ElectionsElections

Chapter 7Chapter 7

Section 2Section 2

Key TermsKey Terms

• BallotBallot

• Absentee BallotAbsentee Ballot

• Coattail effectCoattail effect

• PrecinctPrecinct

• Polling PlacePolling Place

The Administration of The Administration of ElectionsElections

• Extent of Federal controlExtent of Federal control– 500,000 people hold elective office500,000 people hold elective office– There are 89,000 units of governmentThere are 89,000 units of government– Most election law is State and not Most election law is State and not

federal lawfederal law

• Constitution gives Congress the Constitution gives Congress the power to fix “the Times, Places, and power to fix “the Times, Places, and Manner of holding Elections”Manner of holding Elections”

• Congress has the power to set the Congress has the power to set the time for choosing presidential time for choosing presidential electors electors

• Also setting the date for casting Also setting the date for casting electoral voteselectoral votes

• Congress sets the date for holding Congress sets the date for holding congressional elections first Tuesday congressional elections first Tuesday following the first Monday in Novemberfollowing the first Monday in November

• This is done every even numbered year.This is done every even numbered year.• Same date for presidential every four Same date for presidential every four

yearsyears• Next presidential election is November Next presidential election is November

6, 20126, 2012

• Congress requires the use of secret Congress requires the use of secret ballots and voting machines and similar ballots and voting machines and similar devicesdevices

• Congress has also prohibited corrupt Congress has also prohibited corrupt practices, regulates financing.practices, regulates financing.

• Congress expanded election law in 2002Congress expanded election law in 2002

• Response to ballot irregularities in the Response to ballot irregularities in the 2000 election 2000 election

• Major provisionsMajor provisions– Replace lever operated systems and Replace lever operated systems and

punch cards by 2006 (most States failed punch cards by 2006 (most States failed to meet)to meet)

– Upgrade their administration throughUpgrade their administration through•Better trainingBetter training

•Local election officials and poll workersLocal election officials and poll workers

– Centralize and computerize their election Centralize and computerize their election processprocess

– Provide provisional votingProvide provisional voting• If eligibility is challenged the person can If eligibility is challenged the person can

cast a ballot and counted if found to be cast a ballot and counted if found to be qualifiedqualified

– State laws deals with all matters in State laws deals with all matters in national, State and local electionsnational, State and local elections

• Election DayElection Day– Most States hold elections to fill State offices Most States hold elections to fill State offices

on same date as congressional electionson same date as congressional elections– The method prevents the election from The method prevents the election from

falling on a Sunday (separation of church falling on a Sunday (separation of church and State)and State)

– Or first day of the month (payday) helps to Or first day of the month (payday) helps to stop campaign pressuresstop campaign pressures

– Some States set certain elections on odd Some States set certain elections on odd numbered yearsnumbered years

• Early votingEarly voting– Millions cast their ballot on election dayMillions cast their ballot on election day

• Absentee ballot- a process by Absentee ballot- a process by which vote without going to the which vote without going to the polling place on election daypolling place on election day

• Congress started absentee ballots Congress started absentee ballots during the Civil War (troops could during the Civil War (troops could vote)1864vote)1864

• Voters can apply weeks before the Voters can apply weeks before the electionelection

• Mark ballots and return by mailMark ballots and return by mail• Must be postmarked by election dayMust be postmarked by election day• Originally for only a small number of Originally for only a small number of

peoplepeople• Any person can cast an absentee Any person can cast an absentee

ballot if they wishballot if they wish

• Coattail effectCoattail effect• Coattail effect- occurs when a Coattail effect- occurs when a

strong candidate is running for strong candidate is running for office at the top of the ballot and office at the top of the ballot and helps attract voters to the lesser helps attract voters to the lesser known candidatesknown candidates

• Franklin Roosevelt, Ronald Regan, Franklin Roosevelt, Ronald Regan, and Barack Obama. and Barack Obama.

• Reverse coattailReverse coattail– Barry Goldwater 1964Barry Goldwater 1964– George McGovern 1972George McGovern 1972– Jimmy Carte 1980Jimmy Carte 1980– They make the lesser known candidates They make the lesser known candidates

lose votes because the top candidate was lose votes because the top candidate was so unpopularso unpopular

– Some argue that State and local should Some argue that State and local should not be held at the same time as federal not be held at the same time as federal electionselections

Precincts and Polling PlacesPrecincts and Polling Places

• Precinct- smallest geographic Precinct- smallest geographic unit to conduct electionsunit to conduct elections– State law restricts their size to 500 to State law restricts their size to 500 to

1,000 qualified voters1,000 qualified voters

• Polling Place-the place where Polling Place-the place where the voters who live in the the voters who live in the precinct actually vote.precinct actually vote.

• Located somewhere in the precinctLocated somewhere in the precinct

• Precinct election board supervises the Precinct election board supervises the electionelection

• County clerk or county board of County clerk or county board of elections draws precinct lineselections draws precinct lines

• Fixes the locations of each polling Fixes the locations of each polling placeplace

• Picks members of the precinct boardsPicks members of the precinct boards

• Precinct board opens and closes the pollsPrecinct board opens and closes the polls

• Polls open at 07:00am and close at Polls open at 07:00am and close at 08:00pm08:00pm

• Must make sure that all ballots and ballot Must make sure that all ballots and ballot boxes, voting machinesboxes, voting machines

• Make certain only qualified people get to Make certain only qualified people get to votevote

• Counts all the votes cast and sends to the Counts all the votes cast and sends to the proper placeproper place

• Poll watchersPoll watchers– One from each partyOne from each party– May challenge if a voter is qualifiedMay challenge if a voter is qualified– Makes sure their party’s supporters voteMakes sure their party’s supporters vote– Monitor the process of countingMonitor the process of counting

• Casting the BallotCasting the Ballot– Can be a piece of paperCan be a piece of paper– Optical scannersOptical scanners– Touch screensTouch screens

• Each state provides for a secret ballotEach state provides for a secret ballot

• State law requires that ballots be cast State law requires that ballots be cast and others cannot know how you votedand others cannot know how you voted

• Voting was a public process in the Voting was a public process in the early daysearly days– Paper ballots used in colonial timesPaper ballots used in colonial times– More commonly was the voice voteMore commonly was the voice vote

•Voters simply stated their choicesVoters simply stated their choices•Suffrage limited to privileged few many Suffrage limited to privileged few many

defended it as “manly”defended it as “manly”

– Marked increase in electorate brought Marked increase in electorate brought about the possibility of intimidation and about the possibility of intimidation and vote buyingvote buying

• Paper ballots general use by 1800’sPaper ballots general use by 1800’s– First were unofficial slips of paperFirst were unofficial slips of paper– Some candidate prepared their own Some candidate prepared their own

ballotsballots– Some colored anyone would know who Some colored anyone would know who

you were voting foryou were voting for

• Political machinesPolitical machines– Mobilized or manufactured votesMobilized or manufactured votes– Fought making voting more dependableFought making voting more dependable

• Australian BallotAustralian Ballot– First used in 1856First used in 1856– By 1900 all States were using itBy 1900 all States were using it

• Had four essential features Had four essential features – Printed at public expensePrinted at public expense– Lists the names of all candidatesLists the names of all candidates– Given out only at the polls to qualified Given out only at the polls to qualified

votersvoters– Can be marked in secretCan be marked in secret

• Sample ballotsSample ballots– Clearly marked and available in most Clearly marked and available in most

StatesStates– Some states mail them to votersSome states mail them to voters– Some appear in NewspapersSome appear in Newspapers

• Oregon 1907 the first to mail ballotsOregon 1907 the first to mail ballots– Candidates are left space to put in Candidates are left space to put in

information about their qualificationsinformation about their qualifications

• Bed-sheet ballotsBed-sheet ballots– Lists so many candidatesLists so many candidates– Even the most informed voter has Even the most informed voter has

difficulty difficulty – Local elections have the longest listsLocal elections have the longest lists– Thought was the more people the more Thought was the more people the more

democraticdemocratic– Critics say it leads to ballot fatigueCritics say it leads to ballot fatigue

• Automated VotingAutomated Voting– Thomas Edison invented the first voting Thomas Edison invented the first voting

machine (1868)machine (1868)– Lever operatedLever operated

• Most of this century voting machines Most of this century voting machines were lever operatedwere lever operated

• Sped up voting processSped up voting process• Bulky to store and to transportBulky to store and to transport

• Electronic vote countingElectronic vote counting• First used in California 1960’s First used in California 1960’s

electronic data processing (EDP)electronic data processing (EDP)• EDP uses punch cardsEDP uses punch cards

– The sometimes have problemsThe sometimes have problems– Hanging chads (incomplete punches)Hanging chads (incomplete punches)

• All punch cards were to be eliminated All punch cards were to be eliminated by the Help America Vote Act of 2002by the Help America Vote Act of 2002

• Some States use optical scanners (similar Some States use optical scanners (similar to test graders)to test graders)

• Others are electronic voting machinesOthers are electronic voting machines– Direct Response Electronic Voting Machines Direct Response Electronic Voting Machines

(DRE’s) (DRE’s) – People touch a screenPeople touch a screen– Or pushing buttonsOr pushing buttons

• DRE’s have been dropped because of DRE’s have been dropped because of hacking and malfunctionshacking and malfunctions

• Most States have gone back to Most States have gone back to optical scanners and hand counted optical scanners and hand counted paper ballotspaper ballots

• Vote by mailVote by mail– Number of States conduct elections this Number of States conduct elections this

wayway– Ballot mailed to qualified voters houseBallot mailed to qualified voters house– Filled out and mailed backFilled out and mailed back– Similar to absentee votingSimilar to absentee voting– Oregon holds all elections this wayOregon holds all elections this way– No evidence of voter fraudNo evidence of voter fraud– Higher participationHigher participation

• Online votingOnline voting– Use the InternetUse the Internet– First used in Texas 1997First used in Texas 1997– Arizona presidential primary done Arizona presidential primary done

through electronic votingthrough electronic voting– 2008 Arizona was the first State to allow 2008 Arizona was the first State to allow

all registered voters living abroad (both all registered voters living abroad (both military and civilian) to vote early and military and civilian) to vote early and onlineonline

• Public officials and private companies Public officials and private companies endorse the ideaendorse the idea

• Makes it more convenient for Makes it more convenient for participantsparticipants

• Reduces election costsReduces election costs• Skeptics believe the electronic Skeptics believe the electronic

infrastructure is not ready for E-votinginfrastructure is not ready for E-voting• Digital disaster, hackers, fraudulent vote Digital disaster, hackers, fraudulent vote

counts, violations of secrecycounts, violations of secrecy

• Critics say not everyone can afford a Critics say not everyone can afford a home computerhome computer

• Would undermine basic American Would undermine basic American principle of equalityprinciple of equality