1. The Election Process

2. The Nominating Process
The Critical First Step
Nomination
General elections
Self-Announcement
Caucus
Originally very practical
Closed & unrepresentative

3. Conventions
Hierarchical structure
Local
County
State
National

4. Why did conventions decline
Corruption
Criminals
Disreputable individuals

5. Types of primaries Direct Primary Closed primary Open primary
Party members only
Declaration at registration
Open primary
Any qualified voter can take part
Private or public declaration of party
Blanket primary
Can perform straight or split ticket voting

6. Closed v. Open
Closed
Open
It prevents one party from nominating weaker candidates in the other party
Makes candidates more responsive to the party, platform and members
It helps make voters more thoughtful because they must choose between the parties to vote.
Compromises secrecy
Excludes independents.
Voters don’t have to make party known
Independents are included
Permits raiding of parties
Reduces party loyalty

7. Other Primaries Run Off Non Partisan
Held when there is no winner of majority vote
Two top vote getters face each other
Non Partisan
Candidates – no labels

8. Evaluation of the primaries
Declaration of party
Long ballots (bedsheet)
Expenses
Name familiarity

9. Elections

10. Elections Administration Federal control When elections are held
Early voting
Absentee voting
Coattail Effect

11. Precincts and polling paces
Precinct: voting district
Polling place – where voters actually vote
Precinct Board
Supervises voting process
Precinct lines
Fixes locations
Picks members

12. Casting the Ballot-types of ballots
How a voter registers a choice in an election.
Now secret ballot
Historically viva voce until 1800
Austrailian Ballot
Printed at public expense
Lists names of all candidates
Polls/qualified voters

13. Types of ballots continued
Office Group Ballot
Party Column Ballot
Sample Ballots
Bedsheet Ballots

14. Voting Machines Electronic Vote Counting Vote by Mail Elections
Online Voting

15. Money and Elections

16. Campaign Spending and Funding
Sources of funding
Private and public sources
Small donors
Wealthy donors
Candidates
Non party groups
Temporary organizations
Why do they give money?

17. Regulating Campaign Finance
Federal laws
Federal Election Commission
Disclosure requirements
Limit on contributions
PAC Contributions
Limits on expenditures
Public Funding of Presidential Campaigns

18. Hard Money Soft Money Money spent to elect Money spent for candidates party building activities