Voting and Elections

1
Part II

• Voting and Elections

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In the past what types of people were denied the
right to vote?

• Women
• Native Americans
• African Americans
• Non-property holders

3
Today what are the requirements to vote in most
states?

• 18 years old
• US Citizen
• Registered (except N. Dakota)
• Convicted felons must have served time

4
How did each of the following expand suffrage
(right to vote)?

• 15th Amendment all males can vote
• 19th Amendment all women can vote
• 23rd Amendment residents of Washington D.C. get
  3 electoral votes
• 24th Amendment no poll tax, poor can vote
• Voting Rights Act of 1965 literacy tests
  prohibited
• 26th Amendment 18 years and older can vote
• Voting Rights Language Assistance Act use of
  bilingual ballots

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What are the steps to voting?

• Register National Voter Registration Act Motor
  Votor Bill allows people to register when
  getting drivers license
• To register for the first time you need proof of
  citizenship, address and age

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Steps to Voting

• 2. Go to you polling place location where
  voting is carried out in your precinct your
  voting district
• 3. Get a ballot list of candidates
• 4. Step up to voting booth or machine and vote

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How can citizens who cannot get to their polling
place vote?

• Absentee Ballot must be asked for in advance,
  marked and returned to election board before
  Election Day

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How is a winner determined in an election?

• Election workers count votes and take ballots and
  results, called returns to the election board for
  verification.

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Exit Polls

• Media try and predict winners by asking (polling)
  voters on how they voted
• Criticisms may influence outcome by influencing
  those who have not voted yet

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Why do some people not vote?

• Do not meet state requirements
• Feel no candidate represents their feelings
• Feel their vote will not make a difference
• Apathy lack of interest

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Types of Elections

• Two Part Process
• Primary Elections nominate candidates to run
• General Elections choose a candidate for office
• Think of it like a playoff in sports, the
  primarys are the early rounds and if you play
  well enough, you reach the final (general
  election)

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Citizens can also vote on issues

• Initiatives way in which people can propose new
  laws or state constitutional amendments through
  petition
• Proposition if enough sign petition the
  proposed law is put on ballot for citizens to
  vote on
• Referendum When citizens can vote to approve or
  reject a state or local law

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Special Elections

• Recall Vote when people can vote to remove a
  state or local official

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What are the different techniques used in
campaigning for office?

• Canvassing party members go door to door asking
  for votes
• Advertising allow party to present only its
  candidates position and attack an opponent
  without response
• Propaganda an attempt to promote a particular
  person or idea

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Propaganda Techniques

• The Bandwagon
• Glittering Generality
• Stacked Cards
• Transfer
• Just Plain Folks
• Name Calling
• Endorsement

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Paying for campaigns

• There are four parts to any campaign. The
  candidate, the issues.., the campaign
  organization, and the money. Without the money
  you can forget the other three.
• Former House Speaker Tip ONeill

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How much do campaigns cost?

• Every four years American spend more than
• 3 BILLION a year on national, state, and local
  elections.

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How do the candidates raise the money?

• Money comes from
• Private Citizens
• The Government
• Corporations and Interest Groups
• Political Action Committees (PACs)
  Organizations set up by Interest Groups and Corp.
  to raise money for candidates

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Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)

• Established to place control on how much
  individuals and groups could give to candidates.
• WHY?

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FECA CharacteristicsPages 308-309

• Created the FEC (Federal Election Commission)
• Independent agency of the executive branch to
  administer campaign laws and watch spending

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Limited Contributions

• In order to keep corruption out of elections
• Cannot limit candidates own money (1st Amendment)

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Presidential Election Campaign Fund

• allows taxpayers to designated 3 of taxes to set
  up public fund for Presidential candidates

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What is the difference between soft money and
hard money?

• Hard Money money given directly to candidate
  for campaign limited
• Soft Money money given to political parties for
  general purposes was unlimited

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What is an incumbent?

• Politicians who have already been elected to
  office

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Why would incumbents be reluctant to pass
campaign reform laws?

• Because most PACs give their money to incumbents

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What did the McCain-Feingold Act do to restrict
campaign financing?

• Prohibits raising soft money in national
  campaigns
• Puts time restrictions on broadcasting political
  adds
• Raised the limits on hard money for campaigns

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What trends are likely to come about in campaign
financing in the future?

• Focus on many small donations rather than large
• Use of internet to campaign