Consider: What is the difference between an “open”
primary and a “closed” primary?
The Last Word: Assignment 2 due tomorrow;
SotU tonight at 9pm
AP Government and Politics
Unit 3b

Why are they held on the first Tuesday after
the first Monday in November?
 Constitution did not establish date; states were
free for a while to hold them whenever
 Congress sets date in 1845
 *Primary dates still determined by states (parties)

Types of Elections
 Primary Elections
▪ Closed Primaries
▪ Open Primaries – crossover voting
▪ Runoff primary
 General Election

Ballot Measures
 Initiative – voters initiate
 Referendum – legislatures refer
 Recall election

What are some of the positive aspects of
allowing ballot initiatives and referendums?

What are some of the negatives?
12.2
 Methods to select delegates
 Winner-take-all primary – Republicans
 Proportional representation primary – Democrats
 **Not exclusively, but mostly by each side
 Caucuses – Iowa most notable
 Frontloading
 Why might some states want to move the date
of their primary forward?




March 1st (SUPER TUESDAY)- primaries in…
 AL, GA, MA, OK, TN, TX, VT, VA
**April 26th – Pennsylvania primary
June 7th – California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, South
Dakota
 Same group/time as 2012
Final Primary - June 28th – Utah
“Trump ahead, followed by a bowl of spaghetti.”
Consider: Why do we have the Electoral College?
The Last Word: Assignment 3 due Friday
AP Government and Politics
Unit 3

Voters go to the polls and choose their favorite
candidate for president (and VP)
 The winner of the popular vote gets (most of the time)
all of their party’s electors chosen to cast the allimportant “Electoral Votes”
▪ These chosen electors from all 50 states are considered “the
Electoral College”, though they never meet together in one
place.
 These Electoral Votes are the votes that determine who
wins the presidency.
▪ 270 will win

Who selects the Electors?
▪ The process is determined by states.
 Generally, the political parties nominate Electors at their State
party conventions. Each candidate will have their own unique
slate of potential Electors as a result of this part of the selection
process.
 Electors are often chosen to recognize service and dedication to
their political party. They may be State-elected officials, party
leaders, or persons who have a personal or political affiliation with
the Presidential candidate.

Are there restrictions on who the Electors can vote for?
 There is no Constitutional provision or Federal law that requires
Electors to vote according to the results of the popular vote in
their States. Some States, however, require Electors to cast their
votes according to the popular vote.


Federalism
Lack of knowledge
 Framers belief that voters would not know enough about
national candidates, and may only vote for regional/local
candidates
 Communication, Transportation, Information

There was also a belief that the use of the EC would
lead to no single candidate winning a majority of EV’s;
thus no candidate could claim a “nationwide
mandate”
▪ the House would frequently decide the winner (not an altogether bad
proposition for some Framers, but could lead to divisiveness…)

What are the consequences, both good and bad, of
using this system?
How is voting power apportioned in the EC?
12.2
Consider: Do you believe the Electoral College should be reformed?
The Last Word: Assignment 3 due Friday

Popular vote
winner can lose the
election

What reform would
solve this problem?


Blue wins fewer (but larger) states by a large margin
Red wins more (but smaller) states by a small margin

States with small populations are
overrepresented
 “weight” of Wyoming voter = .0000058
 “weight” of California voter =.0000015

Reform?
 EVs given to each state based entirely on
population
▪ For example, 1 EV for every 500,000 people
▪ Or, simply don’t give any for the Senate
▪ Or could award EV’s based on who wins in each Congressional House
district

Winner-Take-All method ignores losing
voters

What reform might address this
problem?
States with laws AGAINST faithless electors

“Faithless
electors”

Reform? –
Hands = visit by McCain or
Obama
 Dollar = $1 million spent on TV
commercials
**Notice the states that were
visited the most, and had the
most money spent for TV time

 Another issue would be that
candidates can avoid “safe”
states that they “know” they will
win or lose..

Attention on “early
states” and “swing
states” only
2016 “Super-swingy” states – NV, CO, IA, OH, VA, FL, and IA/NH
 Vote yes or no
 Discuss your reasons why, including
reform(s) you would support.
 If not, discuss the dangers of using certain
reforms
Consider: How are congressional elections different from the
presidential election?
The Last Word: Assignment 4 due Monday; optional WQ

Congressional races are different from Prez races in
several ways
 Prez races are more competitive, last longer
 Turnout lower in midterms
▪ But change often appeals to voters
 MoCs can help constituents in ways president cannot
 MoCs can “run against DC” – how is this possible?
▪ Despite “outsider” claims of 2016 candidates, Prez often is national
official
 MoCs sometimes enjoy protection/insulated from party of
president
▪ Coattail effect has lessened as people vote split ticket more often
▪ This also illustrates weakening effects of party
12.3
 Staff Support
 Directly or indirectly support incumbent through
constituent service
 Visibility
 Name recognition
 Easy access to local media
 Generous travel allowances
 Scare-off effect
 Challengers shy away from incumbent’s
institutional advantage
12.3
 Redistricting
 Can punish incumbents in the out-of-power party (at
the state level)
 Scandals
 Sexual improprieties or other offenses
 Presidential Coattails
 Incumbent presidential election loss can trickle down
 Mid-Term Elections
 Threaten incumbents of president’s party
How does the president affect congressional elections?