1. Political Science Chapter 17
ELECTIONS & VOTING

2. ELECTION CAMPAIGNS
ELECTING THE PRESIDENT Candidates begin organizing their campaigns many month before an election Primary elections in the Spring help narrow the field of candidates Presidential Election: 1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in November

3. ELECTORAL VOTES AND THE STATES
A candidate must win 270 of 538 electoral votes (total = Senators and Representatives from each state; plus 3 from Washington, DC) Particular attention is paid to states with large populations

4. CAMPAIGNING
CAMPAIGN STRATEGY Planning to capture key states Theme, slogan, issue, strategy CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION Strong organization essential – campaign manager head the organization ADVERTISING: television, radio, internet

5. FINANCING CAMPAIGNS
Running for political office VERY EXPENSIVE! 2004 elections: $3.9 billion spent on presidential and congressional campaigns Regulating Campaign Financing: heavy regulations – FEC (Federal election Commission) Public Funding & Private Funding

6. EXPANDING VOTING RIGHTS
Voting is not a privilege, it is a RIGHT, guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution SUFFRAGE = “right to vote” Early limitations on voting: Literacy test; poll tax Blacks: 15th Amendment Women: 19th Amendment 18 year olds: 26th Amendment

7. VOTER’S HANDBOOK
Note pages , and consider these topics: Qualifications to Vote Registering to Vote Voting Procedures Special Circumstances

8. INFLUENCES ON VOTERS
PERSONAL BACKGROUND OF VOTERS Age Other background influences: education, religion, race or ethnic background Cross-pressured voter: one caught between conflicting elements in his or her own life

9. LOYALTY TO POLITICAL PARTIES
STRONG vs. WEAK PARTY VOTERS split ticket straight-party ticket INDEPENDENT VOTERS this number has increased over the years

10. ISSUES IN ELECTION CAMPAIGNS
Many voters are not well-informed – Still, today’s voters are better informed -Television -Better education -Issues have greater impact on personal lives Ex. Issues: 1980 election

11. CANDIDATE’S IMAGE
Important: ways voters perceive issues Propaganda: use of ideas, information, perceptions, even rumors to influence public opinion Note: Propaganda Techniques (p. 496)

12. VOTERS
REGULAR VOTERS regular voters have positive attitudes toward government and citizenship NON-VOTERS Some do not vote: not meeting requirements