Presidential Elections Primary elections or caucuses are

used to elect national convention delegates which choose the nominee. Winner-take-all primary Proportional representation primary Proportional representation with bonus

delegates primary; beauty contest with separate delegate selection; delegate selection with no beauty contest

Caucus

Primaries v. Caucuses 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 Frontloading (being first) gives some primary states an

advantage Frontloading is the tendency to choose an early date on

the primary schedule

The Party Conventions 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.

National Convention: Delegate Selections Unit Rule

A traditional party practice under which the majority of a state delegation can fore 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 voters 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.

National Convention: National Candidates and Issues

Political perceptions and loyalties of voters are not influenced largely by national candidates and issues. Diminished the power of state and local party

leaders at the convention.

Issues are more important to the new, issue-oriented party activists than to the party professionals.

Party professionals no longer have monopoly on managing party affairs.

National Conventions: The News Media

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 National Convention: Who are the Delegates?

Parties draw delegates from an elite group Higher income and educational levels

Differences between parties 40% Democratic delegates were minorities; 50%

women (1980 rule requires half state delegation be female)

Only 17% Republican delegates were minorities. Up from 9% in 2000.

Figure 13.1

The Electoral College Representatives of each state 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.

The Electoral College Result of compromise

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.

The Electoral College in the 19th Century

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.

The Electoral College Today Apportionment matters. Representation of states in the

Electoral College is altered every ten years to reflect population shifts.

Recent apportionment has favored the Republicans.

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

The Electoral College: Three Major Reform Ideas

Abolition Congressional District Plan Keep the College, Abolish the Electors

Patterns of Presidential Elections Party Realignments

A shifting of party coalition groupings in the electorate that remains in place for several elections

Critical elections An election that signals a party realignment through

voter polarization Six party realignments in U.S. history; three

associated with tumultuous elections 1860 1890s 1928-1936

Secular Realignments The gradual rearrangement of party coalitions, based

more on demographic shifts than on shocks to the political system

Electoral College Results for Three Realigning Presidential Contests

Reforming the Electoral Process

Focus on the Electoral College Other areas

Nomination Regional primaries

Campaign Finance Internet Voting Standardizing Recounts Ballot Reform