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Texas Elections

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26th Amendment gave 18, 19, 20 year old voting in 1971. ... Lowest since 1924 election of Calvin Coolidge. Has been MUCH lower! 1996 49% turnout. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Texas Elections


1
Texas Elections
  • Free elections essential to Democracy
  • However, Texas, as other states, has denied right
    to vote to many!

2
Women
  • 19th Amendment legalized full citizenship for
    women in 1920

3
Blacks/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

4
Young 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.

5
Economic 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.

6
Texas 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.

7
Voting 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.

8
Voting 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.

9
Informed 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!

10
How 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?

11
Why 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.

12
Voter 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

13
Texas 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.

14
Sample 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.

15
Texas 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.

16
Voter 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.

17
The 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.

18
Primary 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!

19
Party conventions
  • Types of precincts
  • County commissioner, Justice of Peace, Constable,
    and election precincts.

20
Party 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.

21
Senate/county convention
  • Same agenda
  • Rate 1 delegate to the state convention for every
    12 voting for governor in district or county in
    last election.

22
State 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

23
National convention
  • Decide platform
  • Elect national party executive committee members
  • Select party presidential vice presidential
    nominees

24
Techniques 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

25
Techniques 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

26
Techniques 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).

27
Closed 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

28
Texas 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.

29
Who 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.

30
New 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.

31
Financing 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!

32
Election 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.

33
Filing 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

34
Petition in lieu of paying filing fee
  • Signatures of 2, OR 500, of all votes cast for
    governor in district in last election.

35
Primary Administration
  • Primary elections administered by
  • party chair
  • executive committee
  • simple majority wins, or runoff required.

36
General 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?

37
General 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.

38
Special 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.

39
9/13/03 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.

40
Absentee 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!

41
Voting 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.
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