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Voting and elections

Voting and elections. Step 1. Have to be registered—2 weeks before Increase turnout? Ease registration, voting? Require voting? Holidays?. Partisan versus non-partisan elections. local elections and state judges are often “non-partisan”. State elections-- More “Progressive” legacy.

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Voting and elections

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  1. Voting and elections

  2. Step 1 • Have to be registered—2 weeks before • Increase turnout? • Ease registration, voting? • Require voting? • Holidays?

  3. Partisan versus non-partisan elections • local elections and state judges are often “non-partisan”

  4. State elections--More “Progressive” legacy • special elections • recall • Initiatives • The voice of the people or special interests? • Constraining the role of legislators?

  5. Primaries and General Elections • Primary: Choosing the candidates to compete in the General Election • General Election: choosing among the candidates to hold office

  6. Presidential primaries (including caucuses) • Each state and the parties choose how to elect delegates to the national convention • primary or caucus • Primaries can be “open” (blanket), “closed” or “semi closed”

  7. The Party Convention • in most cases now delegates are “committed”, according to result of state’s primary • so outcome of convention is pre-determined--just a pep-rally with a platform

  8. General Election for President: Electoral College • Each state gets as many electors as it has members of US House and Senate--minimum of 3 per state • Almost every state awards its votes “winner take all”, so again electoral vote need not equal popular vote • Abolish or Reform?

  9. Congressional elections • Incumbents re-elected over 90%, receive most of the money • 435 House districts, reapportioned every 10 years by census, reflecting pop change • State legislature determines their own districts, and for their state’s congressional reps • Redistricting or “Gerrymandering”

  10. Mystery state A: 60% Rep and 40% Dem

  11. Version A--three safe Rep districts

  12. Version B--two safe Rep, one safe Dem district 1 3 2

  13. Gerrymandering, contd • Current trend: • Computers exacerbate gerrymandering • Types • Partisan • Racial • Incumbent

  14. Incumbency Advantage • Why? • Self-fulfilling prophecy • term limits? • at state level, not federal • Good and bad

  15. Who votes? • The old • The educated • The wealthy • The white

  16. Who Can’t • The incarcerated, on probation or parole, or felons--depending on the state

  17. Campaign finance • Campaigns increasingly expensive--mostly for TV ads TV political ads in millions

  18. Attempts to fix the problem • Since 70s, contributions are registered, limited, and if by corporations or unions, routed through PACs • 1976 USSC throws out mandatory spending limits • Present effort to buck Buckley • 2002 Campaign finance--McCain Feingold abolishes “soft money” in federal elections, continues contribution limits • but campaign spending continues to grow

  19. Election Reform • Money--public funding for candidates--”clean elections”--including funds to match opponents private funding

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