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U.S. Political System
Nuances of Party Politics and the Electoral College
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The Parties
• 1800’s – political parties developed• The two major parties of today are the
Republican Party and the Democratic Party• Third parties exists, but they do not play
important roles in elections
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Democratic Party• Emerged in the 1830’s from factions of other
parties• Rallied around Andrew Jackson ending what he
termed a "monopoly" of government by elites• Expand suffrage to all white males, favored
political participation• Protect his coalition – spoils system and
electioneering• The new Democratic Party became a coalition of
farmers, city-dwelling laborers, and Irish Catholics
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Republican Party• It emerged in 1854 to combat the Kansas Nebraska Act • Elects Abraham Lincoln in 1860• Success in guiding the Union to victory and abolishing
slavery • Dominated the national political scene until 1932 • The Republican Party was based on northern white
Protestants, businessmen, small business owners, professionals, factory workers, farmers, and African-Americans
• Pro-business, supporting banks, the gold standard, railroads, and tariffs to protect industrial workers and industry
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Historical Context
• Voting was for White male property owners – Jacksonian expansion of voting– Factors leading to universal suffrage in 1920
• Since 1852, every president has been either a Republican or Democrat
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Rivas for Congress
• I’ve decided to run for Congress– When someone says “congress” we usually
mean the House of Representatives• What are the requirements for me to run?
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Rivas for Congress
• Let’s assume I’m 25 years old and can run for Congress
• What is my first step to get on the ballot?
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Political Affiliation
• Am I going to run as a “tax-and-spend” Democrat, a “slash-and-cut” Republican, or an Independent?
• What does it mean to be Independent?
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Independent Voters• Voters want to be “independent” of political parties• Yet, these voters still have leanings towards a
party• During primaries, voters have to choose a party or
vote as independents (disqualifying them from primary elections)
• Increasingly elections depend on “undecided” independent voters. These are people who in one primary election choose the Democratic Party whereas in others they choose the Republican Party
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Requirements for Primaries
• Let’s say I want to run as a Democrat• I need to get on the ballot for the PRIMARY
election – so that I am the nominee from my party for the GENERAL election
• How do I get on the ballot?
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Requirements for Primaries cont.
• Established Party: Petition with at least 600 qualified primary electors of the candidate’s party in the congressional district
• Independents: Petition with at least 5,000 qualified voters of the congressional district.
• Does this seem fair to you?
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I Won the Primary!
• Let’s assume I won the primary, and I am now on the ballot representing my party in the November General Election
• Who’s name goes first on the ballot? – 4th Congressional District (Choose One)– Carlos Rivas (D)– Ricardo Ramirez (R) – Sandra Bayona (I)
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How do I finance my campaign?
• Paying for elections is a big deal in the U.S.• Parties have funds, politicians are constantly
fundraising, and then you have PACs and Super PACs
• Campaign finance regulations require disclosure of donations over $250 USD for individual donations
• We’ll discuss campaign finance at a later date
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Galvanizing Volunteers
• Getting people to work for you is the best way to finance your campaign
• People give you donations – that are not tax-deductible
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I’ve been in Congress too long!
• Now I want to run for President– We know the process to get on the ballot– But now, I have to win primaries not just in my
Congressional district, but in all 50 states– I don’t need to win each state, but enough of
them for others to drop out– Once I’m the only one left, the PARTY
chooses me as their candidate
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General Election
• Now I need to win the General Election• To do so I need to get people to vote for me –
enough to win their state• Get the vote of the electoral college
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Electoral College
• How many members of the Senate?
• How many members of the House of Representatives?
• How many electors does the District of Columbia receive?
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Constitutional Underpinnings
• “Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.”
• Article II – Section 1, Clause 2
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District of Columbia
• Confuses us all – it is not a State! • The 23rd Amendment gave D.C. the right to vote
for president• Before this, its residents were barred from voting
in the election! • It gets as many electors as the LEAST populous
state
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Electoral College cont.
• 100 S + 435 R + 3 DC = 538
• 538 / 2 = 269
• To win you need 269 + 1 = 270 electoral votes
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States vs. Electors
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States vs. Electors
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Electors
• Who are electors of the College of Electors?
• Electors are pledged to particular presidential and vice presidential candidates
• Electors are elected on a "winner-take-all" basis. That is, all electors pledged to the presidential candidate who wins the most votes in a state become electors for that state
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I am on the ballot as an elector
• Carlos Rivas ELECTOR for Mitt Romney
• Ricardo voted for me as an Elector, and Voted for Mitt Romney
• Mitt Romney lost the State of Illinois
• I then have NOT been elected as an elector
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Q & A