Ch. 10Civic Responsibilities and Duties

Voting

VocabularyCivic Duties – things you are legally required

to doCivic Responsibilities – things you should do

but are not required to doPolitical Party – association of voters who

want to influence government by getting their candidates elected to office

Apathy – general feeling of not caringElectorate – people eligible to voteIncumbent – person who already holds the

office they are running forCanvassing – going door to door to get voters

People from a representative’s district are called his/her:1. Lobbyists2. Constituents3. Representees4. Electors

Civic Duties Civic Responsibilities

Obey the lawPay taxesDefend the

nation – Selective Service

Jury DutyAttend school

Be informedVoteRespect othersTolerate

diversityContribute to the

common good

VolunteeringGovernment doesn’t have time or money to

cover everything that everyone needs so people must volunteer

Helps reduce the cost of governmentVolunteers can give time or moneyBenefits

Community is upliftedDeductions from taxesIntrinsic value

What amendment gave 18 years olds the ability to vote?

1. 23rd amendment

2. 24th amendment

3. 25th amendment

4. 26th amendment

Eligibility to Vote18 years oldResident of the state for a specific timeCitizen of the U.S.No felonies

Voting ProcessGather information

Newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, and internetWebsites of candidates & political partiesPolitical parties

Go to polling place & receive a ballotCast your ballot – fill out your choicesWait for returns – reporting of election resultsAbsentee Ballot – a way to vote if you will be

unable to vote on election day Exit Poll – way of predicting the winner before

all of the votes are counted by asking people as they leave who they voted for

Voting Process

North Carolina Sample Ballot

Not VotingApathy - #1 reason why people don’t voteFollowing can’t vote

FelonsThose in mental hospitalsPeople who do not meet state requirements

Registration is not a problemPresidential elections – 50% of electorate

voteElections without Presidential candidates –

between 7% and 20% vote

What is the election on the first Tuesday of November called?1. Primary Election2. General Election3. Presidential

Election4. Campaign Election

Special ElectionsInitiative – a petition is signed with enough

signatures to put an issue on the ballotProposition – once an initiative is on the ballot Referendum – people can gather signatures to

review a law passed by the state legislatures Usually with very controversial issues

Recall – special election where voters can vote an official out of office before their term is up

CampaigningCreation of a positive image for a candidateTelevision is the most common means of

campaigning2 types

Mass Campaigning – TV, Rally & Mail – less time consuming but more expensive

Grass Roots – small level – Canvassing or making phone calls – cheap but time consuming – the voters get to personally know the candidate and the candidate gets to know the voters

Incumbents – win 80% of the time Name recognition Franking privilege

Endorsements – a famous or popular person supports a candidate

Obama’s EndorsementsPeople

Examples Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter Senator Ted Kennedy

NewspapersExamples: Charlotte Observer, The Boston

GlobeOthers include and not limited to labor

organizations, scientists, other political figures, entertainers, athletes, and Native American tribes

Financing CampaignsThe Federal Election & Campaign Finance

Act of 1971Established rules for campaign financePublic disclosure of spendingEstablished federal funding of presidential

electionsLimits how much individuals & groups could

spendCreated the FEC (Federal Election Committee)

Private FundingSoft Money Donations

Donations given to political parties & not designated for a particular candidate

Most goes to TV ads for the parties’ candidatesElaborate dinners with individual donations

Political Action Committees (PACs)Organized by special interest groupsFunds candidates who favor their position on

issuesHard money vs. Soft money

Hard money – directly to a candidateSoft money – general purposeMcCain-Feingold Act

Public FundingPresidential Election Campaign Fund

Taxpayers check a box on their federal income tax returns to designate $3 of their taxes to the fund

Candidates can get the money for primary elections if they have raised $100,000 on their own

Barack Obama did not take any public money for the 2008 Presidential Election