voting, campaigns, campaign finances, media and interest groups
TRANSCRIPT
Voting, Campaigns, Campaign Finances, Media and Interest
Groups
“Let us never forget that government is ourselves. The ultimate rulers of our democracy …are the voters of this country.”
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
VOTING
A right and a responsibility of citizenship.
VOTING: QUALIFICATIONS
18 years oldU.S. CitizenState ResidentMentally CompetentNot a convicted felon
VOTING: REGISTRATION
Must register 20 days before the election at:
• DMV• Registrar’s Office• Mail in Application
VOTING: PARTICIPATION Increased turn-out in Presidential ElectionsParticipation more likely:
Education Age Income
VOTING: NON VOTERSLack InterestForget to registerNot informed on issuesParticipation less likely:
Income Age Education
VOTING: MAIN IDEA Qualified citizens have a
responsibility of stay informed about campaign issues and exercise their right to vote.
Voting: Absentee
•For people who can not get to voting booths
• Request form prior to Election Day
• Mailed in and counted on Election Day
Voting: Why your vote matters!!
•Stay informed!
•Separate fact from fiction
• Gives you a chance to choose your government leaders
• Express/voice your opinion
• Elect new leaders
Election Campaigns
General Election:
* First Tuesday after the first Monday of November
* All seats in H.O.R. and 1/3rd of Senate are up
* Every 4 years* Ballot can include governor, state
legislatures, county government, local offices
Presidential Elections
•3 steps:
•Nominations of Candidates• Campaign• Vote
Presidential Election: Nomination
•Campaigns start a year or so before election
• National conventions held Summer before election
• Today, used to kick off the campaign and rally party members
Presidential Elections: Campaign
•Travel giving speeches, appearing on T.V., news conferences
• Debates!
Presidential Elections: Vote
•Electoral College
• Person who wins the popular vote, wins the states Electoral Votes (winner-take-all system)
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
The President and the Vice President are
elected by a majority vote in the Electoral
College.
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Each state has the same number of electors as it does Congress Members
# of Senators+
# of Representatives =__________________
# of electoral votes in each state
ELECTORAL COLLEGE538 Total Electoral
Votes 270 Electoral votes
needed to win the election
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
What made the framers of the
Constitution create this system for the
election of the President and Vice-
President?
WHYWhy do we
need electors?
Electoral College
Why we need it??* Compromise between
founding fathers* To have each state
legislatures choose presidential electors
* Popular vote chooses who will receive electoral votes
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Question for the framers:
How to balance power between the
large and small states?
Result: Electoral votes for each state are determined by population
Representation
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Issue for the framers: People
are not educated enough to make a good decision.
Result: Electors who were educated about the process would make the official vote.
Fear
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Issue for the framers:
Voters do not know about candidates from other states.
Result: Using electors would keep people from only voting for candidates from their state.
Knowledge
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Electoral CollegeThe President and the Vice President are elected
by a majority vote in the electoral college.
Each state has the same number of electors as it does Congress Members
# of Senators+# of Representatives =____________________ # of electoral votes in each state
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
ProcessEach party picks electors who promise to vote for their party’s candidate.
Popular vote: first Tuesday after the first Monday in November
Winner take all system
The candidate with most votes in a state wins all of the electoral votes for that state.
Electoral Vote: December
Electors cast the official votes for President and Vice President.
Effect of the Electoral College on Campaigns
Candidates concentrate on
states with more electoral votes
(California, New York)
Small states can make the difference
in close elections
Favors a 2-party system
It is possible to tie (269 electoral votes each)
What if… no candidate receives 270 votes?
A TIE!!!
House of Representatives
selects the President
Senate selects the Vice
President
Electoral College
Schoolhouse Rock-Electoral College
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCjWPo70XZY
Campaign Financing
Canvassing: Political party members going door to door asking for votes or taking polls
Campaign FinancingEndorsements: Famous and popular person supports or campaigns for a candidate
Point= If people like the person who is making the endorsements, people might vote for the candidate as well
Campaign Financing
Campaign Expenses: T.V. ads cost tens of thousands of $$
-Airfare and other transportation
-Salaries of staff members
-Fees-Computer, television,
phone, postage, printing costs
Financing a Campaign
*Congress placed control on campaign financing after 1970
•Law required:• Public disclosure of each candidate’s spending
• established federal funding of presidential elections
• tried to limit how much individuals and groups could spend
Financing a Campaign
Public Funding:
* Presidential Campaign Fund= allows taxpayers to donate $3 of their federal income tax return to go to the fund.
* Presidential candidates can qualify to get some of this money to campaign in primary elections if they have raised $100,000 on their own
Financing a CampaignPrivate Funding:
* Private sources provide campaign funds and include individual citizens, party organizations, and corporations, special interest groups (labor unions) donate funds to candidates
* Donations given to political parties and note designated for a particular candidate’s election campaign = SOFT MONEY
*Soft Money must be used for general purposes – voter registration, direct mailings, or advertisements
$
Rising Campai
gn Costs
$
Lots of fund raising by candidates and parties
Gives an advantage to rich people
Limits opportunities to run for office.
Limits opportunities to run for office.
Interest Groups have more power
Encourage PACs
Campaign
Finance Reform
Rising campaign costs have led to efforts to
reform campaign finance laws. Limits exist on the amount individuals may
contribute to political candidates and campaigns.
PACsPolitical Action
Committees
Established to raise money to
support an issue or candidate
Political Action Committees
oPACs are the political branch of a special interest group.oPACs raise voluntary donations of money from people who agree with their cause.oThey give money to elections campaigns of people they support and to the political party that will work for their goals.
PAC’s give their soft money to INCUMBENTS (politicians who have already been elected to office)
* Result: lawmakers were reluctant to change the rules in ways that could help their opponents in the next election
Financing a CampaignRunning for office is expensive!
How does campaign financing work??!
The Role of the Media in Elections
MEDIA
T.V.RadioNewspapersInternet
Role of the Media in ElectionsThe editorial section
of the newspaper, a televised debate or T.V. program can provide candidates and experts a way to present opposing viewpoints on the issues.
Air Different Points of View
Role of the Media in Elections
Call Attention to Important
Issues
By printing articles or airing stories about a particular issue, the media is able to create interest in a topic where none existed.
Role of the Media in Elections
Government officials and candidates use the media to communicate
with the public.
Identify candidates & their platforms
(stand/opinion on the issues)
How can voters evaluate speeches,
literature and advertisements for
accuracy?
BY:Separating fact from
opinionDetecting biasEvaluating sources
of information Identifying
propaganda
Throughout media, we see things
like:
Name Calling“Candidate Roberts is corrupt and caters to special interest
groups.”Use of an unpleasant label or
description to harm an opposing candidate.
Name Calling
Plain Folks Appeal
“Vote for Hillary Clinton, who understands the problems of
Florida.”
Candidates describe themselves as regular people; average, hard
working citizens.
Plain Folks Appeal
Public PolicyHow individuals, interest groups and
the media influence the actions of the government.
What influences people’s
opinions??•Family & Friends•Media (Print and T.V.)•Importance
Why might a group have more influence than an individual?
• Louder Voice• More $• Represent more people
Why might a group have more influence than an individual?
• Louder Voice• More $• Represent more people
Public PolicyThe actions of the
government as they deal with the issues
of the day.
Ways that individuals influence public policy.
Voting Being informed Participating in politics Expressing opinions: * Letters to politicians * Demonstrating Campaigning Lobbying Joining interest groups
Ways that groups influence public policy.
• Interest Groups: organizations that seek to influence government policy
• Identify and publicize issues• Offer different viewpoints• Lobby- seeking to influence legislators to
introduce legislation or to vote for or against a bill.
• Donate $
An interest group is a structured
organization of people with
shared attitudes who attempt to influence public
policy.
Interest groups:
-Vary in size, goals and budget -Attempt to influence both the government and public opinion -Hire lobbyists to represent their interests
Interest Groups
Public Policy is influenced by:
Individuals Interest Groups Media
•Vote•campaign•Keep informed•Express Opinions by: -Writing letters to politicians -Demonstrating -Lobbying •Join interest groups
•Identify and publicize issues•Offer different viewpoints•Lobby•Donate Money $$$
•Draws attention to issues•Shows different views on issues•Holds candidates accountable•Allows officials to communicate with citizens
Influencing Government: Lobbyists
Lobbyist: Representatives of interest groups who contact lawmakers or other government officials directly to influence their policy making
Persuade government officials to support their interest groups policies
Give important information to lawmakers (suggest solutions for problems and issues) Draft their own bills for lawmakers
Concerned with making sure laws are carried out, enforced, and upheld in court
Initiative- a way a citizen can propose new laws or state constitutional amendments
Citizens will get qualified voters to sign a petition. If enough people sign the proposed law, PROPOSITION, is put on the ballot at the next general election.
Referendum- a way for citizens to approve or reject a state or local law.
-Citizens have the right to have a law referred (sent back) to voters for their approval at the next general election.
Another type of special election is called a RECALL
* citizens vote to to remove a public official from office
*Starts with a petition and can recall an official because they do not like his or her position on issues or because the official has been charged with wrongdoing.
Straight-Ticket: When a citizen votes for all republican or democratic candidates on a ballot.
Returns: Ballots and results of an election
Butterfly: A ballot that has candidates and issues on both sides and it separated by the numbered marks to punch down the middle.