Chapter Seven Participation, Elections, and Parties.

Chapter Seven

Participation, Elections, and

Parties

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Campaigning

• This presentation will present some basics of campaigning for elected office.

• There are two key ingredients needed, and the more you have of each, the better are your chances of winning.

• But it is politics, and there can be some unexpected results.


Media

• This is the first key ingredient.

• You will need a way to reach your voters.

• Door-to-door campaigning is still effective, but as districts get more populated, knocking on doors is harder to do.

• Can choose to communicate with voters in other ways.


Controlled Media

• This is where the candidate (or your campaign staff) controls the message sent to the public.

• There are three basic ways:• Advertising• Media Events• Mailings


Controlled Media - Advertising

• Advertising includes TV, radio, newspapers, and billboards.

• Candidates run various types of ads, depending on their message.• Attack/Negative ads- degrade the opposition• Support ads- rally the voters to your side• Info ads- state your position on an issue


Controlled Media - Media Events

• These are events designed and timed to be covered by the news media.

• Includes speeches, rallies, tours, etc. that focus on the candidate.

• The media use the “sound bites” the candidate wants.

• It is free coverage for the candidate.


Controlled Media - Mailings

• Candidates will still send things through the mail to voters.

• The targeted voters are often voters from the candidate’s own party.

• The normal expectation is to reinforce the voter’s view of the candidate and to encourage them to vote.


Uncontrolled Media

• Occasionally things do not go as planned.

• Speeches may not go as expected, ads may backfire, or the candidate may do something illegal or immoral.

• Since the politician is a news item, it may be hard to avoid some negative press.


Money

• This is the second key ingredient.

• Advertising costs money.

• Traveling costs money.

• Staffing costs money.

• And there are various other expenses as well, but advertising will often be the number one expense.


Money Sources

• As a candidate, you can get money from three basic sources:• Yourself• Other individuals• Political Action Committees (PACs)

• Texas has some campaign finance laws that are different from other states, and even from federal elections.


Money Sources (Cont’d)

• The candidate• Generally allowed to use as much of your own

money as you want.• When Tony Sanchez ran for governor in 2002,

he gave and loaned himself over $27 million.• Most candidates are not that fortunate, so

they have to ask for donations.



• Individuals• Individual people are allowed to give

candidates money; candidate will need a treasurer to keep track of donations.

• There is no limit on how much one can give a candidate, but there are limits on how much they can loan to the campaign.

• Donations over $50 require a name and address, and donations over $100 in cash are not allowed.



• Political Action Committees (PACs)• Set up by businesses and labor unions since

those two groups cannot donate directly to political candidates.

• Once again, there is no real limit on donations, but some PACs are limited because they participate in federal elections.

• Individual reporting requirements apply to PACs.


Leftover Money

• What happens if there is money left after the election?

• State law has the answer:• Title 15 of the Election Code, Section

254.204:• The money may be put toward one of six

areas, including: another political candidate, the person who originally gave the donation, or for creation of a college scholarship.

Chapter Seven Participation, Elections, and Parties.

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Transcript of Chapter Seven Participation, Elections, and Parties.