperation, labor union, or other special interest group designed to support candidates by contributing money
Incumbent: A politician who has already been elected to office

3. Running for Office
Americans spend $3 billion on elections every four years
Takes a lot of money to run successful campaign
Each campaign has a campaign organization
May have a many as a few or thousands of workers

4. Running for Office cont.
Campaign workers must acquaint voters with the candidate
Strategies used:
Canvassing
Endorsements
Advertising and Image molding
Campaign Expenses

5. Canvassing Asking for votes Taking public opinion polls Door to door
Hand out literature
Ask for votes

6. Endorsements Famous or popular person supports a campaign
Why is this useful?
If voters like the person making the endorsement they may decide to vote for them as well
Endorsements are Propaganda
Used to persuade voters to choose them

7. Advertising and Image molding
Time and money used to create right image for candidate
Political advertisements allow party to present its candidate’s position
Also to attack opponent without opportunity to respond

8. Advertising and Image molding cont.
Newspapers
Posters
Television ($$$)
Television tend to stay in people’s minds longer
Effective way to win votes

9. Campaign Expenses Television: Airfare Other transportation
Costs tens of thousands per minute
Airfare
Other transportation
Salaries for campaign staff
Fees for consultants
Pollsters
Computer, telephone, printing costs

10. Financing a Campaign
Methods established by Congressional legislation and Supreme Court decisions
Reform how candidates raise money has led to changes in law

11. Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)
1971
Controls for campaign financing
Amended in `74, `76, `79
Established rules
Required disclosure of candidate spending
Limited hard money
Amount individuals could donate

12. Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) cont.
`74 Amendment
Created Federal Election Commission (FEC)
Monitored spending
Administered laws
Candidates and parties must keep records of contributions
Must report all contributions over $200

13. Public Funding
FECA:
Created public funding for presidential elections (Presidential Election Campaign Fund)
Lets taxpayers give $3 of tax return to go to fund
After national conventions major parties split the money
Cannot accept other direct contributions
Third parties can receive some if they received 5% of popular vote in previous election

14. Soft Money and PACs Most election money comes from private sources
Hundreds of millions
Sources:
Citizens
Corporations
Labor unions
Interest groups
Political Action Committees (PACs)
FECA limited direct donations from PACs

15. PACs To avoid FECA restrictions: Soft money supposed to be used for:
Candidates can seek soft money
Can come from individuals or PACs
No limits on contributions
Soft money supposed to be used for:
voter registration drives
Mailings

16. PACs cont. Congress has discussed reforming campaign finance law
PACs gave most of their money to incumbents
However, many lawmakers were reluctant to change the rules
Why?

17. Campaign Reform 2002: Campaign Reform Act
Prohibits parties, federal officeholders, and federal candidates from raising soft money
Restricts broadcasting political ads
Raises limit on hard money
Raise $2000

18. Homework Chapter 10 Section 3 Worksheets #128-131
Chapter 10 Section 3 questions
Pg. 250
1-6 answer thoroughly