Voting in Congress
Learning Objectives
• To identify the factors that affect how
members of congress vote
• To investigate to what extent each factor
affects members voting
Pressures
Political Party
Constituents
The administration
Pressure Groups
Colleagues and Staff
Personal Beliefs
Political Party
• Can be the most important factor – ‘party
votes’ on contentious issues.
• Parties have few punishments/incentives to
offer members.
• Party labels don’t always mean whole party
voting together (regional ideologies).
• Internal party groups e.g. Blue Dog Democrats
Constituents
• Trustee model of representation
Pause for Thought
Representation
• This term can be used in a number of
different ways.
• Representation can be understood in terms
of how legislators represent their
constituents.
• In this sense there are three different
models of representation – the trustee
model, the delegate model, the mandate
model and the resemblance model.
Pause for Thought; Representation
Trustee Model
Delegate Model
Mandate Model
Resemblance
Model
The representative
acts as the person
who is vested with
formal responsibility
for the affairs of
others.
Such representation
is based upon the
considered
judgement of the
legislator.
The elected
representative is
‘trusted’ to make
the right judgement.
Constituents elect
their
representatives as
delegates for their
constituency.
Essentially, the
representative acts
as the voice of
those who are
(literally) not
present.
Constituents elect
their
representatives
and consequently
provide them with
a mandate to
carry out certain
policies that they
have campaigned
on.
This model
focuses on who
represents the
electorate, and
considers how
representative
legislators are in
terms of such
factors as
gender and
race.
Constituents
• Trustee model of representation
• “folks back home”, “locality rule”
• Failing to look after/represent constituents can result in
electoral defeat
• Phone, email, local news, visits, letters from constituents
• Regular visits “home” for party/town hall meetings,
‘surgeries’, local TV and radio, interviews with local media,
addressing groups, visiting schools, hospitals etc.
• Views of constituents = divided (discontented v content =
representative?)
• (National good + local popularity + electoral benefit) of
policies to balance
The administration
• Members of the executive branch including
POTUS, VPOTUS, cabinet members etc.
• Legislation initiated by the administration –
keen interest so in touch with
members/committees to influence votes
• Two way street of cooperation
• Supporting unpopular
legislation/administration can be costly
Pressure Groups
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Try to influence members and votes
Direct contact with members
Attempt to generate public support
Phone calls, make visits
Provide evidence to committees
Organise rallies, demonstrations and petitions
Fundraising and campaigning
Campaign donations
Colleagues and Staff
• Huge number of votes – impossible to be an
expert on all issues and policies
• Reliance on others for help
• Colleagues – same party, same philosophy,
same views – ‘mentors’, advice, suggestions
• Senior staff – chief of staff or legislative
director
Personal Beliefs
• Applicable on certain votes – usually abortion,
capital punishment etc.
• Generally members personal beliefs are
similar to the majority of their constituents
especially if a member adopts a trustee or
mandate model of representation
Pressures
Political Party
Constituents
The administration
Pressure Groups
Colleagues and Staff
Personal Beliefs
• To what extent does each
factor affect how a
Member of Congress
votes?
• Can you identify a single
“deciding factor”?
• How do members balance
all of these factors?
EXAM FOCUS
How do members of Congress decide to vote?
How do members of Congress decide
how to vote?
Homework
• Reading and Note Taking, Oversight of the
Executive Branch, p215-219