Elections
Elections
The Purpose of Elections
Elections serve 3 purposes in the United States1) To select a set of leaders that will make
decisions on the behalf of the citizens2) To confer legitimacy on those decision
makers.3) To provide a link between the people and
government
Types of Elections
•Primary Elections•General Elections–Congress–President
Primary Elections
Primary elections are elections held within the political party to select who will be that parties official candidate.
Primary Elections
• Primary elections were adopted to give the individual members of the party a greater say in their candidate.
• The nature of primary elections changes the strategy of the candidates.• Voters are different (More activist and ideological)• Media attention is less
• Must mobilize activists to give money and volunteer
Primary Elections
Radical Liberal Moderate Conservative Reactionary
Election Cycles
House of RepresentativesAll 435 members up for reelection every 2 yearsSenateEach Senator gets six year terms, 1/3 of the Senate elected every 2 yearsPresidentServes a 4 year term. Can only serve 2 Terms
California Election Cycle
2008All 53 House of Representative SeatsPresidential Election2010 (Off Year)All 53 House of Representative Seats1 Senate Seat (Boxer)2012 All 53 House of Representative Seats1 Senate Seat (Feinstein)Presidential Election
Congressional Elections
• Difficult to be elected due to the presence of “safe seats.”
• Safe Seats are any congressional district in which the winning candidate wins with a vote of greater than 55%
• Seats that are below 55% are called Marginal Seats• Reelection Rates– House Members: 98% Reelection Rate– Senate: 75% Reelection Rate
Congressional Elections
Incumbent Advantage: The advantage held by the person who current holds the office and is running for re-election.
Why is it so high in Congress?1. Franking Privilege
2. Case Work3. Pork Barrel (Earmarks)
Why is the advantage not as high for the Senate?1.More Competition for the seat2.Less Direct Contact With Voters
3.6 Year Term Give Opponent A Head Start4.Sources of Money More Available for Challenger
The Electoral College
• We call it the Presidential Election (singular) but it practice it is 51 separate elections occurring at the same time (50 states and District of Columbia)
• When you vote for President you are actually voting for an elector to vote for you. That elector is already pledged to vote for a candidate (laws in place to guarantee they do)
The Electoral College
A State’s number of electors is the total number of Senators and Representatives in the House
2 Senators +53 Reps
55 Represenatives
Electoral College
There are a total of 538 Electoral Votes
The District of Columbiais not a state but is given3 Electoral Votes
Electoral College
48 out of the 50 states have a “winner takes all” method.
If you get the most votes in that states you get ALL of their electoral college
votes, regardless of by how much you win.
Electoral College
2 states are different and can divide up their electoral votes based on congressional district- Nebraska and Maine
Nebraska
Electoral College
A Candidate must have 270 electoral votes (Majority) to win the Presidential Election
Electoral College
If no single candidate gets the required 270 electoral votes what happens?
The House of Representatives votes to decide the President
1800Thomas Jefferson
1824John Qunicy Adams
Electoral College
It is possible to get more votes overall in the elections from the entire country (popular vote)
and NOT be elected President
1824 Andrew Jackson 151.363 (41.36%) 99 Electoral John Quincy Adams 113,142 (30.92%) 84 Electoral
Election Determined in the House
1876Samuel Tilden 4,286,808 (50.92) 184 ElectoralRutherford B. Hayes 4,034,142 (47.92) 185 Electoral
1888Grover Cleveland 5,538,163 (48.63) 168 ElectoralBenjamin Harrison 5,443,633 (47.80) 233 Electoral
2000Al Gore 50,944,086 (48.4) 266 ElectoralGeorge W. Bush 50,461,092 (47.9) 271 Electoral