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The Electoral Process

The Electoral Process. Nominating Process. Two steps of the election process. Nomination – field of candidates narrowed General Election – regularly scheduled election where voters make the final choice of officeholder. Five Ways to Nominate.

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The Electoral Process

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  1. The Electoral Process Nominating Process

  2. Two steps of the election process • Nomination – field of candidates narrowed • General Election– regularly scheduled election where voters make the final choice of officeholder

  3. Five Ways to Nominate • Self-Announcement – person who wants to run for office announces their candidacy • Used early in history & for write in candidates • Petition – candidate gathers a required # of signatures • Used for local nonpartisan level & state/federal level to make it difficult for minor parties • Caucus– private meetings of local bigwigs, not widely used since 1820s • Direct Primary– party election to choose candidate • Convention - delegates selected to choose candidate

  4. Extent of federal control • Congress fixes time, place and manner of elections • Elections are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even numbered years • Requires secret ballot • Regulates financing of campaigns for federal office

  5. Absentee voting • Disabled or ill • Those who expect to be away (college, travel, etc) • Military http://www.idahovotes.gov

  6. Precincts and Polling Places Precinct - voting district • Smallest political unit in elections • About 500 to 1,000 voters Polling place - where those in a precinct vote Poll watchers - from each party help monitor fairness at polling place

  7. Types of Ballots

  8. Electoral VotesA breakdown…not notes • Representatives + Senators = Electoral Votes • Total of 538 electoral votes • (435 Reps, 3 from DC and 100 Sen) • Candidate must win majority of electoral votes to win presidency (270) • Delegates vote based on popular vote • “Winner Takes All” • ALL electoral votes go to the candidate who won the most popularity votes in that state

  9. Electoral Votes Some possible dilemmas… • What about a tie? • House of Representatives votes (each state = 1 vote) • What if a candidate wins POPULAR VOTE but not the ELECTORAL VOTE? • Candidate does NOT become president Some historical (and present) examples • Andrew Jackson/ John Quincy Adams 1824 • Samuel Tilden/ Rutherford B. Hayes 1876 • Grover Cleveland/ Benjamin Harrison 1888 • Al Gore/ George W. Bush 2000 • Hillary Clinton/ Donald Trump 2016

  10. Why the Electoral College? Three reasons why the framers of the Constitution wanted an electoral college: • Equality – balanced between big states and small states (population) • Fear – general public wasn’t educated enough to cast adequate votes • Knowledge - No way for people to know about candidates from other places (no media!)

  11. Money and Elections • Money is a necessary campaign resource • The getting and spending of $ can corrupt the political process

  12. Sources of Funding Private and Public Sources of Campaign Money Small contributors ($200 or less) Examples: Bernie Sanders 77% total contributions Nonparty groups such as PACs (Political Action Committees) Examples: $173M Priorities USA (Clinton) & $20.3M Rebuilding America Now (Trump) Wealthy supporters Examples: $21.8M Sussman (Clinton) & $10.5M Adelson (Trump) Temporary fund-raising organizationsExamples: direct mail requests, telethons, Internet solicitations Candidates Examples: Ross Perot - $65 Million & Donald Trump $56.1M

  13. Why do people donate? • Political participation • Believe in party or candidate • Access to government • Want appoint to office • Social recognition • Organizations want things done

  14. Regulating campaign finance The Federal Election Commission (FEC) enforces: • Timely disclosure of campaign finance information • Limits on campaign contributions • Limits on campaign expenditures • Provisions for public funding of presidential campaigns

  15. Loopholes in the law “More loophole than law…” —Lyndon B. Johnson • Soft money— money given to state and local party organizations for “party-building activities” • Independent campaign spending— a person unrelated/unconnected to candidate/party can spend as much money as they want to benefit or work against candidates • Issue ads— take a stand on certain issues in order to criticize or support a certain candidate without actually mentioning that person’s name

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