Chapter 13 Voting and Elections

1
Chapter 13Voting and Elections
?
To Accompany Comprehensive, Alternate, and Texas
Editions American Government Roots and Reform,
10th edition Karen OConnor and Larry J. Sabato ?
Pearson Education, 2009
2
Voting Behavior

• Voting is a form of conventional political
  participation.
• Turnout is the proportion of electorate who
  votes.
• States regulate voter eligibility.
• Voters are more educated and make more money.
• Voters are likely to be middle-aged, women, and
  white.
• The South traditionally has a lower turnout rate.

3
Why Is Turnout so Low?

• In 2008, 62 percent of eligible voters turned
  out.
• Most common reason for not voting is being too
  busy.
• Registration can also be an unclear process.
• Absentee voting can be difficult.
• There are a lot of elections.
• People are apathetic.
• Political parties have less influence than in
  earlier years.

4
Ways to Improve Voter Turnout

• Make registration and absentee voting easier.
• Make Election Day a holiday.
• Strengthen political parties.

5
Patterns in Vote Choice

• Party Democrats largely vote for Democrats.
• Ticket-splitting has increased.
• Race minorities largely vote for Democrats.
• Gender women largely vote for Democrats.
• Income poor largely vote for Democrats.
• Ideology liberals largely vote for Democrats.
• Issues prospective and retrospective judgments.

6
Purposes of Elections

• Legitimize government, even in authoritarian
  systems.
• Organize government.
• Choose issue and policy priorities.
• Electorate gives winners a mandate.

7
Types of Elections

• Primary elections can be open or closed.
• Crossover voting or raiding can occur in open
  primaries.
• Runoff primaries held if no candidate wins a
  majority.
• General elections determine who will fill public
  offices.
• Ballot measures initiative, referendum, and
  recall.

8
Nominating a President

• Delegates to convention chosen by election or
  caucus.
• Elections may be winner-take-all or
  proportional.
• Caucuses are better for the party organization.
• Elections allow for broader participation.
• Trend toward front-loading.

9
Party Conventions

• Each party has its own rules about delegates.
• Democrats no longer subscribe to unit rule.
• Delegates tied to candidate, except
  superdelegates.
• Require representation of women and minorities.
• Republicans do not bind delegates to candidate.
• Media extensively cover happenings.

10
Electoral College

• Representatives from each state who select
  president.
• Electors equivalent to senators plus
  representatives.
• Framers favored system to remove power from
  people.
• Originally president and vice president selected
  alone.
• Changed after Twelfth Amendment.
• 1876 and 2000 elections demonstrate concerns.

11
Reforming the Electoral College

• Three major proposals have been made.
• Select the president by popular vote.
• Each congressional district has a vote.
• Keep the College, abolish the electors.

12
Congressional Elections

• In Congress, incumbency has its advantages.
• Support from a paid staff.
• Media and travel budgets.
• Scaring off other challengers.
• Redistricting and gerrymandering to protect
  incumbents.

13
Why Incumbents Lose

• Redistricting can pit incumbents against one
  another.
• Scandals.
• Presidential coattails.
• Midterm elections presidents party usually
  loses seats.

14
2008 Congressional Elections

• Democrats advantaged by momentum and money.
• Used these to make gains in House and Senate.
• Victories in South and West were particularly
  notable.

15
Reforming the Electoral Process

• End front-loading with regional primaries.
• Even the playing field with new campaign finance
  laws.
• Increase turnout with online voting or voting by
  mail.
• Make voting more accessible with a modern ballot.

16
AV- Turnout of Eligible Voters
?
Back
17
Figure 13.1- South v. Non-South
?
Back
18
Figure 13.2- Why People Dont Vote
?
Back
19
Figure 13.3- Registered Voters
?
Back
20
Figure 13.4- Front-loading
?
Back
21
Figure 13.5- Electoral College
?
Back
22
Figure 13.6- Gerrymandering
?
Back
23
Figure 13.7- Electronic Voting Machines
?
Back
24
Table 13.1- Voter Eligibility
?
Back
25
Table 13.2- Women at Conventions
?
Back
26
Table 13.3- Congressional Elections
?
Back
27
Table 13.4- Election Results
?
Back