Voting And Elections Chapter 13 March 25-26, 2009 AP Government Chapter 13 March 25-26, 2009 AP Government

Purposes Served By Elections  Tina: Define primary elections, then name the four different types and explain which one is healthier for the party system and why? Please touch upon the negative and positive aspects of each primary.  Maddie: What are different kinds of elections and what purpose to they serve?  Bethany: Explain the different types of primary elections and the different risks that come with them.  Tina: Define primary elections, then name the four different types and explain which one is healthier for the party system and why? Please touch upon the negative and positive aspects of each primary.  Maddie: What are different kinds of elections and what purpose to they serve?  Bethany: Explain the different types of primary elections and the different risks that come with them.

Purposes Served By Elections  Electorate: citizens eligible to vote who judge those in power by voting  Mandate: a command, indicated by votes, for elected officials to carry out platforms  Retrospective judgment: evaluation of a candidate in office  Prospective judgment: evaluation of a candidate based on what they pledge to do  Three requirements to make a judgment:  Must have own opinion  Must have an idea of what the government should do  Must see a difference between the parties  Electorate: citizens eligible to vote who judge those in power by voting  Mandate: a command, indicated by votes, for elected officials to carry out platforms  Retrospective judgment: evaluation of a candidate in office  Prospective judgment: evaluation of a candidate based on what they pledge to do  Three requirements to make a judgment:  Must have own opinion  Must have an idea of what the government should do  Must see a difference between the parties

Kinds of Elections  Primary Elections: closed vs. open, blanket, runoff  Closed prevents tampering  General Elections: voters decide which candidates will actually fill public offices  Initiative, Referendum, Recall  Controversy: too much influence by interest groups that creates an “initiative industry,” too many on the ballot (CA in 1990), wording of the question, not enough people vote, expensive  Primary Elections: closed vs. open, blanket, runoff  Closed prevents tampering  General Elections: voters decide which candidates will actually fill public offices  Initiative, Referendum, Recall  Controversy: too much influence by interest groups that creates an “initiative industry,” too many on the ballot (CA in 1990), wording of the question, not enough people vote, expensive

Primaries vs. Caucuses  Methods of delegate selection: winner-take-all (GOP), proportional representation (Democrats), proportional representation with bonus delegates or “beauty contest,” and caucus  More states use primaries now … why?  Caucuses are elitist and undemocratic, primaries open to all  Primaries provide an idea of how candidate will do campaigning  On the other hand … high quality of caucus participants, more time to deliberate, scheduling of primaries is off (front-loading), caucuses limit media coverage  Solution? Regional Primary: break up over time, focus on regional issues, BUT favor wealthy, and creates rifts  Methods of delegate selection: winner-take-all (GOP), proportional representation (Democrats), proportional representation with bonus delegates or “beauty contest,” and caucus  More states use primaries now … why?  Caucuses are elitist and undemocratic, primaries open to all  Primaries provide an idea of how candidate will do campaigning  On the other hand … high quality of caucus participants, more time to deliberate, scheduling of primaries is off (front-loading), caucuses limit media coverage  Solution? Regional Primary: break up over time, focus on regional issues, BUT favor wealthy, and creates rifts

Party Conventions  Most selected well in advance due to:  Delegate selection  Unit Rule (abolished)  Superdelegates are all governors and 80% of Congressional Dems  National candidates and issues  The News Media  Pros: opened elections, boosts candidates  Cons: apathy, expose party rifts  Delegates are wealthy, highly educated, and “ideologically pure”  Most selected well in advance due to:  Delegate selection  Unit Rule (abolished)  Superdelegates are all governors and 80% of Congressional Dems  National candidates and issues  The News Media  Pros: opened elections, boosts candidates  Cons: apathy, expose party rifts  Delegates are wealthy, highly educated, and “ideologically pure”

Electoral College  Bethany: Why did Americans want to reform the Electoral College and how?

Electoral College  Original rationale:  Work without parties  Cover both nominating and electing  Produce a nonpartisan president  1800 Election: Jefferson and Burr  12th Amendment (1804) created separate elections for each office and gave one vote for each; House decides ties  Problems: winner-take-all, minor parties, popular vote  Reform ideas: abolition, congressional district plan (1 for each district, 2 more for winner), keep college but abolish electors  Original rationale:  Work without parties  Cover both nominating and electing  Produce a nonpartisan president  1800 Election: Jefferson and Burr  12th Amendment (1804) created separate elections for each office and gave one vote for each; House decides ties  Problems: winner-take-all, minor parties, popular vote  Reform ideas: abolition, congressional district plan (1 for each district, 2 more for winner), keep college but abolish electors

Patterns: Realignment  Movements tend to be gradual, but not always … why?  Major event such as a war or depression  Party realignments: a shifting of party coalition groupings in the electoral that remains in place for several elections  Voter conversion due to issues and candidates  New voters mobilize into action  Critical elections: an election that signals a party realignment through voter polarization around new issues -> necessary to adapt to change  6 in U.S., 3 biggest: 1860, 1896, 1932  Every 76 years … we are way overdue: ticket splitting, partisan independence, voter volatility  Secular realignment: gradual change based on shifts  Movements tend to be gradual, but not always … why?  Major event such as a war or depression  Party realignments: a shifting of party coalition groupings in the electoral that remains in place for several elections  Voter conversion due to issues and candidates  New voters mobilize into action  Critical elections: an election that signals a party realignment through voter polarization around new issues -> necessary to adapt to change  6 in U.S., 3 biggest: 1860, 1896, 1932  Every 76 years … we are way overdue: ticket splitting, partisan independence, voter volatility  Secular realignment: gradual change based on shifts

Patterns: Realignment  We are way overdue for realignment. What factors are preventing it from happening?  Will dealignment continue or will we have a major realignment soon?  We are way overdue for realignment. What factors are preventing it from happening?  Will dealignment continue or will we have a major realignment soon?

Congressional Elections  Maddie: What are the advantages of incumbency?

Congressional Elections  Incumbency: condition of already holding office  92% since WWII, 95% in some recent elections  Money and visibility  “Scare” b/c of name recognition, money, staff, experience  Redistricting: redrawing of congressional districts to reflect increases or decreases in seats allotted to states, as well as population shifts; reapportion House seats  Gerrymandering: redrawing district lines to favor one’s own political party (cracking, packing, rural)  Off-year election: election that takes place in middle of a presidential term … esp bad at 6 years  Incumbency: condition of already holding office  92% since WWII, 95% in some recent elections  Money and visibility  “Scare” b/c of name recognition, money, staff, experience  Redistricting: redrawing of congressional districts to reflect increases or decreases in seats allotted to states, as well as population shifts; reapportion House seats  Gerrymandering: redrawing district lines to favor one’s own political party (cracking, packing, rural)  Off-year election: election that takes place in middle of a presidential term … esp bad at 6 years

Voter Behavior  Maddie: What factors influence voter behavior?  Bethany: Explain the study of voter behavior and how it has affected campaigns.  Tina: What factors contribute to voter turnout and what factors contribute to the issue of whether or not to vote?  Maddie: What factors influence voter behavior?  Bethany: Explain the study of voter behavior and how it has affected campaigns.  Tina: What factors contribute to voter turnout and what factors contribute to the issue of whether or not to vote?

Voting Behavior  Purpose: to explain voter turnout and voter choice  Turnout: proportion of voting-age public that votes  40% of Americans vote regularly, 25% vote occasionally, 35% rarely or never vote  Factors: income, age, gender, race, interest in politics  Wealthy, 30+, female, white, high interest more likely to vote  Why is voter turnout low?  Difficulty of registration and absentee voting  Number of elections  Voter attitudes (I’m too busy)  Weak political parties  Purpose: to explain voter turnout and voter choice  Turnout: proportion of voting-age public that votes  40% of Americans vote regularly, 25% vote occasionally, 35% rarely or never vote  Factors: income, age, gender, race, interest in politics  Wealthy, 30+, female, white, high interest more likely to vote  Why is voter turnout low?  Difficulty of registration and absentee voting  Number of elections  Voter attitudes (I’m too busy)  Weak political parties

Improve Turnout?  Raising awareness -> government class  Shorten window to a week or 10 days, allow voters to register that day, OR register all at 18  Make Election Day a holiday or a weekend day  Strengthen parties  Fewer elections (impractical)  Proportional representation  Mandatory voting  Does it matter?  Raising awareness -> government class  Shorten window to a week or 10 days, allow voters to register that day, OR register all at 18  Make Election Day a holiday or a weekend day  Strengthen parties  Fewer elections (impractical)  Proportional representation  Mandatory voting  Does it matter?

Voter Turnout  How valuable is a government class in improving voter turnout?  Should we institute mandatory voting?  How valuable is a government class in improving voter turnout?  Should we institute mandatory voting?

Ticket-Splitting  Voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election  Determining factors:  Intensity of party affiliation  Distrust in both parties  Party is less relevant as a voting cue  Issue-oriented politics  Single-interest groups  Candidate-centered personality politics  Broader-based education  Value of incumbency  Voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election  Determining factors:  Intensity of party affiliation  Distrust in both parties  Party is less relevant as a voting cue  Issue-oriented politics  Single-interest groups  Candidate-centered personality politics  Broader-based education  Value of incumbency

Reforming Process  Electoral College  Regional primaries  Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (McCain- Feingold Act)  Limit “soft money”  Decrease political ads  Increase political contribution limits for individuals  Improve voter turnout  Which option do you favor? Why?  Electoral College  Regional primaries  Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (McCain- Feingold Act)  Limit “soft money”  Decrease political ads  Increase political contribution limits for individuals  Improve voter turnout  Which option do you favor? Why?

Big Idea How should we look at individuals in a democratic society?

Berelson Reading  What are the requirements for an individual in a democratic society?  What problems exist in the U.S.?  Why does Berelson say it is ultimately okay?  What are the requirements for an individual in a democratic society?  What problems exist in the U.S.?  Why does Berelson say it is ultimately okay?

Key Reading  Why shouldn’t we assume that a candidate enjoys the support of the majority if they won?  How should candidates look at elections?  How should we understand voters?  Why shouldn’t we assume that a candidate enjoys the support of the majority if they won?  How should candidates look at elections?  How should we understand voters?