Chapter Menu

Chapter Introduction

Section 1: Who Can Vote?

Section 2: Election Campaigns

Section 3: Paying for Election Campaigns

Visual Summary

Chapter Intro 1

The right to vote is a major responsibility of citizenship. By voting, citizens can influence all levels of government as well as the laws under which we live. Yet many Americans do not exercise this fundamental right and responsibility of our democratic way of life.

Section 1

Qualifying to Vote (cont.)

• Voting is both a right and a responsibility.

• People previously barred from voting in the United States:

– White adult males who did not own property

– Women

– African American males

– Native American males

– People under 21 years of age

Section 1

• Voting rights today:

– Right to vote not denied because of race, color, gender, or age (if at least 18 years old) (26th amendment)

– Right to vote denied to people convicted of serious crimes

Qualifying to Vote (cont.)

Extending the Right to Vote

Section 1

• Voter registration:

– Required 25 days before an election in most states

– State requirements vary

– Information needed for voter registration forms

– Identity proof needed to register for first-time voters

Qualifying to Vote (cont.)

Extending the Right to Vote

Section 1

Steps in Voting (cont.)

• On Election Day, citizens cast their votes at a polling place in their precinct.

− Sample ballot at the entrance

− Clerks and challengers have certain responsibilities

− Election judges are also present

Section 1

• After voting:

– Election workers take returns to election board

– Election board sends returns to state canvassing authority

– Exit Polls used to predict election results

– Media projections may influence on voters

Steps in Voting (cont.)

Section 1

• Why some people do not vote:

– Not meeting state requirements

– Not registering

– Views not represented by candidates

– Vote won’t make a difference

– Apathy

Why Your Vote Matters (cont.)

Section 1

• Why some people do vote:

– Positive attitudes towards government and citizenship

– Education, age, and income

– Gives a chance to choose government leaders

– Gives a chance to voice opinions

Why Your Vote Matters (cont.)

Section 2

• General elections:

– Held after primary elections

– Always on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November

– All seats in House and one-third of seats in Senate at stake every even-numbered year

– Presidential elections every four years

– State and local elections

– Disputed elections

Types of Elections (cont.)

Section 2

Presidential Elections

Presidential elections have three major steps: (1) nomination of the candidates, (2) the campaign, and (3) the vote.

Section 2

• Electors:

– Part of the Electoral College system

– List of electors pledged to each candidate

– Winner-take-all system

– Elector votes sent to Congress to be counted

– Candidate with majority of votes wins

Presidential Elections (cont.)

VS 4

The Electoral College

• Presidents are not chosen by direct popular vote but by a body known as the Electoral College.

• While the presidential candidates’ names are printed on the ballot, the voters are not actually voting directly for president and vice president. Rather, they are voting for all of their party’s electors in their state.

Section 3-Key Terms

Guide to Reading

Content Vocabulary

• political action committee (PAC)

• soft money

• incumbent

Section 3

Running for Office (cont.)

• Money plays a major role in the election process.

• The purpose of campaigns is to convince the public to vote for a particular candidate.

Section 3

• Campaign techniques:

– Canvassing to find out public opinion

– Endorsements as propaganda

– Advertising to create the right image and to attack opponents

– Campaign expenses and high levels of spending in recent elections

Running for Office (cont.)

Section 3

• Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) of 1971:

– Required public disclosure of candidates’ spending

– Limited amount of hard money donated directly to a candidate or party

– Tried to limit campaign spending

Financing a Campaign (cont.)

Section 3

• Federal Election Commission (FEC):

– Created by the 1974 amendment to FECA

– Administers all federal election laws

– Monitors campaign spending

Financing a Campaign (cont.)

Section 3

Financing a Campaign (cont.)

• Presidential Election Campaign Fund:

– Created to establish public funding for presidential elections

– Money comes from annual taxes

– Two major-party candidates can receive equal shares of money from fund

– Third-party candidates can also qualify for funding

Section 3

Financing a Campaign (cont.)

• Private funding from various sources:

– Individual citizens

– Corporations

– Labor unions

– Interest groups

– Political action committees (PACs)

– Soft money – unlimited amounts of money for general purposes, not designated to particular candidates