Elections

1
Elections

• Section 2
• Pgs. 166-171

2
The Administration of Elections

• Democratic govt. cant succeed unless elections
  are free, honest accurate.

3
Extent of Federal Control

• There are more than 500,000 persons who hold
  elective offices
• Congress has power to fix the times, places
  manner of holding election

4

• Congress set date for congressional elections as
  the 1st Tuesday following the 1st Monday in Nov.
  of every even-numbered year.
• Presidential same date every 4th year.
• Congress requires secret ballot
• Local elections- spring

5
Coattail Effect

• ride the coattails
• Example Ronald Regan helped many other
  Republicans win office

6
Precincts Polling Places

• Voting takes place in local precincts and polling
  places
• Polls are usually open from 7-8AM to 7-8PM

7
Ballots

• Paper ballots were originally used.
• Australian Ballot-every state uses this
• Features lists the names of all candidates,
  given out at polls, secret ballot

8

• party-column
• each partys candidate in a column under the
  partys name

• office group type
• candidates for each office are grouped together,
  listed in alpha order

9
Voting Machines

• Voting machines electronic vote-counting
  systems are in wide use in States
• Vote by mail elections are increasing in local
  elections