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Political Campaigns: Running for Office

Political Campaigns: Running for Office. The purpose of a campaign is to get people to vote for you ! This is done in several ways:

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Political Campaigns: Running for Office

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  1. Political Campaigns: Running for Office • The purpose of a campaign is to get people to vote for you! This is done in several ways: • Canvassing: volunteers take polls to see what people know about their candidate, pass out information, and try to register people to vote. Phone calls or door knocking

  2. Political Campaigns: Running for Office • Rallies: candidates hold political rallies & give speeches to make people excited to vote for them. They make promises about what they will do if they get elected. They shake a lot of hands!

  3. Political Campaigns: Running for Office • Endorsements: they try to get celebrities & past political candidates to help them win by showing their support.

  4. Political Campaigns: Running for Office • Advertising: spend a lot of time & money trying to create a positive image of the candidate. Slogans, yard signs, debate responses, and commercials are all carefully planned to try to attract voters.

  5. Political Campaigns: Campaign Expenses • All of this is very expensive! • Candidates must release information about their donors to the press. Individuals cannot donate more than $2300 to a candidate (hard money – money that goes directly to a candidate). • McCain-Feingold Act: prohibited parties & candidates from raising soft money (unlimited amount for general purposes - ex: to run a commercial against another candidate or an issue).

  6. Political Campaigns: Campaign Expenses • Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010): the Supreme Court held 5-4 that the McCain-Feingold Act is unconstitutional. • The Court said that donating money is protected as a form of speech under the First Amendment. • Corporations count as individuals, so they can give whatever they want (soft money)

  7. One citizen – one vote?

  8. One citizen – one vote?

  9. Influences on the Government: Other Ballot Items • Initiative: citizens can propose new laws or state constitutional amendments (cannot do this for national laws). They must get citizens of the state to sign a petition. If they receive enough signatures, it gets place on the ballot as a proposition. • Proposition: proposed law people can vote on • Prop 19 in California: to legalize marijuana for personal use – did not pass • Referendum: vote on a current state/local law

  10. Influences on the Government: Special Elections • Recall: citizens vote to remove a public official from office (starts with a petition; only for state/local officials) • Runoff election: election between 2 candidates that had the highest number of votes if no candidate received a majority (more than 50%) of votes • Recount: if the votes are extremely close & no one won a majority, candidates can demand a recount • Bob Etheridge (democratic representative) is demanding this in District 2 because he lost by less than 1000 votes

  11. Influences on the Government: Famous Recounts • Bush v. Gore (2000): the 2000 presidential election was too close to call in Florida (Bush was ahead by ~300 votes). Neither candidate had the 270 electoral votes needed to claim victory. • The Florida Supreme Court demanded that Florida counties begin recounting votes. Bush filed a request for the US Supreme Court to review the Florida Supreme Court decision. • The US Supreme Court found the recount unconstitutional because there was no law in Florida mentioning how to recount ballots (& the Florida Supreme Court cannot make laws).

  12. Influences on the Government: Review • Political Parties: develop party platforms (official positions on issues), nominate candidates, and manage election campaigns. • Voters: cast ballots on Election Day, donate money & volunteer for political parties & interest groups, give suggestions to representatives

  13. Influences on the Government: Mass Media • Interview & report on candidates • Poll voters to gage public opinion • Public opinion: ideas & attitudes people hold about government, candidates, issues • Influence the public agenda • Public agenda: issues that receive the most focus, time, & effort from the public & government • Play a “watchdog” role over government • (report any shadiness)

  14. Influences on the Government: Special Interest Groups • Lobby elected officials to persuade them to pass laws that protect their interests • Lobby: contacting lawmakers directly • Run advertising campaigns to influence public opinion • Political Action Committee (PAC): raise money from members to support candidates that support their interests.

  15. Daily AssessmentOn Same Sheet as Monday’s • 3 things you learned • 2 things you found interesting • 1question you still have

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