Learning Institute for Elders Terri Susan Fine, Ph.D. Professor of Political Science, UCF September 4, 2012

 Article I, Section 4 ◦ “The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations…”

 Article II, Section II ◦ “Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative…shall be appointed an Elector.”

 Areas of state-level control within federal requirements: ◦ Registration requirements ◦ Times that the polls are open ◦ Early voting? ◦ Polling locations  Federal-level policy ◦ Redistricting and reapportionment ◦ Voting Rights Act (1965) and amendments

◦ Political Parties: Political parties select candidates to run for office through one of three systems ◦ As political parties are not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution, neither is anything that parties do  The President is nominated at a quadrennial convention  There are no dates set for primaries, caucuses and conventions ◦ Election Day: Why is Election Day the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November?

 Role of parties, nominee and voting public in nominations has changed since the 1970s  The conventions in 2012: Does location matter? ◦ Convention trivia:  Why have most nominating conventions been held in Chicago more than any other city?  When was the last multi-ballot convention?  Who was the last major party candidate who didn’t run in a single primary or caucus?

 In Florida, the polls will be open from 7-7 on Tuesday, November 6. ◦ Absentee voting option:  Must be received no later than 7pm November 6 if sent from somewhere other than a military base  If absentee votes are sent from a military base, they must be postmarked November 6, and must arrive by November 13  Florida’s vote will be certified on November 13

◦ Early voting option:  Early voting will be available in Florida from October 27-November 3  Early voting sites must be open every day during this period, and for at least six hours per day  Early voting changed as of 2012  Early voting instituted in Florida in 2002  Had been 14 days; now 8 days

 The Electoral College meets in each state on December 17, 2012  Florida requires that Electors cast their ballot based on both a party pledge and state law (§ (1))  All but two states are “winner take all” states (Nebraska and Maine)  Florida will have 29 Electoral Votes in 2012 (up from 27 in 2008)  270 Electoral Votes needed to win

 Changes in cross county registration on Election Day  Third Party Registration