🎟️Intro to American Government Unit 7 – Voting and Elections

Key Concepts and Terminology

• Suffrage refers to the right to vote in political elections
• Franchise encompasses the legal right to vote, especially in a particular election
• Electorate consists of all the people in a district or country who are entitled to vote in an election
• Voter turnout measures the proportion of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election
• Gerrymandering involves manipulating the boundaries of electoral districts to favor a particular party or group
• Incumbent advantage describes the edge that sitting officeholders have in elections due to name recognition, fundraising ability, and other factors
• Swing states (Florida, Ohio) are those where the outcome of an election is uncertain and could go either way

Types of Elections in the US

• Primary elections are held to select a party's candidate for the general election
  • Closed primaries allow only registered party members to vote
  • Open primaries permit any registered voter to participate, regardless of party affiliation
• General elections are held to elect officeholders, with the winner typically determined by a plurality or majority of the popular vote
• Special elections take place to fill vacancies that occur between regularly scheduled elections, such as when an officeholder dies or resigns
• Recall elections give voters the opportunity to remove an elected official from office before their term expires
• Ballot measures are initiatives or referendums placed on the ballot for voters to decide directly, rather than through their elected representatives
• Runoff elections occur when no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the initial election, with the top two vote-getters advancing to a second round

Voter Registration and Eligibility

• Voter registration is the process by which individuals officially register to vote in elections
• Eligibility to vote in the US is determined by citizenship, age (18 or older), and residency requirements
  • Some states have additional requirements, such as not being a convicted felon or having a valid photo ID
• The National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter Act) requires states to offer voter registration opportunities when citizens apply for or renew their driver's licenses
• Same-day voter registration allows eligible voters to register and cast a ballot on the same day, typically during the early voting period or on Election Day itself
• Online voter registration is available in many states, allowing citizens to register to vote via the internet
• Automatic voter registration systems automatically register eligible citizens to vote when they interact with government agencies, unless they opt out

The Voting Process

• Polling places are designated locations where voters cast their ballots on Election Day
• Early voting allows voters to cast their ballots in person before Election Day, often at designated early voting centers
• Absentee voting enables voters to cast their ballots by mail, typically because they will be out of town on Election Day or have a disability that prevents them from voting in person
• Provisional ballots are used when there are questions about a voter's eligibility, allowing them to cast a ballot that will be counted if their eligibility is later confirmed
• Voting machines are used to record and tabulate votes, with different types of machines used in different jurisdictions (optical scan, direct-recording electronic)
• Poll workers are responsible for administering the voting process at polling places, including checking in voters, providing ballots, and assisting with any questions or issues that arise

Factors Influencing Voter Behavior

• Party identification refers to a voter's psychological attachment to a particular political party, which can strongly influence their voting behavior
• Candidate characteristics, such as charisma, experience, and policy positions, can sway voters' decisions
• Economic conditions, including unemployment rates, inflation, and overall economic growth, often play a significant role in shaping voter preferences
• Social and demographic factors, such as age, race, gender, education level, and religious affiliation, can be predictive of voting patterns
  • For example, younger voters tend to lean more Democratic, while older voters are more likely to support Republicans
• Issue positions on key topics like healthcare, immigration, and gun control can drive voter decision-making
• Media coverage and advertising can influence voters' perceptions of candidates and issues, potentially impacting electoral outcomes

Campaign Strategies and Finance

• Fundraising is a crucial aspect of modern political campaigns, with candidates seeking contributions from individual donors, political action committees (PACs), and other sources
• Campaign finance laws regulate how money can be raised and spent in elections, with requirements for disclosure and limits on certain types of contributions
  • The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is responsible for enforcing campaign finance laws at the federal level
• Grassroots campaigning involves mobilizing supporters and volunteers to engage in activities like door-to-door canvassing, phone banking, and voter registration drives
• Negative campaigning involves attacking an opponent's character, record, or positions, often through advertising or public statements
• Microtargeting uses data analysis to identify and target specific groups of voters with tailored messages and outreach efforts
• Get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts aim to boost voter turnout among a candidate's supporters, often through targeted contact and reminders to vote

Electoral Systems and Reform

• The Electoral College is the system used to elect the President of the United States, with each state allocated a number of electors based on its representation in Congress
  • Critics argue that the Electoral College is undemocratic and gives disproportionate influence to swing states
• Proportional representation systems allocate seats in a legislature based on the percentage of votes received by each party, rather than the winner-take-all approach used in most US elections
• Ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, with the lowest-performing candidates eliminated and their votes redistributed until a winner emerges with a majority
• Campaign finance reform efforts seek to reduce the influence of money in politics by imposing stricter limits on contributions, increasing transparency, or providing public funding for campaigns
• Redistricting reform aims to prevent gerrymandering by establishing independent commissions or other non-partisan methods for drawing electoral district boundaries

Impact of Media and Technology

• Traditional media, such as television, radio, and newspapers, have long played a significant role in shaping public opinion and providing information about candidates and issues
• Social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook) have become increasingly important in political campaigns, allowing candidates to communicate directly with voters and mobilize supporters
• Fake news and misinformation spread through social media and other online channels can distort public perceptions and undermine trust in the electoral process
• Data analytics and targeted advertising enable campaigns to deliver personalized messages to specific groups of voters based on their online behavior and preferences
• Election security concerns have grown in recent years, with fears of foreign interference, hacking, and other threats to the integrity of the voting process
  • Measures to enhance election security include upgrading voting equipment, improving cybersecurity, and increasing coordination between federal, state, and local officials