Congressional Elections

Questions to consider:

• Who would want to run for Congress?

• How do they get elected?

• What kinds of candidates are advantaged by our electoral rules?

Rules governing election to Congress

• The Constitution

Constitution: election to the House of Representatives

• Election every 2 years• Must be 25 years old• Citizenship for 7 years• Live in the state• Selected same way as largest house of state

legislature (popular vote)• Apportioned among states based on population

Constitution: election to the Senate

• Election every 6 years– Three Classes

• Must be at least 30 years old

• Citizen for 9 years

• Live in the state

• Selected by state legislatures

• 2 per state

Rules governing election to Congress

• The Constitution

• Single-member, winner-take all districts

• Redistricting

• Primary election laws– Open vs. Closed

• FECA

Federal Election Campaign Act(as amended by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002)

• Individual Contribution limit = $2000

• Total cycle contribution limit = $95,000

• PAC Contribution limit = $5000

Cost of campaigns

2000 House:

• Ave. expenditures: $693,952

• Incumbents’ ave. expenditures: $814,507

• Challengers’ ave. expenditures: $369,823

Where does money come from?House candidates' ave. funding sources,

2000

Candidate11%

Individuals51%

Other5%

Party2%

PACs31%

Individuals PACs Party Candidate Other

TV ads 21.8%

Staff salaries 17.8%

Radio ads 12.3%

Overhead 10.5%

Fundraising 9.4%

Direct mail 8.1%

Campaign literature 8.0%

Travel 2.5%

Polling 2.1%

Voter reg./GOTV 1.3%

Other 4%

Typical House campaign budget

How do voters decide?

Heuristics:

• Party ID

• Name recognition (campaigns!)

• Incumbency!

Sources of incumbent advantage

• Voters recognize their name

• Gerrymandering

• Privileges of office

• Ease of raising money

Who gets elected?

• White men

Who gets elected?

• White men

• Lawyers

• Christians

• Previously elected officials

Questions to consider:

• What kinds of candidates does this system of elections favor?

• Do these elections have the potential to hold members accountable to their constituents?