Poli 103A California Politics: Movement and Elections

Poli 103A California Politics:Movement and Elections

Movements and Elections

Nuts and Bolts of a District Campaign•What’s Your Message?

•What Medium Will You Use to Get it Out?

•How Good is Your Field Operation?

Local vs. State vs. Federal Campaigns

Nuts and Bolts:Message

A candidate’s message is the one thing she wants voters to have in mind when they enter the ballot box.

For the Santa Monica Renters’ Rights group, the message was: “Without rent control, elderly residents will lose their homes and be cheated out of the Californian Dream.” -- Issue

Nuts and Bolts:Message

A candidate’s message can also be based on that candidates biography.

Karen R.Underwood74th Assembly District "Creating a Healthier California"

I represent people, not politics. I am a Doctor who knows the needs of the healthcare system, a small business owner who understands the importance of a strong economy, and a mother who understands the value of a good public education system. Together, this combination is a prescription for success for the 74th district and for California. Yes, the Doctor is in!

Nuts and Bolts:Message

A candidate’s message can also be based on that candidate’s performance as well as the opponent’s performance.

Nuts and Bolts: Medium

Campaigns try to communicate their message to voters through both free media (e.g., newspapers or television news) and paid media.

Candidates have much less control over the message given by free media…. But it is “free.”

Nuts and Bolts: Medium

Whether television (either free or paid) is a feasible and cost-effective way to reach voters depends on both the level of office and the drawing of media markets.

Nuts and Bolts:Medium

In statewide races, candidates can expect to get their messages out through paid TV and free media.

In district races, candidates rarely raise enough money to get on TV and cannot hope for much coverage from local television or newspapers.

Los Angeles has15 City Councilmembers, 18 Senators, 36 Assemblymembers, 21 members of Congress, and one major newspaper.

Nuts and Bolts: MediumAssembly Districts and Media Markets

Nuts and Bolts: MediumState Senate Districts and Media Markets

Nuts and Bolts: MediumState Congressional Districts and Media Markets

Nuts and Bolts:Medium

Candidates in district races have to get their own message out through

•Direct mail. It costs about $30,000 to send one piece in an Assembly race.

•Paid phone banking. “Hi, this is Martin Sheen, calling you about an important election on Tuesday…”

•Walking door-to-door with supporters.

Nuts and Bolts:Field

Step #1. Identifying your supporters.•Begin with lists from the registrar of

voters which tell you what party someone has registered with and how often they vote.

•Call or knock on doors of these voters, grouped by precinct.

•Find out whether people are supporters, opponents, or swing voters.

Nuts and Bolts:Field

Precincts in Del Mar•You can walk

about one precinct in one day

•Calling is quicker, but less effective

•Harder and harder to get people to open their door or answer their phone

Nuts and Bolts:Field

Step #2. Letting your supporters work for you.•Give them bumper stickers and yard

signs with your name on it.

•See if they will walk precincts with you.

•Would they like to make a donation?

•If they really love you, perhaps they’ll host a coffee to help you fundraise.

Nuts and Bolts:Field

Nuts and Bolts:Field

Step #3. Getting Out the Vote (GOTV)•Recruit lots of volunteers.

•Have them “phone bank,” calling supporters to remind them of their election day and the polling place.

•On election day, volunteers can check in at precincts to see who has voted. If supporters have not turned out, call or knock on their door offering help to get to the polls.

Local vs. State vs. Federal Campaigns: Similarities

In California, unlike most states, some state and local districts are larger than federal districts:•670,000 per Congressional District

•890,000 per Senate District

•445,000 per Assembly District

•257,000 per L.A. City Council

•2 million per L.A. County Supervisor

Local vs. State vs. Federal Campaigns: Differences

State and federal elections are partisan, with state-run primary elections determining who will represent each party in the general election.

Local elections are non-partisan, with no labels appearing on ballots and no primaries. Very often, they feature a run-off between the two leading candidates.

Local vs. State vs. Federal Campaigns: Differences

You can only give $2,000 to a federal candidate, up from $1000 before the new “McCain-Feingold” law.

You can only give $21,200 to a state candidate under Prop. 34, and there were no limits before that.

Local laws vary, but often have tighter limits with public financing.

Presidential Primary Campaigns in California In September of 1998, then Governor

Pete Wilson signed a bill into law moving California’s primary date up from June to March.

Proponents of the bill hoped this would give the state greater clout in choosing the parties’ nominees for president as well as cause candidates to pay more attention to the state.

Presidential Primary Campaigns in California

Total ads aired by presidential primary candidates in CA in 2000 (data for Top 75 markets in nation only)

Fresno-Visalia (#55) 2,076Los Angeles (#2) 2,749Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto (#20) 2,151San Diego (#26) 1,251San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose (#5) 1,522