Title: Texas Elections
1Texas Elections
- Free elections essential to Democracy
- However, Texas, as other states, has denied right
to vote to many!
2Women
- 19th Amendment legalized full citizenship for
women in 1920
3Blacks/Other Minorities
- Kennedy murder 1963
- Civil Rights Act 1964
- Johnson statement to Bill Moyers
- Voting Rights Act 1965
- Slavery
- Civil War
- Reconstruction
- 1876 election deal
- Plessey v Ferguson
- Smith v. Allwright 1944
- WWII military integration
- Brown v. Board case
4Young adults
- 26th Amendment gave 18, 19, 20 year old voting in
1971. - Below is Vietnam Memorial most of the names of
the dead are young adults.
5Economic have not citizens
- Texas required poll tax to discourage voting.
- 24th (1964) stopped for federal elections for
state elections in 1966. - Texas Constitution stopped poor paupers from
voting.
6Texas Denied Vote To
- Those who cannot meet property ownership
residency restrictive registration requirements
idiots lunatics. - U.S. military personnel due to post Civil War
hatred of Union occupation changed in 1950s.
7Voting eligibility today?
- Today, most Texans eligible to vote (Section
13.001 Texas Election Code) when - 18 years of age or older
- a United States citizen
- not determined mentally incompetent by court
- not a convicted felon unless sentence completed
or pardoned - be a resident of the county in which application
for registration is made. - Register at least 30 days prior to the election.
8Voting Information
- For voting information contact Tarrant County
Elections Office at 817-884-1115. - To look up your Tarrant County voter registration
and find your polling place http//www.tarrantco
unty.com/elections/site/default.asp - If do not live here, go to your county.
9Informed Citizen Participation?
- Consider how in 1997, in a Kaufman County Texas
election, only two people voted and they approved
a 340 million bond proposal (tax obligation) to
help home developers with pools, cabanas,
landscaping. Property tax doubled. - Citizens who did not vote are outraged but have
no one to blame but themselves. - Successful democracy depends on informed citizen
participation from ALL OF US!
10How Many Do Not Vote?
- 1980 presidential election 74,000,000 did not
vote. - 1988 presidential election 90,000,000 did not
vote! - Lowest since 1924 election of Calvin Coolidge.
Has been MUCH lower! 1996 49 turnout. - 2000 presidential election over 100,000,000!
- Texas voter turnout 12.2 9/03. 9 2001. 4.7 in
Tarrant County and 7 statewide 1999. 6.9 state
voter turnout 1997. - Did you know that in a 2007 survey of the
percentage of voting - age citizens who actually
cast a ballot in their country's elections, the
United States ranked only 139th out of 172
nations that held elections?
11Why do so many not vote?
- Too many are poorly educated regarding why
participation is so important. - Too many feel alienated because they believe
government does not address their concerns. - Too many are discouraged from participation due
to structural obstacles.
12Voter Registration Reforms
- Mail in voter registration
- Texas some others to this but we have poor
turnout. - Election day registration (high turnout)
- Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Oregon
- Universal registration (high turnout)
- Idaho
- No registration at all (high turnout)
- North Dakota
13Texas election primaries
- A. Party screens its candidates selects its'
nominees. - B. Dual primaries in Texas conducted from
7AM-7PM - 1st Primary held 1st Tuesday in March of even
years. - Majority wins or 2 highest vote earners advance
to runoff.
14Sample election, other than general
- Candidate 126 votes
- Candidate 225 votes
- Candidate 324 votes
- Candidate 415 votes
- Candidate 510 votes
- 100 total votes, so must obtain 51 to win by
simple majority (50 1 or more) to avoid
runoff! Majority wins! - But general election win by plurality vote.
15Texas primary runoff election
- 2nd Primary held 1st Tuesday in April of even
years. - 2 candidates in race majority win.
- Winners advance to November general election to
compete against nominees of all other political
parties. - Win by majority, or, if no majority winner, (due
to many parties on ballot), then by plurality.
16Voter forgot registration?
- What forms of ID accepted at poll? The Help
America Vote Act 2002 allows - Driver's license or a personal identification
card issued by DPS or a similar document from
another state - ID w/photograph, a birth certificate, U.S.
citizenship papers, a passport. - Official mail addressed to the person by name
from a government agency - Current copy of a utility bill, a bank statement,
a government check, a paycheck or other
governmental document that shows the name and
address of the voter - Any other form of identification prescribed by
the secretary of state.
17The Provisional Ballot
- What happens when voter does not bring proper
registration card isn't on voter roll? - 1. Voter shows ID, signs affidavit verifying
info. Put in envelope. - 2. Voter casts ballot, placed in separate
envelope. Provisional ballot affidavit placed
in larger envelope. - 3. Voter registrar collects provisional ballots
verifies whether came from eligible voters. - 4. Eligible provisional ballots forwarded to
ballot board counted. - 5. Registrar ballot board authenticate within
one week. - 6. Counties must provide people whose votes not
counted an explanation why. - 7. Canvassing of the election done no earlier
than 8th day and no later than the 11th day after
Election Day.
18Primary characteristics
- A. No party purity law in Texas like in other
states - B. Crossover voting good motive ... voter seeks
best candidate regardless of party. - C. Raiding voting Darth Vader motive ... voter
seeks worst candidate easiest for home party
candidate to beat!
19Party conventions
- Types of precincts
- County commissioner, Justice of Peace, Constable,
and election precincts.
20Party precinct convention
- Convenes at 715 PM after primary election closes
at poll. Sign in for presidential candidate. - Elected party chair, convention president, party
platform - Select delegates to Senate/county convention.
- 1 delegate for 25 votes cast in precinct for
party candidate for governor.
21Senate/county convention
- Same agenda
- Rate 1 delegate to the state convention for every
12 voting for governor in district or county in
last election.
22State convention
- Same general agenda, but several thousand
delegates across state attend. Held during June
July. - Elect state party officers 62 state party
committee members. - Each party in Texas selects 34 presidential
electors (538 total in U.S. vote) based on U.S.
Constitution. A minimum of 270 electors decide
who will be President and Vice President. How get
to be one? How does electoral voting work? - Choose delegates to national convention
23National convention
- Decide platform
- Elect national party executive committee members
- Select party presidential vice presidential
nominees
24Techniques in history used to name political
party nominees
- Party caucus party members in state legislature
- Choosing nominees closed to everyone else
- Complaints of abuse ... no one else could
participate
25Techniques in history used to name political
party nominees
- Party convention created in 1828 during
President Jacksons Administration - Let ordinary citizen - party members select
nominees for 1st time
26Techniques in history used to name political
party nominees
- Party primary elections
- began in Texas in 1905 for all offices except
President - President added in Texas primaries by Senate Bill
4 in 1987).
27Closed open party primaries
- Open all parties candidates are one ballot.
- Louisiana combines primary general elections
(11/5/2002), where all candidates of all parties
run for all offices. - If one gets more than 50, then is winner. If
NOT, then runoff 30 days later between 2 highest
could be same party! - Closed voting limited to party membership only.
- usually register as a party member
28Texas primary restrictions
- Has separate party voting, but does not require
party selection until vote at poll. - Cannot vote in more than one primary.
- Once vote in a party primary, cannot change to
other party primary in runoff election.
29Who can hold political party primary election in
Texas?
- Major political party can hold public elections
- If a partys candidate for governor receives 20,
then that party is major. - If not, it is a minor party all its candidates
are selected by its party convention.
30New parties
- Must file list of supporters (petition of
registered voters signatures) equal to 1 of
total governor vote in state. - Example 1 of 5,000,00050k)
- Other than Repubs/Demos, access to ballot
obtained by new party collecting 45,540
signatures (2006) in 75 days (after precinct
convention 1st Tues March until 5/11) from voters
who did not vote Rep/Demo. - Any party that gets 5 of vote gets spot on
ballot in next state election.
31Financing Elections
- Who finances elections?
- 1906-1970 financed under user-benefit theory
- political candidates financed through filing
fees. - 1,000 for race in one county...8900 in another
for same office!
32Election Finance Change
- 1970 Federal court ruled unconstitutional/now
tax/state money pays for majority of all state
elections. Now uniform filing fees pay for
portion. - 13.4 million taxpayer dollars spent for 1990
republican and democrat primary elections. About
same in 2000.
33Filing fees candidates pay to run
- 5,000President, 4,000U.S. Senate, 2,500U.S.
House , 3,000Gov/other execs, 1,000State
senate, 600State house, 600-1,000County com,
300-800Justice of Peace, 600Sheriff,
1,000DA/other county, 2,000judges
34Petition in lieu of paying filing fee
- Signatures of 2, OR 500, of all votes cast for
governor in district in last election.
35Primary Administration
- Primary elections administered by
- party chair
- executive committee
- simple majority wins, or runoff required.
36General Elections
- General elections administered by public
officials plurality wins. - Only Georgia (for primary general elections)
requires majority win, or top two advance to a
runoff. - Louisiana combines primary general elections on
general election day requires majority win, or
runoff. - Official election to determine who will occupy
seat. - Art II, Sec. 1, Congress chooses day for
selection of Presidential electors (general
election day). When? - Tuesday next after the 1st Monday in November.
Why?
37General Election Day Chosen
- Crop harvests completed by November
- Travel easier in northern states before winter
- Tuesday chosen because gave day of travel after
Sunday - Prevented elections falling on 1st day of month
that was reserved for court business at county
seat.
38Special Elections
- Fill vacancy of un-expired office term
constitutional amendment proposals - Nonpartisan eliminates need for primary
- Example In the 2000 Missouri election, then Gov.
Mel Carnahan (D), also a candidate for the US
Senate died in an airplane crash. Dead guy
defeats Sen Ashcroft. Acting Missouri Gov
appoints wife to serve until special election in
2 years. - Special elections in Texas must be held when?
Governor chooses 1 of 4 possible election dates
under Senate Bill 4. - 3rd Saturday in January
- 3rd Saturday in May
- 2nd Saturday in August
- Tuesday next after the 1st Monday in November.
- Must be next election day (of 4 options) on or
after 36th day after election called by governor.
399/13/03 Constitutional Amendment Election
- Republicans placed election on 9/13/03 to get a
lower turnout than regular 11/4/03 election.
About strategy political tactics. - Cost Harris County 1.8 million to conduct
election still must pay another 1.8 million
for 11/4 election. - Harris County has 1 in 7 of all registered voters
in Texas where high are poor low turnout in
special elections.
40Absentee Vote
- Now no fault absentee (early) voting in Texas
- No approved excuse needed, unlike before.
- Allowed on 17th day to 4th day before election.
General election absentee closed Saturday thru
Monday. - Candidates now must raise more money to
communicate with voter earlier and peak twice!
41Voting by Mail Eligibility
- Older than 65
- Disabled
- Will be out of county during early voting period
and on election day - In jail pending trial, but not convicted.
- Can send application for ballot by mail 60 days
before election or later. - Must be received by 7 pm election day.