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1
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- Regularly scheduled elections
- Fixed, staggered, and sometimes limited terms
- Term limits-amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- Winner-take-all, single-member districts, and proportional
representation
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2
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- The Electoral College
- Each state has as many electors as it has representatives and senators
- 538 electoral votes/270 winner
- House chooses
- Elected in the Electoral College without winning a plurality of popular
votes:
- 1824-J.Q. Adams over Jackson
- 1876-R.B. Hayes over S.Tilden
- 1888-B.Harrison over G. Cleveland
- 2000-Bush over Gore
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3
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- Generally speaking, after a person decides to run for office the first
task is to collect financial contributions
- Presidential popularity-coattail effects
- House – safe seats
- Senate - competitive
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4
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- Step 1: The Nomination
(primaries, caucuses, and conventions)
- Step 2: The Convention (party platform, selecting the
vice-presidential candidate)-campaigning
- Step 3: The General Election-
mobilizing support
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5
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- Independent candidates can get on the ballot through state petition.
- Factors – nation is prosperous
- Party and candidate appeal
- Voter turnout
- Televised presidential debates
- 1960-JFK/Nixon
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6
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- 2002 Campaign Finance Reform
- $2000 primary election
- $2000 general election
- $5000 Political Action Commt (PAC)
- Total $37,500 two year cycle
- Ban soft money except $10,000 per state and local party for voter
registration/party activities
- Issue of Advocacy Groups (Independent expenditures by groups and
individuals
- AARP
- Sierra Club
- Planned Parenthood
- AFL-CIO
- NRA
- Chamber of Commerce
- Candidates personal wealth
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7
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- In Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, on Jan, 2010, the US
Supreme court ruled that the McCain-Feingold Act of 2002, the US federal
law that regulates the financing of political campaigns, was in
violation of corporations' and unions' First Amendment rights. Under the
January 2010 ruling, corporations and unions are no longer barred from
promoting the election of one candidate over another candidate.
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Notes
