Chapter 10.2
Election Campaigns
Types of Elections
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Besides primary elections, there are three
types of elections in the U.S.: general
elections, elections on issues and special
elections.
After primary races narrow the field, voters
choose candidates in a general election that
occurs on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday
in November.
continued
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All seats in the House and about 1/3rd of the seats in
the Senate are at stake in general elections every
even-numbered year. Presidents are elected every
four years.
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, the House elects the president.
continued
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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.
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.
continued
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A runoff is a special election held to
determine a winner when none of the
candidates wins a majority in the general
election. A recall is a special election in
which citizens can vote to remove an official
from office.
Presidential Elections
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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.
continued
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Past national conventions were full of
political dealing to win delegates’ support for
a candidate. In recent years the conventions
have lost their main purpose – choosing a
nominee. The primaries do that now. Instead,
the conventions serve to rally party members
for the campaign ahead.
continued
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By early September, candidates are already
giving speeches, appearing on TV and holding
news conferences. They may face their
opponents in televised debates.
continued
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Presidents are chosen by the Electoral
College, not by 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.
continued
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The winning electors cast their votes in their
state’s capital in December. Congress counts
the votes. Each state has one elector for each
of its U.S. senators and representatives. To
win, a candidate must win 270 of the 538
electoral votes.
continued
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The Electoral College system was a
compromise. Some Founders wanted direct
popular election of the president. Others
wanted Congress to name the president. Their
compromise was to have the state legislatures
choose electors. Now the voters in each state
directly choose the electors.
continued
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Some critics charge that large states with
many electors have too much influence in
deciding elections. Others claim that
including votes for senators gives small states
unfair power. Still others point out that under
the winner-take-all system, a candidate who
loses the popular vote can still win the
electoral vote and presidency.
continued
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A 3rd party candidate could win enough
electoral votes to prevent either major party
candidate from receiving a majority and then
bargain to release electoral votes. Also, the
winner-take-all system makes it hard for 3rd
party candidates to take any electoral votes.