politics essay
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greenberg.chapter10-nat_elec.pdf
10 Voting, Campaigns, and Elections
Video: The Big Picture 10
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/ SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/ Greenberg_Ch10_Voting_Campaigns_and_Elections_Seg1 _v2.html
Learning Objectives
Evaluate three models of how elections can lead to popular control
Distinguish American elections from those in other countries
10.1
10.2
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Learning Objectives
Analyze the importance of political participation in elections
Identify demographic factors that increase the likelihood of voting
10.3
10.4
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Learning Objectives
Outline the process of campaigns for the presidency and Congress
Assess how presidential elections are decided
10.5
10.6
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Video: The Basics 10
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/ SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/ Seg2_Elections_v2.html
Elections and Democracy
Prospective (or Responsible Party) Voting Model
Electoral Competition Voting Model Retrospective (or Reward and
Punishment) Voting Model
Imperfect Electoral Democracy
10.1
Prospective (or Responsible Party) Voting Model
Theory Parties must be cohesive and unified Parties must take different policy stands Voters must perceive these policy stands Winning party must do what it said
Potential Problems Intense, heated conflict Gridlock Priorities
10.1
Electoral Competition Voting Model
Theory Appeal to median voter Should not matter which party wins
Potential problems Assumes parties are unified Assumes parties are vote-seeking, not ideological
10.1
FIGURE 10.1: Electoral Competition Model 10.1
Retrospective (or Reward and Punishment) Voting Model
Theory Voters vote retrospectively Politicians must anticipate public wants
Potential problems Gets rid of bad leaders only after they have made bad
policies Encourages short-term policymaking
10.1
Imperfect Electoral Democracy
All three models partially exist Not all eligible citizens vote Not all ballots are counted
Poor and minority votes most likely to be uncounted
10.1
10.1 Which voting model assumes that the parties will take policy stands close together on the political spectrum?
a. Retrospective
b. Electoral competition
c. Responsible parties
d. None of the above
10.1
10.1 Which voting model assumes that the parties will take policy stands close together on the political spectrum?
a. Retrospective
b. Electoral competition
c. Responsible parties
d. None of the above
10.1
Unique Nature of American Elections
Elections are numerous and frequent Elections are separate and independent from
one another
Inconsistent election procedures and vote- counting
Elected positions have fixed terms of office Elections are held on a fixed date
10.2
I’m no longer prime minister? 10.2
Unique Nature of American Elections
“First-past-the-post” wins
10.2
10.2 How are U.S. elections different from elections in most other democracies?
a. We hold more elections
b. We elect more offices
c. We hold elections on a fixed date
d. All of the above
10.2
10.2 How are U.S. elections different from elections in most other democracies?
a. We hold more elections
b. We elect more offices
c. We hold elections on a fixed date
d. All of the above
10.2
Voting in the United States
Expansion of the Franchise Low Voting Turnout
10.3
Expansion of the Franchise
White male suffrage Property, taxpaying, and religion barriers Dropped by 1829
10.3
At the polls 10.3
Expansion of the Franchise
Blacks, women, and young people Fifteenth Amendment (1870) Voting Rights Act (1965) Nineteenth Amendment (1920)
Direct partisan elections Presidential electors elected Seventeenth Amendment (1913)
10.3
Low Voting Turnout
Barriers to voting Registration “Motor Voter” law (1996) Picture ID requirements
10.3
Video: In the Real World 10.3
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/ SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/ Seg5_Voting_v2.html
Low Voting Turnout
Too much complexity Decline in competitive elections Weak voter mobilization by local parties Other possibilities
10.3
FIGURE 10.2: Rise and fall of turnout in presidential elections, 1789-2012
10.3
Video: In Context 10.3
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/ SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/ Seg3_Voting_v2.html
10.3 Why is voter turnout lower in America than in most other democratic countries?
a. Registration can be a hassle
b. Many elections are not competitive
c. Elections are held on a weekday
d. All of the above
10.3
10.3 Why is voter turnout lower in America than in most other democratic countries?
a. Registration can be a hassle
b. Many elections are not competitive
c. Elections are held on a weekday
d. All of the above
10.3
Who Votes?
Income and Education Race and Ethnicity Age Gender Does It Matter Who Votes?
10.4
Income and Education
Higher income = more likely to vote More years of education = greater
likelihood of voting Chief indicator
Why the correlation?
10.4
Video: Thinking Like a Political Scientist
10.4
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/ SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/ Seg4_Voting_v2.html
Race and Ethnicity
Nearly equal numbers of blacks and whites vote Gaps due to income, education
Latino voting increasing Low income, language barriers Fewer eligible voters registered
10.4
FIGURE 10.3: Congressional election turnout by social group, 2010 midterm elections
10.4
Age
Older = more likely to vote Turnout highest for over 65 age group Lowest for under 25 age group
Why low turnout for youth? Less rooted in communities Less in habit of voting Less clear on stakes of election Less familiar with procedures
10.4
Mobilizing the youth vote 10.4
Gender
Gender gap disappeared by 1980s Women vote at higher rates than men
Progress in gender equality responsible Education, income
10.4
Does It Matter Who Votes?
Do policy preferences of non-voters differ? Misleading studies showed they do not
Demographics differ Poor are non-voters
10.4
10.4 Which hypothetical citizen is most likely to vote?
a. A white man with a high school diploma
b. A black woman with a graduate degree
c. A white man with a college degree
d. A Latino woman with a GED
10.4
10.4 Which hypothetical citizen is most likely to vote?
a. A white man with a high school diploma
b. A black woman with a graduate degree
c. A white man with a college degree
d. A Latino woman with a GED
10.4
Explore Elections and Campaigns: Who Votes – and Who Doesn’t?
10.4
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/long/ long_greenberg_mpslsfd_11/pex/pex9.html
Explore the Simulation: You Are a Voting Registration Volunteer
10.4
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/long/ long_longman_media_1/2013_mpsl_sim/simulation.html? simulaURL=14
Campaigning for Office
Gaining the Nomination General Election Campaign Money in General Elections
10.5
Gaining the Nomination
Who has a chance? Sitting president presumptive nominee Rich, older white men Governors and Congressmen, VPs Mainstream
Getting started Exploratory committee 2-3 years out Fund-raising and public financing
10.5
Gathering votes 10.5
Gaining the Nomination
Presidential primaries and caucuses Open or closed primaries Early wins establish momentum Front-loading primaries
10.5
Gaining the Nomination
Presidential nominating conventions Coronation ceremony
10.5
Public face of party conventions 10.5
Gaining the Nomination
Nominating incumbent presidents Nomination politics and democracy
Delegates tend to be extreme partisans
10.5
General Election Campaign
Getting the campaign up and running Campaign begins earlier today Focus on battleground states Attack ads Micro-targeting
Informing voters Issues Past performance Personal characteristics
10.5
Obama on the campaign trail 10.5
Money in General Elections
Scale of campaign money and where it comes from
10.5
FIGURE 10.4: Growth in spending in presidential elections
10.5
Money in General Elections
Hard money Individuals Candidates Political Action Committees (PACs) Political parties
10.5
TABLE10.1: Hard money contribution limits 2011-2012
10.5
Money in General Elections
Public funding Other money
527s 501s
10.5
Getting “Swift Boated” 10.5
Money in General Elections
Other money Super PACs
Does money talk? Money grants access Money grants influence Money-givers have different interests
10.5
10.5 Which type of organization is playing an increasingly important role in elections?
a. PACs
b. Political parties
c. Super PACs
d. Minority rights groups
10.5
10.5 Which type of organization is playing an increasingly important role in elections?
a. PACs
b. Political parties
c. Super PACs
d. Minority rights groups
10.5
Election Outcomes
How Voters Decide Electoral College
10.6
How Voters Decide
Social characteristics Major determinant of voter choice
Party loyalties Shortcut
Candidates Image over substance
Issues Retrospective voting
10.6
FIGURE 10.5: Presidential vote in 2012, by social group
10.6
Electoral College
Winner-take-all in most states Except Maine and Nebraska
Features of Electoral College Magnifies popular support of winners May let less popular candidate win Discourages third parties
10.6
TABLE 10.2: Election results, 1980-2012 10.6
Electoral College
Should the Electoral College be abolished?
10.6
10.6 Which of the following is a determinant of voting behavior?
a. Party loyalty
b. Candidate image
c. Social characteristics of voter
d. All of the above
10.6
10.6 Which of the following is a determinant of voting behavior?
a. Party loyalty
b. Candidate image
c. Social characteristics of voter
d. All of the above
10.6
Discussion Questions
Do elections ensure popular control of government? Why or why not? How does who votes and who doesn’t vote influence the type of government policies we get?
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Video: So What? 10
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/ SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/ Greenberg_Ch10_Voting_Campaigns_and_Elections_Seg6 _v2.html
Further Review: On MyPoliSciLab
Listen to the Chapter Study and Review the Flashcards
Study and Review the Practice Tests
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