Campaigns and Elections

1. Campaigns and Elections

2. SSCG15 Demonstrate knowledge of local, state, and national elections. • Describe the historical development, organization, role, and constituencies of political parties. • Describe the nomination and election process. • Examine campaign funding and spending and the influence of special interest groups on elections. • Explain how recent policy changes and Supreme Court rulings have impacted the campaign finance process. • Analyze the influence of media coverage, campaign advertising, and public opinion polls.

3. What is a Political Party? A group that tries to get people elected that will share their views and ideas and will work to get laws passed in their favor.

4. What is Partisanship? • Strong support of a party When would partisanship be a good thing (pro)? When could partisanship be a bad thing (con)?

5. Party Systems • The US has a two party system • Goes all the way back to Federalists v. Antifederalists • Founding Fathers actually warned about PP • Not mentioned in Constitution at all • There are two dominant parties • Democrats - more liberal • Republicans – more conservative (aka GOP) • Third parties don’t normally win votes

6. Party Systems • Minor Parties (aka 3rd Parties) • Usually are formed because of disapproval of the two parties. • Usually focus on one or two issues or a popular potential candidate • Can cause the Electoral vote to go to HoR by taking away votes from one of two major parties. • EXAMPLES: Libertarians, Green Party, Reform Party

7. Party Alignment:Voluntary Choice Democrats Republicans Protestants Males Business Owners South Midwest White Collar Upper Class Economically Post-Secondary Education (college) • African-Americans • Catholic and Jewish • Union Members • California • New York • Blue Collar • High School Educated • Lower to Middle Class

9. Nomination • Naming who will seek to run for public office. • Narrows down the field of possible candidates • Local and State • Self-Announce • File Required Paperwork • Campaign • National • Presidential Primary • Party Convention • General Election

10. Presidential Primaries Select the candidate from the party that you want delegates to the National Convention from your state to vote for Open Closed Blanket Local Caucuses In local meetings choose the candidate from the party you want and the delegates to conventions. National Convention Delegates choose the nominee that will compete for each major party at a convention held during the summer

11. Primary Elections • Election in which voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election. • Closed primary: only a party’s registered voters are eligible to vote • Open primary: a primary in which party members, independents, and sometimes members of the other party are allowed to vote • Blanket primary: a primary in which voters can cast votes back and forth between candidates from any party (all listed on single ballot, one vote per office) • Non-Partisan – Only the candidate’s name (not party) is on the ballot

12. National Convention Goals • Name the party’s Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidate • Bring all of the different viewpoints of the party and the leaders of each together • Create and adopt the party platform • Formal statement of basic principles & views • Covers major policy issues • Sets objectives for campaign • Sets objectives for four years in office

13. National Convention Schedule • Final Day of Conventions • Confirm party nomination • Nominee Acceptance speech • Campaign Kickoff

14. General Elections • General elections decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices • Held at local, state and federal levels. • Time from National Convention to November election • Voters report to voting PRECINCT (voting district based on home address) • Ballots are used to identify choices. • Most are now electronic

16. Why the Electoral College? Founders created because they thought the common man would not know enough about the candidates, politics or the economy to make an informed decision.

17. How is the President Elected? Electoral College Presidential electors meet in State capitals on Monday following the second Wednesday in December to cast electoral votes. 270 needed to win. Election Day Voters cast their ballots on Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Voters actually choose presidential electors. Democrat Nominee Republican Nominee Third Party Candidates

18. How does the Electoral College Work? • Electoral votes are determined by total number of senators and representatives in each state • 538 total (100 Senate + 435 House + 3 DC) • Largest state – California, has 55 electoral votes • Example – Georgia has 2 senators and 14 representatives so our total # of electors is 16

19. Electoral College (2004 & 2008)

20. 2016 Electoral College

21. How does the Electoral College Work? • Voters elect the slate of electors on Election Day. For Georgia: 16 Republicans or 16 Democrats, depending on majority vote. • 270 of 538 electoral votes are needed to win.

22. 12th Amendment • Electors will meet at their state capitol on the Monday after the second Wednesday in December. • Elector casts vote • Votes are totaled, signed & sealed and sent to President of Senate

23. What is a Faithless Elector? • An elector who, when given the outcome of the state’s election, votes against that outcome. • Is that legal? YES. It was a safeguard put in place by the Founding Fathers. • Is it common? NO • Is it public? YES

24. Electoral College 2008

26. 2016 Election Results by County

27. Electoral College Results www.270towin.com Use this website to review the Electoral College wins for each of our presidential elections!

28. How does the Electoral College Work? • If no candidate gets 270 votes the House chooses • Provision of the 12th amendment • Choose from top 3 candidates • One vote per state • Often caused by a strong 3rd party candidate • Two elections decided this way • 1801: Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. It took 36 votes in the House, to choose Jefferson. • 1825: Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams. Jackson had popular vote but neither had the electoral vote. Adams won in the House to become president.

29. Lose the Popular? Win the Electoral?Still President... 1824: • John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson (House of Reps chooses) 1876: • Rutherford B. Hayes over Samuel Tilden 1888 • Benjamin Harrison over Grover Cleveland 2000 • George W. Bush over Al Gore • Votes in Florida challenged in Supreme Court (Bush wins)

30. Lose the Popular Vote but win the Electoral College? 2016 • Donald Trump won 62,979,636 of the popular votes • Hillary Clinton won 65,844,610 of the popular votes • Donald Trump won the Electoral College 304 – 227 There were 7 “faithless electors” Washington – 3 for Colin Powell Washington – 1 for Faith Spotted Eagle Texas – 1 for Ron Paul Texas – 1 for John Kasich Hawaii – 1 for Bernie Sanders

31. Campaign Financing • Presidential Elections currently cost in the BILLIONS to run. • Spending focuses on: • Radio and Television Time • Professional Campaign Managers & Consultants • Paid campaign staffers • Newspaper and online ads; websites • Posters, bumper stickers, mass mailings • Office space • Polling • Travel

32. Where does $ come from? • Private Contributors • Small contributors • Wealthy Individuals • Candidate Money • PACS (Political Action Committees) • Public Treasury • Matching Funds from Federal Government

33. Super PACs • No direct candidate contribution • Run campaign ads for or against a candidate • No limits on use of funds spent by Super PACs • Protected as free speech • Citizen United Case • Hard Money • Money raised and spent to elect Congress & President • Soft Money • Money given to the party • Candidate recruitment, voter registration drives Types of $$

34. Campaign Financing • Regulated by Federal Election Commission (FEC) • BCRA of 2002 • Bipartisan (both parties came out to support) • Tries to decrease SOFT MONEY • Goal was to limit contributions by interest groups and national political parties

35. The Campaign Finance Laws Individual Contribution Limits $2,700 max to a candidate $5,000 to a PAC

36. The Campaign Finance Laws Interest Group Political Action Committees (PACs) • Interest Groups like NAACP, AARP, MADD identify candidates that will support their causes • Individuals can donate to interest group PACs • PACs can then donate $5000 to the candidates and $15,000 to a political party

37. Coverage of the Campaign: The Media • Media – any mass communication • Internet, TV, Newspaper, Radio • Shapes Politics and Political Opinions • Influences opinions of voters • Can sway or reinforce views • Determines the behaviors of candidates • Use to gain attention, can sometimes HURT candidates • Sets the public agenda • Focus on an issue draws attention of policymakers

38. Coverage of the Campaign: Campaign Ads • Designed to influence voter behavior • TV & Radio Ads • Emails & Websites • Social Media Use of Attack Ads is INCREASING www.livingroomcandidate.org

39. Coverage of the Campaign: Public Opinion Polls • Measures how people feel about candidates, elected officials and the government • Used by politicians to do their job and by candidates to run their campaigns. • Telephone, online, in person www.gallup.com www.pollingreport.com

40. “The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the term of four years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same term, be elected” Article II, Section 1 Executive Branch

41. Constitutional Requirements to be President Constitutional Requirements to be President • Natural born Citizen • 35 years old • Resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years *The Vice President’s qualifications are the same as the President with the exception that he/she can not have their primary residence in the same state as the President. Informal Presidential Qualifications • College Educated • Military Experience • Prior government experience Most have been white, male, protestants with families

42. Common Characteristics of Presidents • Past political experience as a House member, Senator, or Governor •  Name recognition •  Protestant religion •  Pleasant and healthy appearance •  Married with Attractive family •  Well-developed speaking ability •  Charismatic •  College-educated with degrees in law or business •  White Male •  From larger states – New York, California, Texas, Illinoi

43. Inauguration of the President Term of Office: Four Years Inauguration: January 20th 20th Amendment moved inauguration from March to January to prevent a "lame duck" from taking office

44. Presidential Term Limits • Washington began the tradition of serving only two terms, but it was really unlimited until the 22nd Amendment, which gave two rules: • No one can be elected as President more than twice. • No one that serves more than two years of another President’s term can be elected more than once.

45. Benefits of the Presidency 1.Salary:$400,000 per year 2. Perks: • White House w/staff of 100+ • Doctors and Health Care • Expense Account of $50,000 • Air Force One and a fleet of jets and helicopters • Camp David – vacation spot in Maryland • Pension, Retirement, and Secret Service for 10 years after they leave office

46. The White House • 4 stories, plus a basement and sub-basement • 132 rooms and 35 bathrooms • 412 doors • 147 windows • 28 fireplaces • 8 staircases • 3 elevators • several gardens • a tennis court • a basketball court • a putting green • a bowling alley • a movie theater • a jogging track • a swimming pool Check out the White House Museum

47. The White House

48. "The Beast", "Cadillac One", "First Car"; code named "Stagecoach" Air Force One Marine One Camp David

49. Vice Presidential Roles • President in Waiting • Acting President of the Senate and can vote in order to break a tie. • Power over presidential disability as stated in the 25th Amendment. • Chairs Commissions, meets foreign dignitaries, and advises the President. • All other responsibilities come from the President.

50. 25th Amendment Procedures dealing with Presidential Disability • Vice President becomes President if the President resigns, is removed or dies. • If there is a vacancy in the Vice Presidency, then the President appoints a new V.P. and both houses of Congress must approve him. • The Vice President becomes acting President if the President is unable to serve temporarily. • The President becomes acting President as soon as he declares himself fit, unless the Vice President, a majority of the Cabinet and 2/3rds of the Congress declare him still unfit. Then the Vice President will remain the acting President until it is determined that the President is fit.