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The Candidates

The Candidates. Who they are. Occupation Lawyers – 56 with JD, 49 practiced Business – Various backgrounds, 7 with MBA 19 Career Politicians, 2 MDs, 2 Military, and various others Race, Gender, Personal background Predominantly white, male, and Christian and straight

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The Candidates

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  1. The Candidates

  2. Who they are • Occupation • Lawyers – 56 with JD, 49 practiced • Business – Various backgrounds, 7 with MBA • 19 Career Politicians, 2 MDs, 2 Military, and various others • Race, Gender, Personal background • Predominantly white, male, and Christian and straight • Service vs. Self-interest

  3. Eligibility • President: natural born citizen, 35 yrs old, 14 yrs residence • Vice-President: Same as President, but must be from different state • Senator: Citizen for 9 years, 30 yrs old and resident of state • Representative: Citizen for 7 years, 25 yrs old and resident of state

  4. Campaigning • Candidate-Centered • Result of tech advance and cost • Need for large campaign organization • Raise money, get media coverage, shape image, conduct research and polling • Less dependence on Party • Increase in Independents

  5. Strategy • Political Consultants • Hired to create strategy and run campaign • Tend to be partisan, expensive • Three Pronged Strategy • Viability and Appeal • Polling • Focus Groups

  6. Voting & The Electorate

  7. Eliminating Barriers • Historically, women and African Americans have faced the greatest barriers to suffrage • 15th and 19th Amendments - Suffrage for African Americans and women • 24th Amendment – abolished Poll taxes • Voting Rights Act of 1965 – empowered the federal gov’t to outlaw discriminatory practices • 26th Amendment – lowered voting age to 18

  8. Conduct of Elections • Australian Ballot • Two common types: • Office Block (Mass) Ballot • Party Collumn (Ind) Ballot • Coattail effect • Mail Voting • Typically absentee ballots, some states offer to entire electorate • good way to increase turnout, but … • may lead to premature decisions, allow less secrecy, and encourage fraud

  9. Ballots Office Block Party-Column

  10. Issues and Problems • Fraud • polling lists behind mobility: provisional and absentee balloting • mistakes may lead to disenfranchisement • possible solution: voter ID cards • Computerized Voting • Optical scan vs. touch screen

  11. Non-voters 59.9 million people not registered in 1992 – most common reason; may be due to high mobility No interest in politics, negative view of government, can’t make time, low voter efficacy How to get out the vote Election day – Sunday?/National Holiday Make requirement – illegal to not vote in Brazil Appeal to direct participation: initiative, referendum, recall Turnout

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