Ch. 10.1
Who Can Vote?
Qualifying to Vote
Voting is the right to choose who will run
the government; it is also a civic
responsibility
If people do not vote, they hand over their
share of political power to other voters
who may not share the same views
Qualifying to Vote
In our nation’s early years, most voters
were white, adult male property owners.
Today the Constitution forbids any state to
deny the right to vote because of race,
color, gender, or age (as long as 18).
Exception is if person is prison.
Qualifying to Vote
1.
2.
3.
4.
To be eligible to vote:
Must be 18
Resident of the state for a specific time
U.S. citizen
Registered to vote
Qualifying to Vote
A person must register by the deadline set
by the state.
Can register in person at the county office;
in some states you can register by mail.
The National Voter Registration Act or
“Motor Voter Act” allows voters to register
when they renew their driver’s licenses.
Qualifying to Vote
1.
2.
3.
4.

Registration forms ask:
Your name
Address
Age
Party preference
If you register as a Republican or Democrat,
you may participate in primary elections
Qualifying to Vote
o Once registered you will be assigned a district.
• When you go to vote, election officials will check
for your name on a list of voters registered in the
district.
• To vote, you go to your assigned polling place,
a location in your precinct, or voting district.
Steps in Voting
A ballot is the paper you use to cast your vote.
Its lists the candidate’s names according to their
party and the office they are seeking.
You cast your ballot by using a voting machine;
the type of machine varies from state to state
May be fill in the bubble, may be punch card
Steps in Voting
If you vote for all the candidates in one political
party, you are voting a straight ticket
If you choose candidates from both parties, you
are voting a split ticket.
You may choose to cast a write-in vote by
writing the name of someone not on the ballot.
Steps in Voting
People away from home or too sick to get
to the polls on Election day can vote by
absentee ballot. Have to write the Board
of Elections
They mark the ballot and return it by mail.
Steps in Voting
News media and party workers conduct exit
polls—asking voters leaving the polls how they
voted.
Specialists use the results to predict winners
early. Television networks may announce
winners before voters in the Western time zones
have voted
Early calls may persuade many Westerners not
to vote.
Why Your Vote Matters
Sources of information about candidates
and issues include newspapers, T.V,
radio, news magazines, and the internet.
Literature distributed by political parties
and interest groups is another way to
become informed as a voter
Why Your Vote Matters
All people who are eligible to vote are called the
electorate; each persons vote counts
Some people do not vote because they think no
candidates represent their interests; some think
their vote will not matter.
Another reason is apathy, or lack of interest in
politics
Why Your Vote Matters
1.
2.
3.
4.
Citizens who vote share common
characteristics:
Positive attitudes toward government
and citizenship
More educated
Middle-aged
Higher incomes
Why Your Vote Matters
Voting gives citizens a chance to choose
their government leaders.
If you are dissatisfied with past
performances, elect new leaders
Voting gives people the opportunity to
express their opinions on public issues.
Ch. 10.2: Election Campaigns
Elections are a two part process:
1. Nomination through direct primaries
which narrow the field of candidates
2. General elections in which voters choose
main candidates for various offices
Types of Elections
Besides primary elections, there are three
types of elections in the U.S.: general
elections, elections on issues, and
special elections
General Elections
After primary races narrow the field, voters
choose candidates in a general election that
occurs on the first Tuesday after the first
Monday in November.
All seats in the House of Representatives and
about 1/3 of the seats in the Senate are at stake
in general elections every even-numbered year.
Presidents are elected every four years in years
even divisible by the number 4
General Elections
In all except presidential races, the candidate
with the majority of the popular vote wins.
If the count is very close, the loser may demand
a recount.
If neither candidate for president wins a majority
of electoral votes, House chooses the President;
Senate chooses the V.P.
Voting on Issues
Citizens can propose new laws or state
constitutional amendments through an
initiative.
If enough voters sign a petition, the
proposed law, or proposition, is put on
the ballot at the next general election
Voting on Issues
Citizens may petition to have a state or
local law referred, or sent back, to the
voters as a referendum on the ballot.
The voters can then approve or reject the
law.
Special Elections
When neither candidate in a General
Election wins a clear majority of the vote
(needed in some states), a runoff is held
to determine a clear winner.
Usually states only require that you win
plurality
Special Elections
A recall is a special election in which citizens
can vote to remove an official from office.
Recalls are prohibited in the federal system
Allowed in 18 states to remove statewide officers
Majority of states allow recall elections in local
jurisdictions
Presidential Elections
The three steps in a presidential election
are: nomination, the campaign, and the
vote
Presidential hopefuls start campaigning for
their party’s nomination a year + before
the election
Presidential Elections
This would eventually lead to the national
convention in the summer.
Past conventions used to be full of political
dealings to win delegates’ support for a
candidate
In recent years the national conventions have
lost their main purpose—choosing the party’s
nominee; primary elections do that now
Presidential Elections
By early September, candidates are
already giving speeches, appearing on
T.V., and holding news conferences
They will also face their opponents in
televised debates
Presidential Elections
Remember that Presidents are chosen by the
Electoral College, not by a direct popular vote.
Each state has a slate of electors pledged to
each candidate; the popular vote chooses the
slate of electors
In the “Winner-Take-All” system, the candidate
who wins the popular vote takes all the state’s
electoral votes.
Presidential Elections
The winning electors cast their votes in their
state’s capital in December.
Congress then counts the votes officially when
they come to Washington, D.C.
Each state has one elector for each of its U.S.
Senators and Representatives.
To win, a candidate must win 270 of the 538
total electoral votes
Pros v. Cons
If Electoral College were to be done away with,
focus would turn to the high populated states
and small states would be ignored during the
campaign season.
If left, with the winner take all, a candidate could
lose the popular vote and still win the
presidency.
Third party candidates under this system never
have a shot; never win enough electoral votes.
Ch. 10.3: Paying for Election
Campaigns
A campaign for major office takes a lot of
money; $500 million at least to successfully run
A campaign organization runs each campaign
Campaign workers must acquaint voters with the
candidate’s name, face, and positions on issues.
Try to convince the voters to like and trust the
candidate
Tools and Tactics of the Campaign
1. Canvassing
Candidates and campaign workers
“canvass” neighborhoods asking for
votes, handing out literature, and
conducting public opinion polls.
Beating the pavement at the grassroots
level to deliver the vote
Tools and Tactics of the Campaign
2.
Endorsements
Famous people, such as movie stars, athletes,
politicians etc. may endorse or publicly support
a candidate.
If voters like the endorser, they may decide to
vote for the candidate.
This is a type of propaganda—an attempt to
promote a particular idea or person
Tools and Tactics of the Campaign
3.
Advertising & Image Molding
Much campaign money is spent on political
advertising
Ads help create the candidate’s image,
present their views, and attack their opponents.
Local candidates often use newspaper ads,
while national candidates use more TV ads.
Tools and Tactics of the Campaign
4.
Campaign Expenses
Campaign funds pay for TV ads, airfare,
workers salaries, and campaign consultants
Pay for computers, phones, postage, and
printing costs
Also speech writers, and handlers for the
family, plus people on staff to dress you.
($150,000 in Saks 5th Ave. Sarah Palin)
Financing a Campaign
In the past, the public wondered if
successful candidates would owe special
favors to the individuals, businesses, and
interest groups that contributed to their
campaigns.
Rules would have to be established by
The Federal Election Campaign Finance
Act of 1971
Financing a Campaign
The Federal Election Campaign Finance
Act does a few things:
1. It requires public disclosure of each
candidate’s spending
2. Limits the amount an individual or group
could donate to a candidate directly
3. Creates public funding of presidential
elections
Financing a Campaign
Taxpayers can contribute $3 to the Presidential Election
Campaign Fund by checking a box on their tax form
Candidates qualify for a share of these funds if they raise
$100,000 on their own
2 major party candidates receive an equal share as long
as they agree not to accept any other direct donations
3rd Party candidates qualify if their party received more
than 5% of the popular vote in the previous
presidential election
Financing a Campaign
Most campaign funding comes from private
sources—individuals, party organizations, and
corporations; interest groups as well
After the candidates receive their federal funds
and individual donations, fundraising is
supposed to be finished.
Candidates however have found ways around
the limitations.
Financing a Campaign
Soft Money—donations given to political parties and not
designated for a particular candidate.
By law, parties can raise an unlimited amount of soft
money, but they must use it for general expenses
Parties, however, have found ways to use soft money to
support their candidates without giving it to them directly.
(TV ads)
Soft Money gives wealthy people the opportunity to
donate as much as they want.
Financing a Campaign
Another way around the limits is political action
committees (PACS)
These are political organizations established by
corporations, labor unions, and other special
interest groups designed to support candidates
by contributing money
PACs support candidates who favor their
position on issues by contributing to their parties
Financing a Campaign
In a democracy, government should
represent all the people, even those
without money or power.
Critics of the current system argue that
wealthy donors may receive special favors
not available to the average citizen.
Campaign Finance Reform 2002
McCain-Feingold Act
Sets rules for 2004 elections and beyond
1.
Prohibits national political parties, federal officeholders, and
federal candidates from raising soft money
2.
Bans corporations, unions, and interest groups from running
ads aimed at a candidate for federal office 60 days from the
general election and 30 days from a primary election
3.
Limits hard money contributions; candidate may collect up to
$2000 per donor in each election (hard money); political
parties can collect $25,000 per donor each year (soft money)
Campaign Finance Reform 2002
Emphasis now shifts to getting many small
donations rather than a few large ones
Internet web pages are an inexpensive
way to reach millions of people who might
be willing to make small contributions