Chapter 9: Campaigns and Elections Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 2 Who Wants to Be a Candidate? There are two categories of individuals who run for officethe self-starters and those who are recruited by the party The nomination process Who is eligible? Who runs? Women as candidates Lawyers as candidates Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 3 Women Running for Congress (And Winning) Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 4 The Twenty-First Century Campaign The Changing Campaign Before most households had televisions, campaigning was personalized. Campaigns today are often less personal, with voters receiving information through the media. In recent decades campaigns have become less party-centered and more candidate-centered. The Professional Campaign Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 5 The Strategy of Winning Candidate Visibility and Appeal The Use of Opinion Polls Focus Groups 2004 AP/Wide World Photos Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 6 Times Change When Abraham Lincoln ran for President in 1846, it cost him 75 cents the total cost of treating some farm hands to a barrel of cider. National Archives Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 7 Major-Party Campaign Spending in Presidential Elections, 19562004 NOTE: Figures are for the post-convention campaigns. *Both major-party presidential candidates accepted public funding in 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, and Totals for those years reflect total federal funding for such candidates under the Federal Election Campaign Act amendments of SOURCES: Herbert E. Alexander, Financing Politics: Money, Elections, and Political Reform, 3rd ed. (Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 1984), p. 7. Data for 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 provided by the Federal Election Commission. In 1992, in addition to the totals that include the full spending by major-party national committees shown above, independent candidate Ross Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 8 Financing the Campaign Regulating Campaign Financing Hatch Act (1925) Federal Election Campaign Act (1971) Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 9 Financing the Campaign (cont.) 1974 Reforms Created the Federal Election Commission Provided for public funding of presidential primaries and general elections Limited presidential campaign spending for those who accept public funding Placed limitations on contributions Required disclosure of the source of contributions and what the expenditures were for Buckley v. Valeo Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 10 Financing the Campaign (cont.) Interest Groups and Campaign Money Campaign Financing Beyond the Limits Contributions to Political Parties Independent Expenditures Issue Advocacy Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 11 The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (McCainFeingold Act) Banned soft money contributions to the national party committees. It also placed limitations on issue advocacy advertisements and increased the individual contribution limit to $2,000 (from $1,000). Will hurt the ability of the political parties to help the candidates running on the party label. This could lead to less cohesiveness within the parties. May help incumbents, who are less likely to need soft money contributions and issue advocacy ads. Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 12 Outcomes of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act Challenges to the 2002 Act The Rise of the 527s Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 13 Political Action Committees (PACs) Labor unions were the first to establish; businesses followed suit Individuals contributions to groups is not limited by legislation PACs can funnel money to campaigns Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 14 Type of PACs Reflect Dominance of Business in American Politics Source: The data are number of PACS of each type. Data from U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States, (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 2006), Table 409. Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 15 PAC Contributions to Congressional Candidates, 19912004 Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 16 The Top 20 Contributors to Federal Candidates, 20052006 Cycle Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 17 Soft Money Raised by Political Parties, 19932002 Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 18 Is Reform Possible? Free Media Time Public Financing Putting Distance Between Officeholders and Donors Constitutional Amendment Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 19 Questions It has been said that absolute power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Is this principle at work in the case of Tom DeLay? Do you view the crimes Tom DeLay was accused of as being significant? Are these matters for the criminal law or simply politics as usual? Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 20 Running for President: The Longest Campaign Beauty Contest Reforming the Primaries Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 21 Primary Elections Types of Primaries Closed, open, blanket, runoff Front-Loading the Primaries: each state determines the date for its primary or caucus Because early primaries are more influential, states have competed to schedule their primaries as early as possible By choosing the nominees so early, there is a long lull in the news between the primaries and the national conventions Primaries Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 22 The National Convention Seating the Delegates A credentials committee approves all delegates. This is usually not controversial but there have been disputed delegations in the past. Convention Activities The highlight of the convention is the nomination of the presidential candidate. Because the identity of the nominee is a foregone conclusion, the TV networks have drastically curtailed their coverage of the conventions in recent years. Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 23 The Electoral College The Choice of Electors The Electors Commitment Criticisms of the Electoral College Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 24 CARLSON 2004 The Washington Post. Reprinted with permission of Universal Press Syndicate. Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 25 Questions What impact does the elimination of soft money contributions have on candidates? What impact does the elimination of soft money contributions have on local parties? Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 26 How Are Elections Conducted? Ballots Office-block ballot groups candidates for elective office together under the title of the office States that use the party-column ballot list candidates in columns arranged by political parties Voting by Mail 2003 AP/Wide World Photos Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 27 Voting Issues Vote Fraud Failure to purge the electoral rolls of voters who have died or moved opens up possibilities of fraud. Mistakes by Voting Officials. In some locales voting officials have purged many legitimate voters from the rolls by mistake. Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 28 Voter Turnout Voter participation in the United States is low compared with other countries. The Effect of Low Voter Turnout Is Voter Turnout Declining? Why? Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 29 Voter Turnout for Presidential and Congressional Elections, 1904 to 2006 Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 30 Voter Participation in Other Countries Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 31 Factors Influencing Who Votes Age Education Minority status Income Party competition Nicole Bengiveno Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 32 Factors Influencing Who Votes Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 33 Why People Do Not Vote Uninformative media coverage and negative campaigning The rational ignorance effect Plans for improved voter turnout Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 34 Restrictions on Voting Historical Restrictions Property requirements Further extensions of the franchise Is the franchise still too restrictive? Current Eligibility and Registration Requirements Extension of the Voting Rights Act (Library of Congress, NAACP Collection) Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 35 Questions for Critical Thinking Thomas Jefferson stated that the education of the public was essential to the American republic. The public must have adequate information about potential public officials before voting. What might Jefferson say about modern campaigns and the modern public? Copyright 2009 Cengage Learning 36 Questions for Critical Thinking Discuss the kinds of reforms that might be effective in curtailing moneys influence on the political process. Did the campaign finance reforms of 2002 eliminate problems or create new problems?