Elections -How they work? -Different types -Who participates

1. Elections-How they work? -Different types -Who participates

2. TSW examine how the election system of the US works. • Agenda: • Do Now- Do you believe elections represent the people? Explain. • Notes • Public Opinion Pole • Remember IDs (quiz on Tuesday) 10/6/11

3. A Common Sentiment about US Politics “Elections are won by men and women chiefly because most people vote against somebody rather than for somebody. “ ~F. Adams

4. Presidential- Happen every 4 years (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, etc.) Midterm- Happen every 2 years in between presidential elections. Vote for members of Congress and other positions below that. Types of Elections

5. Historical Data- Voter Turnout

6. We have primaries in some states (36) • Vote just like other elections • We have caucuses in other states (14) • Caucuses are meetings, open to all registered voters of the party, at which delegates are selected. • Each primary/caucus, plus the super-delegates, will select the president at the National Convention • One problem with primaries – • “front-loading” Different Types of Elections

7. Electoral College Then and Now • No primaries • Vote for electors, not the president • No national media • Didn’t trust people • Electors were smart and trustworthy • Majority of electoral college votes wins • If no one gets it, H of R chooses (1824) • Still have the “Electoral College” system • In practice, vote for the president you want (not an elector) • Who picks the electors then? • 48 states it is “winner-take-all.” • 2 states (Nebraska and Maine), it is proportional • Those electors vote to select the president • Affects presidential strategy (where they spend $, etc)

8. Can win the popular vote, but lose the presidency • Gore in 2000 • 3 Presidents in the 1800s • Winner-take-all system discourages efforts to increase voter turnout • Only focus on swing states • Small states are disproportionally represented as bigger than they are. Problems with the Electoral College

9. Electoral College 2008

10. I think elected officials should… DELEGATE: An elected official who votes the way their constituents want, regardless of their personal opinion TRUSTEE: An elected official who listens to their constituents’ opinion and then uses their best judgment to make the final decision. POLITICO: Sometimes acts as a delegate and sometimes as a trustee, depending on the issue. RED – Be a delegate BLUE – Be a trustee GREEN – Be a politico PURPLE – Not exist. We should have a completely different kind of government (be ready to say which).

11. Is low voter turnout a problem? RED – Absolutely. When 40% of Americans can’t even take 10 minutes to go vote for the president of the US, we have a real problem. BLUE – Somewhat. This means that 40% of Americans aren’t represented or don’t think their voices can be heard. GREEN – Not really, but a little. It shows some discontent with our political system, but it isn’t a huge problem. PURPLE – Not at all. 60% of people still voted!!!

12. Is it a problem that way more people vote in presidential elections than in midterm elections? RED: NO! Presidential elections are way more important. BLUE: Not really. It has always been this way. Enough people vote. GREEN: Yes. Only 1/3 of people are voting for governors and members of Congress. PURPLE: ABSOLUTELY! Turnout is so low for presidential, and even worse for midterm elections!

13. Is the trend in voter turnout a concern? RED: Not at all! People are getting more interested and voting more (look at last few presidential elections). BLUE: A little, but things are starting to get better. GREEN: Yes, because even though things are picking up, fewer people are voting now than before, and I don’t see my peers getting excited about voting. PURPLE: Absolutely! This is only going to get worse as time goes on.

14. Does it matter that some groups don’t vote? RED: ABSOLUTELY! It is a tragedy and the people who don’t vote aren’t represented. BLUE: Yes, because they aren’t getting their voices heard. GREEN: Not really, because elected officials still represent them. PURPLE: NO! It is their own fault.

15. If we could get 100% of people over 18 to vote, would it be a good thing? RED: ABSOLUTELY! Everyone should get their voice heard equally. BLUE: Mostly. There are some people who are too lazy or too uninvolved whose vote shouldn’t count as much as mine. GREEN: Not really. Most of the people who don’t vote probably shouldn’t be voting anyway. PURPLE: NO WAY!

16. Are elections in the US representative of the people? RED – Absolutely. The people who care vote. It doesn’t matter how many people vote. BLUE – Most elections are representative of the people, but sometimes too few people vote or are heard. GREEN – Not really. Most of the time too small of a group of people get to decide the outcome of elections. PURPLE – Never. The little people almost never get their voice heard in American politics.

17. A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. • Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions. • Parties espouse an expressed ideology or vision bolstered by a written platform with specific goals • Parties form a coalition among disparate interests/factions. Political Parties