Nominations and CampaignsNominations and Campaigns

The Nomination GameThe Nomination GameDeciding to Run

– Other countries have short campaigns- generally less than 2 months.

– U.S. campaigns (especially for President) can last 18 months or more.

Nomination:– The official endorsement of a candidate for

office by a political party. Requires momentum, money, and media attention.

Campaign Strategy:– The master plan candidates lay out to guide

their electoral campaign.

The Nomination GameThe Nomination GameCompeting for Delegates

– The Caucus Road Caucus: Meetings of party leaders. Used

to selected delegate. – Iowa is first.

– The Primary Road Primary: Elections in which voters choose

the nominee or delegates pledged to the nominee.

Most states use one of the forms of a primary and New Hampshire is the first.

The Nomination GameThe Nomination GameCompeting for Delegates

– Evaluating the Primary and Caucus System Disproportionate attention to the early ones,

especially Iowa & New Hampshire – causesfrontloading where states move primaries to earlier

Money plays too big a role. Too many primaries & primary season lasts

too long - Super Tuesday(s) / regional primaries

The system gives too much power to the media.( Thomas Patterson)

Figure 9.1

The Nomination GameThe Nomination Game

The Perception of Iowaand New Hampshire

The Nomination GameThe Nomination GameThe Convention

- Delegates selection dependant on primaries /

Democrats reserve slots for superdelegates who

are elected party officials– Are still important to the party to get organized

and motivated.– Party platform: Statement of its goals and policies

and general beliefs.– Official nominations and candidate speeches –

place for “rising stars” in the party to be recognized

ConventionConvention

The Campaign GameThe Campaign GameThe Campaign Trail

– Campaign Team campaign manager & finance manager fund-raiser & counsel media & campaign consultants (pollsters,

etc) research staff, policy advisors press secretary

– Campaign Strategy TV Debates Geographic campaigning – where to travel Campaign appearances / media coverage

Money and CampaigningMoney and Campaigning The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms

– FEC: Created by FECA law in 1974 to administer campaign finance laws for federal elections.

Public financing of presidential elections Limited spending & required disclosure Limited contributions to campaigns

– Soft Money Contributions (with no limits) used for party-building expenses

or generic party advertising

– Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002• Further limited contributions to campaigns

Banned soft money

Money and CampaigningMoney and CampaigningThe Proliferation of PACs

– Definition: Created by FECA law in 1974 these are the financial arm of interest groups, unions & corporations which allow them to donate money to campaigns.

– Over 3900 PACs donating over $212 million

– Donate to candidates who support their issue, regardless of party affiliation

– The money follows the power – higher donations to those currently in power or to get candidates who will promote their cause into power

Elections and Voting BehaviorElections and Voting Behavior

How American Elections WorkHow American Elections Work Three types of elections:

– Select party nominees (primary)– Select officeholders (general election)– Select options on specific policies

(referendum/initiative) Referendum:

– State voters approve or disapprove proposed legislation.

– Often used for constitutional amendments. Initiative:

– Requires a specific number of signatures to be valid.

– Voters in some states propose legislation to be voted on. (California uses this often)

Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s First ChoiceFirst Choice

Deciding Whether to Vote– U.S. typically has low voter turnouts (40%). – Political Efficacy: The belief that one’s

political participation really matters. Registering To Vote

– Voter Registration: Methods vary by state but are usually in advance of the election day.

– Motor Voter Act: Requires states to permit people to register to vote when the apply for their driver’s license.

Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s Whether to Vote: A Citizen’s First ChoiceFirst Choice

Who Votes?– Education: More education = more likely to

vote. Most important factor.– Age: Older = more likely to go vote. (AARP)– Race: Caucasian = more likely to go vote.

BUT, other ethnicities are higher with comparable education.

– Gender: Female = more likely to go vote.– Marital Status: Married = more likely to go

vote.– Mobility: Don’t move = more likely to go

vote.– Union Membership: Union member = more

likely to go vote.

How Americans Vote: How Americans Vote: Explaining Citizen's DecisionsExplaining Citizen's Decisions

Party Identification– Rise of candidate-centered politics has

changed this view.– Still #1 reason why people vote the way

they doCandidate Evaluations

- Candidates want a good visual image – so do the voters!– Most important dimensions are integrity,

reliability and competence.– Personality & charisma still play a role.

How Americans Vote: How Americans Vote: Explaining Citizen's DecisionsExplaining Citizen's DecisionsPolicy Voting

– Basing vote choice on issue preferences.– Must know where the candidates stand

on issues and see differences between candidates.

– And voters may like different candidates on different issues- which may lead to ticket-splitting

The Last Battle: The Electoral The Last Battle: The Electoral CollegeCollege

How it works today:– Each state has as many votes as it does

Representatives and Senators.– Winner of popular vote typically gets ALL

the Electoral College votes. (winner-take-all)

– Electors meet in December, votes are reported by the vice president in January.

– If no candidate gets 270 votes (a majority), the House of Representatives votes for president, with each state getting ONE vote.

Presidential Election Presidential Election PatternsPatterns

Party Realignment - shifts in party coalition groups that remain in effect for several years and include both branches (rare)

Critical Elections – voters become polarized over an issue and may shift parties (abortion)

Dealignment – unstable period with weak party affiliations and ticket-splitting

Understanding Elections and Understanding Elections and Voting BehaviorVoting Behavior

Congressional Elections - Incumbency advantage – 90% re-elect* name recognition * constituent work*staff * franking privileges*committee work * press coverage - House = constant campaigning for re

election - Senate = more costly but only every 6 yrs - “Coat tail” effect in Presidential election

years helps those of the winners party