Current events Lecture on elections and MONEY Writing activity Exit

1. Current events • Lecture on elections and MONEY • Writing activity • Exit Today you will be able to be able to define some of the keys terms associated with elections.

2. Chapter 7 Sections 3 and 4

3. A Democratic Government cannot succeed unless we have free, honest and accurate elections. • What does this mean??? • National elections are held: • November of every even # year • The Tuesday-after-the-first-Monday • This insures election day is never on a Sunday or on the first day of the month Elections

4. Voting by those unable to get to their regular polling places on election day • 3 reasons you are allowed to vote absentee • Too ill or disabled • Expect to be away from home for whatever reasons • Military service Absentee voting

5. Voting District • Smallest geographic units for the conduct of elections • They deal with the polling places where people go to vote • Poll watchers: one from each party is allowed at each polling place • They can challenge anyone they don’t believe is a qualified voter • Monitor the process • Handout sample ballots • Loudoun County Precinct

6. The device by which a voter registers a choice in an election • Today: secret ballot • Used to be public • Office-Group ballot: candidates for an office are grouped together under the title of that office Ballot

7. Started in Australia and today all states in the US use it • 4 features • Printed at public expense • Lists the names of all candidates in an election • Given out only at the polls • One to each qualified voter • Marked in secret Australian Ballot

9. So much money is spent on elections • Where does that money come from??? • 2 major forms • Public and Private • Spending in 2012 Money and elections

10. Give the most money • Small contributors: those that give small amounts • This has been a major development over the years • Wealthy Individuals: Large donations • Candidates: give their own money • Perot the most 65 million • Nonparty Groups: are given donations from their supporters • Political action committees (PAC) • Special interest groups • Temporary organizations: • Groups formed for the campaign • Fund raisers Private Contributions

11. These groups do not directly give the candidate money • HOWEVER, they are able to spend unlimited amounts of money to support the candidate in the form of adds, publicans and even movies • Citizen’s United Case • Prior to this ruling there were limits on how much money corporations could give to candidates • Corporate free speech is the same as individual free speech Super PAC

12. Federal Election Committee • Deals with all federal laws dealing with campaign finance • Laws cover 4 broad areas • Timely disclosure of campaign finance data • Places limits on campaign contributions • Places limits on campaign expenditures • Provides public funding • Have to disclose to keep everyone honest FEC

13. Today no person can give more than 2000 to federal primary election or general election • 5000 to PAC • 25000 to National Party Committee • Hard money: money raised and spent to elect candidates for Congress and White House • Limited • Soft Money: Money given to party organization for stuff like voter registration • No limits until 2002 Limits on Contributions