VOTING AND ELECTIONS

1
CHAPTER 13

• VOTING AND ELECTIONS

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THE PURPOSE OF ELECTIONS

• CHANGES IN THE COUNTRY
• WINNER CLAIMS A MANDATE OR COMMAND FROM THE
  PEOPLE TO IMPLEMENT THEIR AGENDA

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DIFFERENT KINDS OF ELECTIONS

• PRIMARY ELECTIONS THE VOTERS CHOOSE WHO WILL
  CARRY THE PARTYS BANNER IN AN ELECTION
• CLOSED PRIMARIES-ONLY PARTY MEMBERS ARE ALLOWED
  TO VOTE
• OPEN PRIMARIES-OTHER PARTYS TO VOTE
• BLANKET PRIMARY-VOTE IN EITHER PARTY

• RUNOFF PRIMARY-SECOND ROUND CONTEST
• GENERAL ELECTIONS-CONTEST TO FILL OFFICE
• INTIATIVE-ALLOW CITIZENS TO LEGISLATE AND SUBMIT
  TO POPULAR VOTE
• RECALLS-ALLOW FOR REMOVAL

4
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

• EVERY FOUR YEARS, BIGGEST AND MOST POPULAR OF ALL
  ELECTIONS
• WINNER TAKE ALL
• PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
• CAUCUS

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PRIMARIES -VS-CAUCUSES

• TEND IN RECENT YEARS TO MOVE COMPLETELY TOWARDS
  PRIMARIES
• PRIMARIES ARE OFTEN MORE DEMOCRATIC
• CAUCUSES ARE BETETR BECAUSE PARTICIPATION IS
  DELIBERATE
• PRIMAIRES-VOTERS USUALLY KNOW LITTLE ABOUT
  CANDIDATE
• CAUCUSUES-INLCUDE HOURS OF MEETINGS WITH
  CANDIDATES

6
THE PARTY CONVENTIONS

• CONVENTIONS IN JULY AND AUGUST
• DELEGATE SELECTION-HELD BY PRIMARY ELECTIONS
• NATIONAL CANDIDATES AND ISSUES-VOTERS ARE LOOKING
  AT THESE ISSUES

• THE NEWS MEDIA-HAS CHANGED THE NATURE OF
  CONVENTIONS
• WHO ARE THE DELEGATES-DELAEGATES ARE USUALLY WELL
  EDCUATED AND VERY WEALTHY

7
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

• HOW PRESIDENTS ARE ELECTED
• FRAMERS DESIGNED E.C. TO WORK WITHOUT POLITICAL
  PARTIES
• THE NUMBER OF ELECTORS IS DETERMINED BY FEDERAL
  REPRESENTATION OF EACH STATE

• MOVE TO ABOLISH THE E.C.-MANY ARGUE THE SYSTEM IS
  ARCHIAC AND ANTI DEMOCRATIC

8
PATTERNS OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

• PARTY REALIGNMENT-CURRENT EVENTS AFFECT VOTERS
  AND OFTEN CAUSE PARTY REALIGNMENT
• SECULAR REALIGNMENT-SHIFTING OF PARTY COALITIONS

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CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS

• DIFFER FROM PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
• CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES TEND TO LABOR IN
  OBSCURITY
• THE VAST MAJORITY OF CANDIDATES ARE LITTLE KNOW
  STATE LEGISLATORS
• NAME RECOGNITION IS OFTEN THE MOST IMPORTANT
  BATTLE OF THE CAMPAIGN
• THEY RECEIVE LITTLE MEDIA COVERAGE

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THE INCUMBENCY ADVANTAGE

• INCUMBENCY IS THE CONDITION OF ALREADY BEING IN
  OFFICE
• INCUMBENTS HAVE
• ADVANTAGE BECAUSE
• TAXPAYER FUNDS THAT CAN ENHANCE THEIR PROFILES
  AND PROSPECTS
• FREE MASS MAILING
• HIGHLI VISIBLE IN THE DISTRICT, ACCESS TO LOCAL
  MEDIA, SPEAK FREQUENTLY AT EVENTS MEETINGS

11
REDISTRICTING SCANDALS AND COATTAILS

• EVERY 10 YEARS THE DISTRICT LINES ARE DRAWN FROM
  THE CENSUS INFORMATION-THIS PROCESS IS
  DISTRICTING
• THEN THE STATE LEGISLATURES REDRAW THE DISTRICT
  LINES, IN THIS PROCESS LEGISLATURES ATTEMPT TO
  GAIN ADVANTAGE-THIS IS CALLED REDISTRICTING
• IF THE PROCESS BECOMES TO POLITICAL-IT IS CALLED
  GERRYMANDERING, AND THE COURTS THEN TAKE OVER THE
  DISTRICTING

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CONTINUED

• SCANDALS-BRIBERY-OTHER MONETARY CRIMES-SEX
  SCANDALS-CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
• COATTAILS-RIDING TO THE TOP ON TOP OF YOUR
  PARTYS MOST POPULAR CANDIDATE

13
VOTING BEHAVIOR

• WHY IS VOTER TURNOUT SO LOW
• TOO BUSY, DIFFICULTY IN REGISTRATION, DIFFICULTY
  IN ABSENTEE VOTING, NUMBER OF ELECTIONS-VOTER
  BURNOUT, VOTER ATTITUDES, WEAK POLITICAL PARTIES

• VOTER TURNOUT-THE PORPORTION OF THE VOTING AGE
  PUBLIC THAT ACTUALLY VOTES
• WHO VOTES PEOPLE WITH HIGHER INCOMES,OLDER
  PEOPLE, WOMEN, WHITES, PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED
  IN POLITICS

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IMPROVING VOTER TURNOUT

• EARLY REGISTRATIONS AND ABSENTEE VOTING-ACCESS TO
  REGISTRATION SHOULD BE MORE READILY AVAILABLE TO
  ALL VOTING AGE
• MAKE ELECTION DAY A HOLIDAY
• STRENGTHEN PARTIES
• FEWER ELECTIONS