U.S. Electoral Process

Chapters 7-3, 18, & 19

•Step 1: Nomination

•Nomination Options:

•Petition—3rd party nomination method

•Caucus

•Primary election

•Closed Primary

•Open Primary

•“Operation Chaos”

•Semi-open primary

•Run-off primary

• General Election

• Non-Presidential elections— popular vote decides winner

• Presidential Races use Electoral College

– Elector– # of electors= # of Senators + # of

House members• Changes after census every

10 years– 538 total electors—need 270 to win

2008 Electoral Map

J. McCain= Red (173)

B. Obama= Blue (365)

www.270towin.com

Reasons for Electoral College• Forces candidates out of urban areas• Fear/distrust of American voters

Criticisms of Electoral College• Popular vote winner can lose

election– J.Q. Adams (1824)– R.B. Hayes (1876)– G.W. Bush (2000)

• Electors can ignore popular vote

• 3rd Party candidates can take votes away from major parties

G. Bush A. Gore R. Nader

Popular Vote

50,456,002 (47.87%)

50,999,897 (48.38%)

2,882,955 (2.74%)

Electoral Vote

271 266 0

Florida Results

G. Bush Al Gore R. Nader

Popular Vote

2,912,790 2,912,253 97,488

Futurama Spoof

Simpsons Spoof

Florida recount & “chads”

Important Voting Terms

• Suffrage

• Secret Ballot

• Absentee Ballot

Campaign Finance

• 2008 Presidential race cost over $1.8 Billion

• Financing Options for Presidential nominees:1. Party assistance--$5000 from party

2. Political Action Committees (interest groups like NRA or PETA)--$5000

3. Public Funding--$84 million—cannot accept private donations

4. Private donations for individuals--$2300– Pre-2008: donations come from richer donors at expensive fundraisers

– New in 2008: online donations SKYROCKET

– Barack Obama & Hillary Clinton websites (average $10-$55 million per month)

• Donations and spending must be reported to FEC

• 527 Organizations– Independent groups– Not allowed to donate ANY money to candidate– May not show support to any candidate– May say anything they want about someone so long as they do not support

• Leads to “attack” ads• No limit on how much money they can spend

– Swift boat Veterans for Truth

– Hillary Clinton “Red Phone” Ad

History of Political Parties

•Political Ideology:

•Liberal:

•Conservative:

•Moderate:

Political Spectrum

Liberal Moderate Conservative

Democrats RepublicansCommunists ConstitutionsSocialists Libertarians

Greens Reforms

• Political Party:

• Functions of parties:-

-

-

Types of Party Systems

• One-Party:

• Two-Party:

• Multi-Party:

Democrats• Founded in 1828

• Historic Presidents: A. Jackson, F. Roosevelt, J. Kennedy, B. Clinton, B. Obama

• Party Platform:

– Iraq:

– National Security:

– Fiscal issues:

– Social issues:

Republicans• Founded in 1854

• Referred to as “GOP”

• Historic Presidents: A. Lincoln, T. Roosevelt, R. Nixon, R. Reagan, G.H.W. Bush, G.W. Bush

– Party Platform:

– War in Iraq:

– National Security:

– Fiscal issues:

– Social issues:

Federalists (1792-1816)

• Historic Presidents: G. Washington

• Historic Party Platform:– Passage of Constitution– Supported growth of the Federal government

(Big Gov’t)– Supported the Alien & Sedition Acts of late

1790s

Democratic-Republicans (1792-1824)

• Historic Presidents: T. Jefferson, J. Madison, J. Monroe

• Historic Party Platform:– Strict Constructionists—be sure to define– Supported strengthened state gov’ts– Wanted neutrality in world affairs– Supported policies to help farmers (reduced

taxes)

Whigs (1833-1856)

• Historic Presidents: W.H. Harrison, J. Tyler, Z. Taylor, M. Fillmore

• Historic Party Platform: Splinter Party

– Opposed slavery—hypocrytical

– Supported the use of gov’t to increase industrial capabilities

– Supported use of tariffs

– Built roads, canals, and railroads

– Promoted public schools, colleges, cultural institutions

Greens

• Founded in 1980

• Influential politician—Ralph Nader

• Party Platform: Ideological– Environmentalism– Marijuana legalization

Libertarians

• Founded in 1971

• Influential politicians—Bob Barr

• Party Platform:– Laissez-faire economics– Believe strongly in personal freedoms

(speech and sexual)– Abolish “victimless” crimes like prostitution– Fiscal responsibility

Boston “Tea” Party

• Reference to the Boston Tea Party• “Taxed Already Enough”• Oppose government sponsored

programs that “waste” or require more tax dollars– 18% of Americans identify as “tea

party” supporters– Unofficial party—organized use

of protests– Splinter group of Republican

Party & Libertarian Party

Texas “Primacaucus”

Texas Democratic presidential primary, 2008

Candidate Votes Percentage Delegates

Hillary Clinton 1,459,814 50.89% 65

Barack Obama 1,358,785 47.37% 61

John Edwards 30,012 1.05% 0

Bill Richardson 10,769 0.37% 0

Joe Biden 5,327 0.19% 0

Christopher Dodd 3,747 0.13% 0

Totals 2,868,454 100.00% 126

Texas “Primacaucus”

Texas Democratic presidential precinct conventions, 200841.10% of precincts reporting

Candidate Precinct delegates Percentage Delegates

Barack Obama 23,918 27.16% 38

Hillary Clinton 18,620 21.14% 29

Other 6 0.01% 0

Uncommitted 38 0.04% 0

Undetermined 45,492 51.65% 0

Totals 88,074 100.00% 67

Presidential Primaries/Caucuses

• Delegates required—set by parties– Democrats—2024 out of 4047

• “Superdelegates”

– Republicans—1191 out of 2381

Add Map of PA delegate districts

• Republicans—winner take all delegates

• Democrats—proportional delegates