Elections and Democracy

3 Types of Elections
- Primaries
- Nominate candidates
- General elections
- Select office holders
- Direct Policy elections
- Ballot Initiatives
- Referendums (often used to affect up-ticket races)
Election of 1800
- Adams/Pickney for Federalists
- Jefferson/Burr for Democratic-Republicans
- Very bitter campaign
- Electoral tie between Jefferson and Burr
Contingent Election
- An electoral tie put the election in the hands of the outgoing Federalist Congress
- 35 ties between Jefferson and Burr
- Hamilton intervenes on Jefferson’s behalf
Democratic Influence
- In previous elections, state legislatures had picked the electors
- By 1824, ¾ of the states used a popular vote
- As a result, common people had much more influence
Jackson the Darkhorse
- Jackson was seen as an outsider in 1824
- His reputation gained him popularity with the newly enfranchised
- Jackson: 99
- Adams: 84
- Clay: 37
Primary, Caucus, and General
- First candidate build a staff and raise money
- Then they compete for their parties nomination
- Finally they run against nominees from opposing parties
Campaign Basics
- Money, Media, and Momentum
- Governing vs. running for office
- US campaigns take years
- Emotional, financial, and physical drain
Nominations
- Intra party to contest to select candidates
- Competition for convention delegates
- Elimination contest
- Conventions should be a formality if all goes well
Caucuses
- REALLY complicated
- Rewards candidates with an organized grassroots campaign
- The Iowa caucus is first and most important
- Momentum + Coverage
Primaries
- Reform of the boss run political machine
- Balloting to select party delegates pledged to vote for candidates
- New Hampshire is the first, and ridiculously important
Details
- Date of the primary is critical (frontloading)
- Super Tuesday!!!
- Super Delegates
- The Democratic party primaries allow party leaders more say
- More party control over the nomination process than the Republican party
State Parties
- Closed Primary
- Only people who have registered with the party can vote for that party’s candidates
- Favors more extreme candidates
- Open Primary
- Voters decide on Election Day whether they want to vote in the Democrat or Republican
primary
- Blanket Primary
- Voters are presented with a list of candidates from all parties
California Presidential Primary
- Modified Closed Party Primary for President
- Parties have the option of allowing “decline to state” voters in or not
- 2012, Democratic and American Independent parties allowed “decline” voters in
California Primary
- Nonpartisan blanket primary
- All candidates appear on one ballot regardless of the voter’s party ID…
- Top two vote-getters move on to the general election, regardless of party
Problems
- Too much emphasis on early states
- Disadvantage to responsible officials
- The role of early money
- Very low turnout
- Hypermedia influence
Money
- Soft Money
- Political contributions (not subject to contribution limits) earmarked for party-building
expenses or generic party advertising
 - The McCain-Feingold Act (2002)
- banned soft money, increased the amount of individual contributions, and limited “issue
ads.”
- Citizens United v. FEC Overturned much of McCain Feingold,
- allows Corporations & Unions much more liberty to run ads.
527 Groups
- “Independent” groups that seek to influence the political process
- They are not subject to contribution restrictions because they do not directly seek election of
particular candidates.
- 501 (c) groups are very similar but are limited by the scope of their issues.
PACS
- Political Action Committees
- Interest groups that donate money to campaigns
- PACS don't buy votes, they buy access
- Regulated by the FEC (Federal Election Commission)
- Some pacs routinely given to one political party
Electoral Basics
- Indirect election of the President & Vice President
- Electors selected by the states
- Originally intended to be the nations elite
Electors
- Number of electors = state congressional delegation +2 Senators
- State Parties select slates of electors
- Being an elector is now a reward for the party faithful
- Disqualification
Apportioning Electoral Votes
- Majority of states use a winner take all system
- Small plurality may have the same result as a landslide
- Maine and Nebraska allow their votes to be divided per district
12th Amendment
- Electors meet in their own states and vote
- President and Vice President must reside in separate states
- Distinct votes for president and Vice President
- Ballots sent to Congress and opened by the President of the Senate (Old Vice President)
Contingent Elections
- Should no candidate get a majority, the House of Reps vote for president
- The Senate would elect the Vice President
- State delegations only get ONE vote
20th Amendment
- Term expiration
- President and Vice President = Noon, January 20th
- Congress = Noon, January 3rd
- Congress must meet at least once a year
 - If president elect dies, vice president elect becomes president
- If No president and No vice president, Congress can provide by law
Bias
- Campaigns focus on populous swing states
- Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida get a LOT of attention
- Texas, New York, and California get very little
More Bias
- Per capita voting power is greater in small states
- Advantage to conservative candidates
- Disadvantage to third parties
Benefits
- Candidates cannot ignore rural areas
- Stability of the 2 party system
- Adaptability in case of dire emergency
- Isolates problems
Alternatives
- National popular vote interstate compact
- States agree to pick electors according to the popular vote
- Essentially does an end run around the constitution
Referendum
- State legislatures places an issue on the ballot
- Mandatory for amending state Constitution
- Optional for laws
Recall
- Allows for the removal of elected officials
- Signatures of 12% of the number of votes cast in the previous election for that office
- A special election is then scheduled
Initiative
- Ballot items brought by the people
- 5% of the signatures for a law
- 8% for an amendment
- % are of voters from the last election

Interest Groups
Defining Interest groups
- Organizations trying to achieve policy goals
- Operations at several governmental levels
- Don’t nominate candidates
- Often policy specialists
Pluralism
- Groups provide links between people and government
- Groups compete
- No one group is likely to become too dominate
 - Groups usually play by the “rules of the game”
- Groups weak in one resource can use another
Neat Things Groups Do.
- Attempt to shape public debate
- Rate and endorse candidates
- Endorse policy choices
- Control PACS
Elton Gallegly (R)
- Planned Parenthood - 8%
- National taxpayer Union - B
- US Chamber of Commerce - 89%
- ACLU - 18%
- NEA - F
- NRA - A-
- AFL-CIO - 13%
Julia Brownley (D)
- Planned Parenthood - 100%
- National Taxpayers Union - 19%
- US Chamber of Commerce - 67%
- ACLU - 100%
- NEA - 100%
- NRA - 0%
- AFL-CIO - 100%
Organizational Strength
- Potential Group
- All the people who might join because they share interests
- Actual Group
- The part of the potential group who actually join
- Small Groups are easier to organize, thus more effective
Collective Action
- Groups seek to provide collective goods
- Free riders receive the benefit of collective goods without actually joining
- The larger the group, the larger the free rider problem
Selective Benefits
- Large groups can increase their organizational power
- Selective benefits are goods restricted to those who pay dues
- Info, discounts, insurance, services, etc.
Intensity
- Single Interest Groups focus on a narrow interest and dislike compromise
- Usually emotional issues provide them with a psychological advantage
- Usually rely on protest rather than traditional lobbying
Money
- Not all groups have equal amounts of money
 - Monetary donations usually translate into access to politicians
- The wealthier the groups don’t always win in the policy arena
Interest Group Explosion
- Rapid increase in interest groups for last several decades
- Increasing diversity of groups
- Increasingly centrally located in Washington
Lobbyists
- Lobbying is the are of political persuasion
- Provide information
- Help guide legislation
- Provide electoral support
- Write bills for Congress
Lobbying Tactics
- Provide social outlet for politicians
- Provide gifts & favors to politicians
- Provide jobs to politicians after the leave congress
Electioneering
- Groups provide money & volunteers
- PACs overwhelmingly favor incumbents
- Groups don’t usually BUY politicians they just provide favors to those with common views and
interest
Litigation
- Gov’t agencies can be sued for action or inaction by groups
- Amicus Curiae briefs are filed to express a group’s position
- Class action lawsuits let groups file suit as a single unit