U.S. Electoral Process
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Transcript of U.S. Electoral Process
U.S. Electoral Process
Chapters 7-3, 18, & 19
•Step 1: Nomination
•Nomination Options:
•Petition—3rd party nomination method
•Caucus
•Primary election
•Closed Primary
•Open Primary
•“Operation Chaos”
•Semi-open primary
•Run-off primary
• General Election
• Non-Presidential elections— popular vote decides winner
• Presidential Races use Electoral College
– Elector– # of electors= # of Senators + # of
House members• Changes after census every
10 years– 538 total electors—need 270 to win
2008 Electoral Map
J. McCain= Red (173)
B. Obama= Blue (365)
www.270towin.com
Reasons for Electoral College• Forces candidates out of urban areas• Fear/distrust of American voters
Criticisms of Electoral College• Popular vote winner can lose
election– J.Q. Adams (1824)– R.B. Hayes (1876)– G.W. Bush (2000)
• Electors can ignore popular vote
• 3rd Party candidates can take votes away from major parties
G. Bush A. Gore R. Nader
Popular Vote
50,456,002 (47.87%)
50,999,897 (48.38%)
2,882,955 (2.74%)
Electoral Vote
271 266 0
Florida Results
G. Bush Al Gore R. Nader
Popular Vote
2,912,790 2,912,253 97,488
Futurama Spoof
Simpsons Spoof
Florida recount & “chads”
Important Voting Terms
• Suffrage
• Secret Ballot
• Absentee Ballot
Campaign Finance
• 2008 Presidential race cost over $1.8 Billion
• Financing Options for Presidential nominees:1. Party assistance--$5000 from party
2. Political Action Committees (interest groups like NRA or PETA)--$5000
3. Public Funding--$84 million—cannot accept private donations
4. Private donations for individuals--$2300– Pre-2008: donations come from richer donors at expensive fundraisers
– New in 2008: online donations SKYROCKET
– Barack Obama & Hillary Clinton websites (average $10-$55 million per month)
• Donations and spending must be reported to FEC
• 527 Organizations– Independent groups– Not allowed to donate ANY money to candidate– May not show support to any candidate– May say anything they want about someone so long as they do not support
• Leads to “attack” ads• No limit on how much money they can spend
– Swift boat Veterans for Truth
– Hillary Clinton “Red Phone” Ad
History of Political Parties
•Political Ideology:
•Liberal:
•Conservative:
•Moderate:
Political Spectrum
Liberal Moderate Conservative
Democrats RepublicansCommunists ConstitutionsSocialists Libertarians
Greens Reforms
• Political Party:
• Functions of parties:-
-
-
Types of Party Systems
• One-Party:
• Two-Party:
• Multi-Party:
Democrats• Founded in 1828
• Historic Presidents: A. Jackson, F. Roosevelt, J. Kennedy, B. Clinton, B. Obama
• Party Platform:
– Iraq:
– National Security:
– Fiscal issues:
– Social issues:
Republicans• Founded in 1854
• Referred to as “GOP”
• Historic Presidents: A. Lincoln, T. Roosevelt, R. Nixon, R. Reagan, G.H.W. Bush, G.W. Bush
– Party Platform:
– War in Iraq:
– National Security:
– Fiscal issues:
– Social issues:
Federalists (1792-1816)
• Historic Presidents: G. Washington
• Historic Party Platform:– Passage of Constitution– Supported growth of the Federal government
(Big Gov’t)– Supported the Alien & Sedition Acts of late
1790s
Democratic-Republicans (1792-1824)
• Historic Presidents: T. Jefferson, J. Madison, J. Monroe
• Historic Party Platform:– Strict Constructionists—be sure to define– Supported strengthened state gov’ts– Wanted neutrality in world affairs– Supported policies to help farmers (reduced
taxes)
Whigs (1833-1856)
• Historic Presidents: W.H. Harrison, J. Tyler, Z. Taylor, M. Fillmore
• Historic Party Platform: Splinter Party
– Opposed slavery—hypocrytical
– Supported the use of gov’t to increase industrial capabilities
– Supported use of tariffs
– Built roads, canals, and railroads
– Promoted public schools, colleges, cultural institutions
Greens
• Founded in 1980
• Influential politician—Ralph Nader
• Party Platform: Ideological– Environmentalism– Marijuana legalization
Libertarians
• Founded in 1971
• Influential politicians—Bob Barr
• Party Platform:– Laissez-faire economics– Believe strongly in personal freedoms
(speech and sexual)– Abolish “victimless” crimes like prostitution– Fiscal responsibility
Boston “Tea” Party
• Reference to the Boston Tea Party• “Taxed Already Enough”• Oppose government sponsored
programs that “waste” or require more tax dollars– 18% of Americans identify as “tea
party” supporters– Unofficial party—organized use
of protests– Splinter group of Republican
Party & Libertarian Party
Texas “Primacaucus”
Texas Democratic presidential primary, 2008
Candidate Votes Percentage Delegates
Hillary Clinton 1,459,814 50.89% 65
Barack Obama 1,358,785 47.37% 61
John Edwards 30,012 1.05% 0
Bill Richardson 10,769 0.37% 0
Joe Biden 5,327 0.19% 0
Christopher Dodd 3,747 0.13% 0
Totals 2,868,454 100.00% 126
Texas “Primacaucus”
Texas Democratic presidential precinct conventions, 200841.10% of precincts reporting
Candidate Precinct delegates Percentage Delegates
Barack Obama 23,918 27.16% 38
Hillary Clinton 18,620 21.14% 29
Other 6 0.01% 0
Uncommitted 38 0.04% 0
Undetermined 45,492 51.65% 0
Totals 88,074 100.00% 67
Presidential Primaries/Caucuses
• Delegates required—set by parties– Democrats—2024 out of 4047
• “Superdelegates”
– Republicans—1191 out of 2381
Add Map of PA delegate districts
• Republicans—winner take all delegates
• Democrats—proportional delegates