Primary Elections:› Election in which voters decide which of the candidates within

a party will represent the party in the general election. Closed primary: a primary election in which 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 Crossover voting: participation in the primary of a party with

which the voter is not affiliated Raiding: An organized attempt by voters of one party to influence

the primary results of the other party A nonpartisan blanket primary (also known as a Louisiana

primary or Jungle Primary) is a primary election in which all candidates for elected office run in the same primary regardless of political party.

General elections are those in which voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices

Held at many levels. Contests between the candidates of

opposing parties

Initiative› An election that allows citizens to propose

legislation and submit it to the state electorate for popular vote

Referendum› An election whereby the state legislature submits

proposed legislation to the state’s voters for approval

Recall› Voters can remove an incumbent from office by

popular vote› Are very rare

Primary elections or caucuses are used to elect national convention delegates which choose the nominee › Winner-take-all primary› Proportional representation primary› Caucus

Over years, trend has been to use primaries rather than caucuses to choose delegates

Caucus is the oldest, most party-oriented method of choosing delegates to the national conventions

Arguments for primaries› More democratic› More representative› A rigorous test for the candidate

Arguments for caucuses› Caucus participants more informed; more interactive and

informative› Unfair scheduling affects outcomes› Frontloading (being first in the primary calendar) gives some

primary states an advantage Frontloading is the tendency to choose an early date on the primary

schedule

Out-of-power party holds its convention first, in late July, followed in mid-August by party holding the presidency

Conventions were decision-making body in the 19th century

Today the convention is fundamentally different › Nominations settled well in advance of the

convention

Unit Rule› A traditional party practice under which the majority of

a state delegation can force the minority to vote for its candidate Abolished by the Democrats

› New Democratic party rule decrees that state’s delegates be chosen in proportion to the votes cast in its primary or caucus. (30% of votes = 30% delegates from that state) – proportional allocation

Superdelegates Delegate slot to the Democratic Party’s national convention

that is reserved for an elected party official› Some rules originating in Democratic Party have been

enacted as state laws thus applying them to the Republican Party as well.

Changing nature of coverage› No prime time coverage on some days› Extending coverage on the final day of

each convention› Reflects change in political culture

More interest in the candidates themselves

› Convention still generates much coverage for the party

The institution that formally elects the president of the United States

Representatives of each state (electors) who cast the final ballots that actually elect a president

Total number of electors for each state equal to the number of senators and representatives that a state has in the U.S. Congress

District of Columbia is given 3 electoral votes

Result of compromise between:› Selection by Congress versus direct popular

election Three essentials to understanding the design

of the Electoral College:› Constructed to work without political parties› Constructed to cover both the nominating and

electing phases of presidential selection› Constructed to produce a nonpartisan president

12th Amendment (1804)› Attempt to remedy the confusion between the

selection of vice presidents and presidents that emerged in the election 1800

› Provided for separate elections for each office, with each elector having only one vote to cast for each

› In event of a tie, the election still went to the House

› Top three candidates go to House › Each state House delegation casts one vote

Electoral college crises› At times a candidate can win the Electoral College

vote without having won the popular vote Reapportionment matters

› Representation of states in the Electoral College is altered every ten years to reflect population shifts

› Recent reapportionment has favored the Republicans

› With the exception of California, George W. Bush carried all of the states that gained seats in 2000

Popular Vote Congressional District Plan Keep the College, Abolish the Electors

Very different from presidential elections› Lesser known candidates, more difficulty getting

media attention Incumbency Advantage

› Staff support› Media and travel

› The “Scare-off” effect› Redistricting/Gerrymandering

When incumbents lose it is generally due to:› Redistricting

Gerrymandering› Scandals› Presidential Coattails

Election takes place in the middle of a presidential term› President’s party usually loses seats in midterms› Tendency for voters to punish the president’s party

more severely in the sixth year of an eight year presidency - 6th year itch Retrospective voting Senate elections less inclined to the 6th year itch

› 2002 midterm elections were a remarkable exception Bush picked up seats in the House and Senate

› 2006 midterm elections: backlash against the Republicans

Focus on the Electoral College Other areas

› Nomination Regional primaries

› Campaign Finance Reform› Online Voting› Voting by Mail› Modernizing the Ballot