1. American Government and Politics: Deliberation,
Democracy, and Citizenship
Chapter Eleven
Elections and Campaigns

2. Chapter Eleven: Learning Objectives
• Describe various kinds of elections in
the United States
• Explain the distinctiveness of
presidential and congressional
elections

3. Chapter Eleven: Learning Objectives
• Analyze how the mechanics of voting
may affect turnout and outcomes
• Summarize the reasons for electoral
success and failure

4. Chapter Eleven: Learning Objectives
• Understand the basics of how
candidates finance and run their
campaigns
• Appraise the ways in which the
current electoral process may foster or
hinder deliberation and active
citizenship

5. Introduction
Why hold elections?
1. A way for citizens to check and control
government
2. We want officials that have wisdom to
pursue common good

6. Introduction
Why hold elections?
3. Elections foster
active citizenship
4. Elections stimulate
public deliberation
Chris Rank/Photographer/Corbis

7. Varieties of American Elections:
Referendum, Recall, and Initiatives
Elections that give voters direct voice in
state government include
• Initiative
• Popular referendum
• Legislative referendum
• Recall elections

8. Varieties of American Elections:
Candidate Elections
Types of elections for public officials
• Partisan elections
• Nonpartisan elections
• Primary elections
• General elections

9. Varieties of American Elections:
Districts
U.S. House members serve in single-
member districts.
The number of U.S. House members
was set at 435 after the 1910 census.
In 2000, the average U.S. House district
had 647,000 residents.

10. Varieties of American Elections:
Districts
After the census, reapportionment
occurs.
State governments are responsible for
redistricting.
State governments have engaged in
gerrymandering while redistricting.

11. Myths and Misinformation
Campaign legends
Many of the stories we hear about
politicians are actually myths or
misinterpretations of fact.
Example: Al Gore’s claim that he
“invented the Internet”

12. Presidential and Congressional Races
Do elections provide enough
opportunities for citizens to deliberate?
How do elections promote active
citizenship?

13. Presidential and Congressional Races:
Nominations
The political parties host national
conventions where delegates formally
choose their presidential candidates.
A candidate’s performance in the early
primaries and caucuses is important
and the practice of front-loading has
emerged.

14. Presidential and Congressional Races:
The Electoral College
The president is selected by the
electoral college.
Each state has a number of electors
equal to the number of U.S. House
seats plus two U.S. Senate seats.

15. Presidential and Congressional Races:
The Electoral College
Are there any advantages to the
electoral college?
Are there any disadvantages to the
electoral college?
Should we abolish the electoral college?
Why or why not?

16. Presidential and Congressional Races:
Congressional Elections
The outcomes of congressional races may
be tied to national conditions.
The coattail effect may also affect electoral
outcomes.
Historically, in most midterm elections the
president’s party loses seats in Congress.

17. The American Electoral Process
There are many rules that govern
elections, including rules on ballot
design and rules for when elections
may be held.
Do you believe that there is a need for
reform of election laws in the United
States? Explain

18. What Wins Elections?
What factors
contribute to
a candidate’s
success or
failure in
electoral
campaigns?
Rob Kim/Landov

19. What Wins Elections?
Party
Party
• Party identification is a cue to how people vote
• In 2008, 89% of Democrats voted for Obama
and 90% of Republicans voted for McCain
• Sometimes voters will split the ticket

20. What Wins Elections?
Demographics
Demographics
• Gender and ethnicity may play a role in voting
• Candidates focus on mobilization of certain
supportive demographic groups
• Does microtargeting hurt citizen deliberation?

21. What Wins Elections?
Geography
Geography
• Demographic groups may cluster in certain areas
• Geography may affect political culture
• Geography may affect the opinions of voters

22. What Wins Elections?
Good Times, Bad Times
Good times, bad times
• Americans tend to turn away from the
president’s party during times of war or
international crisis that appear to have no
near end in sight
• Americans tend to turn away from the
president’s party during bad economic times

23. What Wins Elections?
The Power of Incumbency
Why do incumbents win re-election?
• Winning elections show candidates have skills
• Incumbents often raise more campaign money
• Incumbents are able to show how they have
served constituents

24. What Wins Elections?
Message
Message
• Incumbents focus on accomplishments
• Challengers focus on qualifications
• Issues are important in campaign messages

25. What Wins Elections?
Attacks
Attacks
• Do negative attacks increase or decrease voter
turnout?
• Negative attacks often focus on policy positions
• Today’s negative attacks are more tame

26. Campaign Finance and Management
Where campaign finance comes from
• What are the differences between hard and
soft money?
• What is the role of the Federal Election
Commission in elections?

27. Campaign Finance and Management
Where campaign finance comes from
• How did Buckley v. Valeo affect laws on
independent expenditures?
• How did the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
(BCRA) change campaign finance law?

28. Campaign Finance and Management

29. Campaign Finance and Management:
Where the Money Goes
Where does the money go?
• Advertising (television, direct mail)
• Campaign consultants that work in a variety of
areas, such as media, polling, fundraising,
research, and get-out-the-vote planning

30. Campaign Finance and Management:
Where the Money Goes
Source: Center for Responsive Politics, “Barack Obama:
Expenditure Breakdown,” www.opensecrets.org/pres08/expend
.php?cycle=2008&cid=n00009638, accessed June 24, 2009.

31. International Perspectives
Campaigns, American style
American campaign consultants have
been working on campaigns around
the world for many years.

32. Elections, Campaigns, and Deliberative
Democracy
What elections do for candidates and voters
• Require citizens to reflect on candidates
• Campaigns educate citizens
• Citizens participate in democracy through elections
• Allow successful candidates to claim a mandate

33. Pledges and Promises
Campaign promises
Two campaign promises still haunt
1. LBJ - no Vietnam ground war
2. GHW Bush - “no new taxes”

34. Deliberation, Citizenship, and You
Votewithamerica.com
In 2000, two college students started
this website providing contact
information for 172 Republican
electors. They wanted voters to
contact electors to convince them to
change their vote to Al Gore since he
won the popular vote.

35. Summary
• The electoral system is complex
• Elections may take many forms
• Elections may be expensive
• Elections may empower voters