Splash Screen

Chapter Intro 2

Section 1: Who Can Vote?

The right to vote is one of the fundamental rights of citizens in a democratic society. Voting is a basic political right of all U.S. citizens who meet certain qualifications set by law.

Chapter Intro 2

Section 2: Election Campaigns

A successful democracy is built on an informed electorate. The success of an election campaign depends on the people who organize it.

Chapter Intro 2

Section 3: Paying for Election Campaigns

A successful democracy is built on an informed electorate. The sophisticated vote-getting techniques that candidates use have made campaigning very expensive.

Chapter Preview-End

Section 1-Main Idea

Guide to Reading

Big Idea

The right to vote is one of the fundamental rights of citizens in a democratic society.

Section 1

Qualifying to Vote

The right to vote is the foundation of American democracy.

Section 1

Qualifying to Vote (cont.)

• Voting is both a right and a responsibility.

• People previously barred from voting in the United States:

– White adult males who did not own property

– Women

– African American males

– Native American males

– People under 21 years of age

Section 1

• Voting rights today:

– Right to vote not denied because of race, color, gender, or age (if at least 18 years old)

– Right to vote denied to people convicted of serous crimes

Qualifying to Vote (cont.)

Extending the Right to Vote

Section 1

• Voter registration:

– Required 25 days before an election in most states

– State requirements vary

– Information needed for voter registration forms

– Identity proof needed to register for first-time voters

Qualifying to Vote (cont.)

Extending the Right to Vote

Section 1

Steps in Voting

Voting is a basic political right of all U.S. citizens who meet certain qualifications set by law.

Section 1

Steps in Voting (cont.)

• On Election Day, citizens cast their votes at a polling place in their precinct.

− Sample ballot at the entrance

− Clerks and challengers have certain responsibilities

− Election judges are also present

Section 1

• Types of voting machines:

– Punch-card machine

– Lever machine

Steps in Voting (cont.)

Section 1

• Ballots:

– “Butterfly ballot”

– Punch-card ballot

– Computerized ballot

– Secret ballot

– Absentee ballot

Steps in Voting (cont.)

Section 1

• After voting:

– Election workers take returns to election board

– Election board sends returns to state canvassing authority

– Exit polls used to predict election results

– Media projections may influence on voters

Steps in Voting (cont.)

Section 1

Why Your Vote Matters

Through our vote, we directly participate in governing.

Section 1

Why Your Vote Matters (cont.)

• Voters use a variety of sources to inform themselves about candidates and public issues.

• Questions to ask when deciding for whom to vote

• The electorate as all the people eligible to vote

Section 1

• Why some people do not vote:

– Not meeting state requirements

– Not registering

– Views not represented by candidates

– Vote won’t make a difference

– Apathy

Why Your Vote Matters (cont.)

Section 1

• Why some people do vote:

– Positive attitudes towards government and citizenship

– Education, age, and income

– Gives a chance to choose government leaders

– Gives a chance to voice opinions

Why Your Vote Matters (cont.)

Section 1-End

Section 2-Main Idea

Guide to Reading

Big Idea

A successful democracy is built on an informed electorate.

Section 2

Types of Elections

There are different types of elections in the United States political system.

Section 2

Types of Elections (cont.)

• Besides primary elections, there are three types of elections in the United States: general elections, elections on issues, and special elections.

Section 2

• General elections:

– Held after primary elections

– Always on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November

– All seats in House and one-third of seats in Senate at stake every even-numbered year

– Presidential elections every four years

– State and local elections

– Disputed elections

Types of Elections (cont.)

Section 2

• Issue elections:

– Initiatives as a way to amend the state constitution through propositions

– Referendums as a way for citizens to approve or reject a state or local law

Types of Elections (cont.)

Section 2

• Special elections:

– Runoff election as a way to determine winner of state or local election

– Recall as a way to remove a public official from office

Types of Elections (cont.)

Section 2

Presidential Elections

Presidential elections have three major steps: (1) nomination of the candidates, (2) the campaign, and (3) the vote.

Section 2

Presidential Elections (cont.)

• Changing role of national conventions in nominating candidates

• Elements of campaigns

Section 2

• Electors:

– Part of the Electoral College system

– List of electors pledged to each candidate

– Winner-take-all system

– Elector votes sent to Congress to be counted

– Candidate with majority of votes wins

Presidential Elections (cont.)

Section 2

• Origins of the Electoral College system

• Problems with the Electoral College system

• Reforming the Electoral College system

Presidential Elections (cont.)

Presidential Elections

Section 2-End

Section 3-Main Idea

Guide to Reading

Big Idea

A successful democracy is built on an informed electorate.

Section 3

Running for Office

Running for public office is the first step in the election process.

Section 3

Running for Office (cont.)

• Money plays a major role in the election process.

• The purpose of campaigns is to convince the public to vote for a particular candidate.

Section 3

• Campaign techniques:

– Canvassing to find out public opinion

– Endorsements as propaganda

– Advertising to create the right image and to attack opponents

– Campaign expenses and high levels of spending in recent elections

Running for Office (cont.)

Section 3

Financing a Campaign

Candidates spend considerable time and effort raising campaign funds.

Section 3

Financing a Campaign (cont.)

• Legislation and judicial decisions have established rules for financing political campaigns.

Section 3

• Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) of 1971:

– Required public disclosure of candidates’ spending

– Limited amount of hard money donated directly to a candidate or party

– Tried to limit campaign spending

Financing a Campaign (cont.)

Section 3

• Federal Election Commission (FEC):

– Created by the 1974 amendment to FECA

– Administers all federal election laws

– Monitors campaign spending

Financing a Campaign (cont.)

Section 3

• 1976 Supreme Court ruling in Buckley v. Valeo:

– Government could set limits on campaign contributions

– Government could not limit spending of a candidate’s own money

Financing a Campaign (cont.)

Section 3

Financing a Campaign (cont.)

• Presidential Election Campaign Fund:

– Text created to establish public funding for presidential elections

– Money comes from annual taxes

– Two major-party candidates can receive equal shares of money from fund

– Third-party candidates can also qualify for funding

Section 3

Financing a Campaign (cont.)

• Private funding from various sources:

– Individual citizens

– Corporations

– Labor unions

– Interest groups

– Political action committees (PACs)

Section 3

Financing a Campaign (cont.)

• Laws made by Congress concerning soft money:

– Money used for general party-building purposes

– Money could not come from individuals or PACs

– No limits on contributions

Section 3

Financing a Campaign (cont.)

• Money spent by interest groups on media

• Money given by PACS to incumbents makes reform difficult.

Section 3

Financing a Campaign (cont.)

• 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold Act):

– Set limits on who could raise soft money

– Set time restrictions on campaign ads

– Set new limits on hard money contributions

Section 3

Financing a Campaign (cont.)

• McConnell v. Federal Election Commission ruling upheld the McCain-Feingold Act

• Role of Internet in future fundraising increasing

Funding Congressional Campaigns

Section 3-End

VS 1a

Voting

• Voting is a basic political right of all citizens in a democracy who meet certain qualifications set by law.

• Voting allows citizens to take positive actions to influence or control government.

VS 1b

Voting (cont.)

• You are qualified to vote if you are not a convicted felon or legally insane, and you are:

– a citizen of the United States

– at least 18 years old

– Most states also require that you be a resident of the state for a specified period and that you register to vote.

VS 2

Registering to Vote

• Registration requirements are set by state law and differ from state to state.

• When you register to vote for the first time, you must show proof of citizenship, address, and age.

VS 3

Voting Procedures

• You vote at a polling place in your home precinct. A precinct is a voting district.

• You will cast your ballot by using a voting machine.

• Citizens who cannot get to the polling place on Election Day can vote by absentee ballot.

VS 4

The Electoral College

• Presidents are not chosen by direct popular vote but by a body known as the Electoral College.

• While the presidential candidates’ names are printed on the ballot, the voters are not actually voting directly for president and vice president. Rather, they are voting for all of their party’s electors in their state.

VS 5

Political Campaigns

• Running for office costs money.

• Campaigns are funded privately and publicly.

• Campaign finance reform remains an important issue.

VS-End

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3a

Figure 3b

TIME Trans

DFS Trans 1

Voter turnout will decrease, and smaller groups of people will determine who runs the government.

DFS Trans 2

DFS Trans 3

Vocab1

polling place

the location where voting is carried out

Vocab2

precinct

a geographic area that contains a specific number of voters

Vocab3

ballot

the list of candidates on which you cast your vote

Vocab4

absentee ballot

one that allows a person to vote without going to the polls on Election Day

Vocab5

returns

ballots and results of an election

Vocab6

exit poll

a survey taken at polling places of how people voted

Vocab7

electorate

all the people who are eligible to vote

Vocab8

apathy

a lack of interest

Vocab9

ultimate

the most basic or final

Vocab10

devote

to dedicate oneself to

Vocab11

Electoral College

a group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president

Vocab12

initiative

a procedure by which citizens can propose new laws or state constitutional amendments

Vocab13

proposition

a petition asking for a new law

Vocab14

referendum

a way for citizens to vote on state or local laws

Vocab15

recall

a special election in which citizens can vote to remove a public official from office

Vocab16

elector

person appointed to vote in presidential elections for the major candidates

Vocab17

winner-take-all system

a system in which the candidate who wins the popular vote in a state usually receives all of the state’s electoral votes

Vocab18

issue

a matter of debate or dispute

Vocab19

odd

not divisible by two

Vocab20

propaganda

certain ideas that may involve misleading messages designed to manipulate people

Vocab21

political action committee (PAC)

political organization established by a corporation, labor union, or other special-interest group designed to support candidates by contributing money

Vocab22

soft money

donations given to political parties and not designated for a particular candidate’s election campaign

Vocab23

incumbent

a politician who has already been elected to office

Vocab24

image

a representation or public perception

Vocab25

fee

a charge

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