Voting and Elections

Electorate- citizens eligible to vote Mandate- a command, indicated by an electorate's votes, for the elected officials to carry out their platforms Did GWB have a mandate?

Electorate- citizens eligible to vote

Mandate- a command, indicated by an electorate's votes, for the elected officials to carry out their platforms

Types of Elections Primary Election- Election in which voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election Closed Primary- a primary election in which only a party’s registered voters are eligible to vote Open Primary- a primary in which party members, independents and sometimes members of the other party are allowed to vote (crossover voting- participation in the primary of a party with which the voter is not affiliated)

Primary Election- Election in which voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election

Closed Primary- a primary election in which only a party’s registered voters are eligible to vote

Open Primary- a primary in which party members, independents and sometimes members of the other party are allowed to vote

(crossover voting- participation in the primary of a party with which the voter is not affiliated)

Runoff primary- a second primary election between the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes in the first primary Raiding- an organized attempt by voters of one party to influence the primary results of the other party Nonpartisan primary- a primary used to select candidates regardless of party affiliation General Election- election in which voters decide with candidates will actually fill elective public offices

Runoff primary- a second primary election between the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes in the first primary

Raiding- an organized attempt by voters of one party to influence the primary results of the other party

Nonpartisan primary- a primary used to select candidates regardless of party affiliation

General Election- election in which voters decide with candidates will actually fill elective public offices

Initiative, Referendum, Recall

Initiative- an election that allows citizens to propose legislation (as opposed to voting for candidates) and submit it to the state electorate for popular vote- need a certain number of signatures on petitions supporting the proposal Referendum- an election whereby the state legislature submits proposed legislation to the state’s voters approval Recall- voters can remove an incumbent from office by popular vote (very rare)

Initiative- an election that allows citizens to propose legislation (as opposed to voting for candidates) and submit it to the state electorate for popular vote- need a certain number of signatures on petitions supporting the proposal

Referendum- an election whereby the state legislature submits proposed legislation to the state’s voters approval

Recall- voters can remove an incumbent from office by popular vote (very rare)

Presidential Elections State party organizations use several types of primary elections or caucuses to election national convention delegates: Winner take all primary- candidate who wins the most votes in a state secures all of the state’s delegates (Democrats do not permit this, while GOP prefers this way) Proportional representation primary- candidates who secure a threshold % of votes are awarded delegates in proportion to the number of popular votes won. (Democrats favor this system)- lengthens the primary race Beauty Contest- serves as an indication of popular support for the conventions to consider as they choose actual delegates Caucus- party members meet in small groups throughout a state to select the party’s delegates to the national convention

State party organizations use several types of primary elections or caucuses to election national convention delegates:

Winner take all primary- candidate who wins the most votes in a state secures all of the state’s delegates (Democrats do not permit this, while GOP prefers this way)

Proportional representation primary- candidates who secure a threshold % of votes are awarded delegates in proportion to the number of popular votes won. (Democrats favor this system)- lengthens the primary race

Beauty Contest- serves as an indication of popular support for the conventions to consider as they choose actual delegates

Caucus- party members meet in small groups throughout a state to select the party’s delegates to the national convention

Electoral College

Electoral College- representative so f each state who cast the final ballots that actually elect a president – was a result of a compromised between Framers who argued for selection of the president by the Congress, and those who favored selection by direct popular election. Elector- member of the electoral college chosen by methods determined in each state 1876,1888,2000- Popular vote winner did not win Electoral College In 1824 John Quincy Adams received neither the popular vote nor the Electoral College vote and was appointed President by the House of Representatives.

Electoral College- representative so f each state who cast the final ballots that actually elect a president – was a result of a compromised between Framers who argued for selection of the president by the Congress, and those who favored selection by direct popular election.

Elector- member of the electoral college chosen by methods determined in each state

1876,1888,2000- Popular vote winner did not win Electoral College

In 1824 John Quincy Adams received neither the popular vote nor the Electoral College vote and was appointed President by the House of Representatives.

Congressional Races Incumbency Advantage- already holding a public office (more $$, more free media) Redistricting- Every 10 years, all congressional lines are redrawn- 435 seats Gerrymandering- legislative process through which the majority party in each statehouse tries to assure that the maximum number of representatives from its political party can be elected to congress through the redrawing of legislative districts Mid term elections- take place in the middle of a presidential term

Incumbency Advantage- already holding a public office (more $$, more free media)

Redistricting- Every 10 years, all congressional lines are redrawn- 435 seats

Gerrymandering- legislative process through which the majority party in each statehouse tries to assure that the maximum number of representatives from its political party can be elected to congress through the redrawing of legislative districts

Mid term elections- take place in the middle of a presidential term

Voter Turnout Turnout- the proportion of the voting age public that votes Education- people who vote are usually more educated than nonvoters Income- people who vote tend to have a higher income than nonvoters Age- voters tend to be older than 30 Race and Ethnicity- Whites tend to vote more than do African Americans South has a lower turnout than the rest of the country

Turnout- the proportion of the voting age public that votes

Education- people who vote are usually more educated than nonvoters

Income- people who vote tend to have a higher income than nonvoters

Age- voters tend to be older than 30

Race and Ethnicity- Whites tend to vote more than do African Americans

South has a lower turnout than the rest of the country

Why don’t people vote?

Too Busy Difficulty of Registrations- those who register are more likely to vote Out of town – difficulty of absentee voting Not interested Illness or emergency Forgot Transportation problem Bad weather Refused Didn’t like the candidates

Too Busy

Difficulty of Registrations- those who register are more likely to vote

Out of town – difficulty of absentee voting

Not interested

Illness or emergency

Forgot

Transportation problem

Bad weather

Refused

Didn’t like the candidates