The first Tuesday after the first Monday.

 1. Campaign and debate for primary elections  Candidate for the two major parties chosen by primary process  Conventions- formally nominate and promote candidate  Campaign and debate for general election  Election day  Electoral College formality

 PRIMARY- Decides which candidate party prefers in the general election. Closed- only vote within party Open- vote either party, but only one party- Ind can vote too Blanket primary- vote either party and cross over on ballot. Beauty contest- Vote not binding, just a preference

 We know that primary thing. What the heck is a caucus?  Can you believe this? Can you believe this?

Primary election ideological stances are more extreme, as only motivated vote

 GENERAL ELECTION- Primary winner from each party run for the office at stake

 Following primary/caucus season the party has a huge party:  The Convention: 1. Choose candidate- confirm choice of voters 2. create platform 3. Advertise, advertise, advertise 4. Get away from home-party!!

 Typical convention activity:

 Or this:

 Or even this:

 And finally:

 Primary elections choose them, not presidential candidate  Typically proportional to vote won in state  Dems have superdelegates too- party leaders who go to convention and vote as they choose. 20% of delegates in Protect establishment

 General election requires a move to the center to attract the less motivated, less passionate

 Consequently, primary elections require different lies than the general election  I lied, then I lied differently I lied, then I lied differently

 Choosing a Presidential candidate: 50 separate state elections- exhausting but allows for every voice to be heard States use PRIMARY or CAUCUS

 Start earlier and earlier  1968 RFK announced candidacy in March but now candidates are chosen by then, with 70% chosen by then  NH primary March February January 8  Hurts unknowns, helps well funded, hurts slow starter, hurts process as we don’t see them under fire

 Thought is that you settle early so candidate can save money and avoid protracted ugly campaign against people that are actually allies.

 Shankar Vedantam – Wash Post  GOP chooses established well known national figure (Bush, Reagan, McCain etc)  Dems choose lesser knowns, with little DC background ( Clinton, Carter, Obama), someone who starts off unknown

 Two contrary forces- 1. Electable candidate 2. appease party extremists- they are people who raise money, campaign, dock on doors… Think Tea party- they are passionate but can they choose an electable candidate?  Easier when party chose candidate but now it is the public.

 Many say “ vote the man.” Lies!! 1976 NATDEM REP CARTER FORD NAT DEM REP GORE BUSH

 Party is the major factor but democrats don’t always win despite 48% to 40% lead is registered voters. Dems less wed to party Independents often prefer GOP Higher % of GOP voters actually vote

 Broad issues predominate Economy is #1 ( It’s the economy stupid”) war important too Retrospective voting- “How has he done?” Prospective voting- “What will he do?”

 Coattails: Popular president has ability to drag in others from same party on his/her coattails. - effect is in decline

 Constituency services get votes at local level.  Communication in the community  Franking- Mailing stuff for free

 Funding a campaign:  Hard money vs soft money:  Hard is given directly to a campaign, soft is nebulous, unregulated money spent on issues, party building etc.  2002 McCain/Feingold eliminated soft money….but not really

 Bipartisan campaign Reform Act of outlawed soft money and restricted hard money  1. Eliminated soft money  2. Prohibited corporations from broadcast electioneering within 60 days of election

 Soft money lives!!- 527 organizations ( named for section in the tax code) run // campaigns ex.- Swift Boat veterans, Moveon.org  Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission- 5-4 ruling that corporations can not be restricted- 1 st amendment!!!

 Political Action Committee- run by corporations, unions, politicians etc.  Raise money for candidates  2008 limits $5,000 to an individual per election cycle $15,000 to the party  Typically give to those that help the most- buying influence  Gee,I wonder why these guys are getting big money Gee,I wonder why these guys are getting big money

 Bundling- When a donor maxes out he gets friends, employees etc to donate and he presents the donation in one big bundle. BINGO, influence is purchased  Bundle of influence Bundle of influence

 PACs give money to politicians, Super PAC’s do not  PAC’s have those nasty spending limits, Super PAC’s do not  2012 Super PAC spending just through FEBRUARY!!! Are you kidding me?Are you kidding me?

 PAC :funnel campaign contributions directly to candidates. Corporations cannot contribute directly to PACs but can sponsor a PAC for employee donations. Annual donations are limited to $5,000 from individuals, whose names and contributions must be disclosed. Bundling likely  Super PAC:raise and spend unlimited amounts on politics, must operate independently of candidates and cannot contribute to individual candidates. Donors must be disclosed to the FEC  527 group: can run political ads with unlimited individual and corporate contributions but must disclose donors to the IRS.

 Wilson argues PAC’s are so numerous that politicians can take money and still vote as they please. PAC’s only make up 27% of all contributions.  Think back to the article about the super committee. Can Wilson be right?

 100 Senators  435 in House of Representatives- each represents about 600,000 people.  Every 10 years a new census is done to determine representation.  Gerrymandering and malapportionment

 Districts drawn in an odd manner to benefit one candidate or party over another.

 Districts of considerably unequal size