1. Election Campaigns

2. Types of Elections
Primary Elections: used to select a party’s nominee for office; open v. closed
General Election: used to decide who will serve in office
Elections on issues: voters decide an issue
Special Elections: runoffs or recalls may be called from time to time

3. General Elections
General Elections always take place on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November
All seats in the house and 1/3 of the seats in the Senate are voted on every even numbered year
Presidential elections occur every four years
Other state and local offices may also be voted on
KY is unusual since it elects its state officials on odd numbered years; 2011
Except for the president, the candidate that wins a plurality of the votes wins
David Williams v. Steve Beshear

4. Voting on Issues
In some state and local elections voters may decide on issue
Initiative: citizens propose new laws or state constitutional amendments by getting people to sign a proposition; 2004 LexTran tax
The federal government and the state of KY do not use initiatives
Referendum: citizens approve or reject a state or local law
Advantages, disadvantages?

5. Special Elections
In some states and cities runoff elections occurs when the winner of the election does not receive a majority of the votes, runoff is held to determine the winner
Recall: citizens can vote to remove a public official from office, reasons why?

6. Presidential Elections
Presidential elections have three major steps: nomination, the campaign, and the vote
Presidential hopefuls start campaigning in primaries for their party’s nomination a year or more before the election, winner is nominated at the national convention
Presidential campaigns are usually in full swing by Aug. or Sept.; candidate travel across the country giving speeches, appearing on TV, and holding news conferences and debates
Campaigning is important to motivate voters and to change minds

7. Electoral College
Presidents are not chosen by direct popular vote, they are chosen through the Electoral College
In every state a list of “electors” are pledged to each candidate, the winner of the state usually receives all of the states electoral votes
Each state has one elector for each of its U.S. Senators and representatives, total number is 538; need 270 to win
Electoral college was a compromise at the Constitutional Convention
Advantages/Disadvantages?
Obama: Blue Romney: Red