Chapter 12
Elections and Voting
12.1: Trace the roots of American elections, and distinguish among the four different types of elections.
12.2: Outline the electoral procedures for presidential and general elections.
12.3: Compare and contrast congressional and presidential election, and explain the incumbency advantage.
12.4: Identify seven factors that influence voter choice.
12.5: Identify six factors that affect voter turnout.
12.6: Explain why voter turnout is low, and evaluate methods for improving voter turnout.
12.2: Outline the electoral procedures for presidential and general elections.
12.3: Compare and contrast congressional and presidential election, and explain the incumbency advantage.
12.4: Identify seven factors that influence voter choice.
12.5: Identify six factors that affect voter turnout.
12.6: Explain why voter turnout is low, and evaluate methods for improving voter turnout.
12.1: Four different types of elections and how they are distinguished among each other.
1. Primary Elections: A primary election is where voters decide which candidates within a party will represent the party in the general elections.
A. Closed Primaries: Allows only a party's registered voters to cast a ballot.
B. Open Primaries: Independents and sometimes members of the other party are allowed to participate.
C. Crossover Voting: Participation in the primary election of a party with which the voter is not affiliated.
D. Runoff Primary: A second primary election between the two candidate receiving the greatest number of votes in the first primary.
2. General Elections: Election in which voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices.
A. Theses elections take place at many levels, including municipal, county, state, and national.
3. Initiative and Referendum
A. Initiative: An election that allows citizens to propose legislation or state constitutional amendments by submitting them to the electorate for popular vote.
B. Referendum: An elections whereby the state legislature submits proposed legislation or state constitutional amendments to the voters for approval.
4. Recall Elections: An election in which voters can remove an incumbent from office prior to the next scheduled election.
1. Primary Elections: A primary election is where voters decide which candidates within a party will represent the party in the general elections.
A. Closed Primaries: Allows only a party's registered voters to cast a ballot.
B. Open Primaries: Independents and sometimes members of the other party are allowed to participate.
C. Crossover Voting: Participation in the primary election of a party with which the voter is not affiliated.
D. Runoff Primary: A second primary election between the two candidate receiving the greatest number of votes in the first primary.
2. General Elections: Election in which voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices.
A. Theses elections take place at many levels, including municipal, county, state, and national.
3. Initiative and Referendum
A. Initiative: An election that allows citizens to propose legislation or state constitutional amendments by submitting them to the electorate for popular vote.
B. Referendum: An elections whereby the state legislature submits proposed legislation or state constitutional amendments to the voters for approval.
4. Recall Elections: An election in which voters can remove an incumbent from office prior to the next scheduled election.
12.2: Outline the electoral procedures for presidential and general elections.
1. Primaries and Caucuses
A. Winner-take-all primary
B. Proportional representation primary
C. Caucus
1. Selecting a System
2. Front-Loading: The tendency of state to choose an early date on the nomination calendar.
1. Electing a President: The Electoral College
A. Electoral College: Representatives of each state who cast the final ballots than actually elect a president.
B. Electors: The members of the Electoral College.
C. Reapportionment: The reallocation of the number of seats in the House of Representatives after each decennial(10 years) census.
1. Primaries and Caucuses
A. Winner-take-all primary
B. Proportional representation primary
C. Caucus
1. Selecting a System
2. Front-Loading: The tendency of state to choose an early date on the nomination calendar.
1. Electing a President: The Electoral College
A. Electoral College: Representatives of each state who cast the final ballots than actually elect a president.
B. Electors: The members of the Electoral College.
C. Reapportionment: The reallocation of the number of seats in the House of Representatives after each decennial(10 years) census.
12.3 Compare and contrast congressional and presidential election, and explain the incumbency advantage.
1. The Incumbency Advantage
A. Incumbency- already holding an office
B. Staff Support- eighteen permanent and four non-permanent aides may be hired to work in their Washington and district offices.
C. Visibility- Popularity
D. The "Scare-Off" Effect- Scare-off the competition with high name recognition, large war chests, free constituent mailings, staffs attached to legislative offices, and overall experience in running a successful campaign.
2. Why Incumbents Lose
A. Redistricting- Every ten years state legislators redraw district lines to reflect population shifts, both in state and in the nation at large.
B. Scandals
C. Presidential Coattails- when successful presidents carry into office congressional candidates of the same party in the your of their election.
D. Mid-Term Elections
1. The Incumbency Advantage
A. Incumbency- already holding an office
B. Staff Support- eighteen permanent and four non-permanent aides may be hired to work in their Washington and district offices.
C. Visibility- Popularity
D. The "Scare-Off" Effect- Scare-off the competition with high name recognition, large war chests, free constituent mailings, staffs attached to legislative offices, and overall experience in running a successful campaign.
2. Why Incumbents Lose
A. Redistricting- Every ten years state legislators redraw district lines to reflect population shifts, both in state and in the nation at large.
B. Scandals
C. Presidential Coattails- when successful presidents carry into office congressional candidates of the same party in the your of their election.
D. Mid-Term Elections
12.4 Identify seven factors that influence voter choice.
1. Party ideology- Tendency to vote for either Republicans or Democrats
2. Ideology- Your individual idea of how the nation should be run.
3. Income and Education- depicts which class you are. (low, middle, or high)
4. Race and Ethnicity- Racial and ethnic groups are likely to vote in district patterns.
5. Gender- Men and Women vote differently
6. Religion- religious groups have tended to vote in distinct patterns
7. Issues- a big one that influences voting is the state of the economy
1. Party ideology- Tendency to vote for either Republicans or Democrats
2. Ideology- Your individual idea of how the nation should be run.
3. Income and Education- depicts which class you are. (low, middle, or high)
4. Race and Ethnicity- Racial and ethnic groups are likely to vote in district patterns.
5. Gender- Men and Women vote differently
6. Religion- religious groups have tended to vote in distinct patterns
7. Issues- a big one that influences voting is the state of the economy
12.5 Identify six factors that affect voter turnout.
1. Income and Education
2. Race and Ethnicity
3. Gender
4. Age
5. Civic engagement
6. Interest in politics
1. Income and Education
2. Race and Ethnicity
3. Gender
4. Age
5. Civic engagement
6. Interest in politics
12.6 Explain why voter turnout is low, and evaluate methods for improving voter turnout.
1. Why don't Americans turn out?
A. Other Commitments
B. Difficulty of Registration
C. Difficulty of Voting
D. Number of Elections
E. Voter Attitudes
F. Weakened influence of Political Parties
2. Ways to Improve Voter Turnout
A. Make Election Day a Holiday
B. Enable Early Voting
C. Permit Mail and Online Voting
D. Make Registration Easier
E. Modernize the Ballot
F. Strengthen Parties
1. Why don't Americans turn out?
A. Other Commitments
B. Difficulty of Registration
C. Difficulty of Voting
D. Number of Elections
E. Voter Attitudes
F. Weakened influence of Political Parties
2. Ways to Improve Voter Turnout
A. Make Election Day a Holiday
B. Enable Early Voting
C. Permit Mail and Online Voting
D. Make Registration Easier
E. Modernize the Ballot
F. Strengthen Parties