Congressional Elections

Constitution Senators –Up for election every 6 years –Originally selected by state legislatures –17 th Amendment, 1913: Direct statewide election Members of House of Representatives –Up for election every 2 years –Directly elected by people –Elected from districts

Rules governing election to Congress The Constitution

Constitution: election to the House of Representatives Election every 2 years Must be 25 years old Citizenship for 7 years Live in the state Selected same way as largest house of state legislature (popular vote) Apportioned among states based on population

Constitution: election to the Senate Election every 6 years –Three Classes Must be at least 30 years old Citizen for 9 years Live in the state Selected by state legislatures 2 per state

Rules governing election to Congress The Constitution Single-member, winner-take all districts Reapportionment and redistricting

Reapportionment When the federal government reallocates seats among the states after the decennial census

Gains and losses due to 2010 reapportionment Gains Arizona +1 Florida +2 Georgia+1 Nevada +1 South Carolina+1 Texas+4 Utah+1 Washington +1 Losses Illinois-1 Iowa-1 Louisiana-1 Massachusetts -1 Michigan -1 Missouri-1 New Jersey -1 New York -2 Ohio-2 Pennsylvania -1

Redistricting When states redraw congressional district boundaries after decennial census Wesberry v. Sanders (1964) –Each district must have equal population

What criteria should states use in deciding where to draw district lines?

Conflicting Values Contiguity of boundaries (requirement) Equal population (requirement) Compactness Keeping together communities of interest Protecting interests of racial minorities –Meeting requirements of Voting Rights Act Partisan gerrymandering Incumbent protection Maximizing competition

Rules governing election to Congress The Constitution Single-member, winner-take all districts Reapportionment and redistricting Primary election laws –Open vs. Closed FECA

Federal Election Campaign Act (as amended by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002) Contribution limit (from an individual to a candidate’s campaign) = $2500 Total cycle contribution limit (from individuals to all candidate and party committees) = $117,000 Contribution limit (PACs to each candidate’s campaign) = $5000

How do voters decide? Heuristics: Party ID Name recognition Incumbency!

Sources of incumbent advantage Voters recognize their name Gerrymandering Privileges of office Ease of raising money

How do voters decide? Heuristics Campaigns

Cost of campaigns 2010 Ave. House campaign cost: $1.1 million Ave. Senate campaign cost: $8.1 million Incumbents’ ave. expenditures: $814,507* Challengers’ ave. expenditures: $369,823* *As of 2000, ratio similar but numbers higher today. In 2010, the 78 House candidates in the closest races spent $1.75 million each, on average. In 2000, NY Sen. Race cost $69 million.

Total cost of campaigns

Where does money come from?

Budget of a typical House campaign

Who gets elected? White men

Who gets elected? White men Lawyers Christians Previously elected officials

Small group discussion What constitutes good representation? What characteristics of a representative would make you feel like he or she should do a good job representing you and your interests? What behavior should a good representative engage in? When, if ever, should a representative put his constituents’ interests aside and think of the greater good? You will turn your notes in for participation credit.

Different models of representation Looking like me, having my background –“Symbolic representation” Rep. uses own judgment to act on my behalf –“Representative-as-delegate” Doing exactly what I would do –“Representative as agent” Communication with me