Voting and Elections Political Participation Participation in Democracy

Voting and Elections

Political Participation • Participation in Democracy – voting – campaign contributions – join interest groups or protest

Political Participation • Participation in Democracy – discussing political issues – writing letters to the editor – bumper stickers

Political Participation • Elections define democracy – participation paradox irrational to vote when chances of a single vote deciding election small – people vote because of efficacy and interest

Political Culture and Voting • Political culture – set of political values and beliefs that are dominant in society

Political Culture and Voting • Moralistic culture – discussion of public issues a right and opportunity • Participation is required in the expectation that common goals can be achieved

Political Culture and Voting • Traditionalistic culture – politics for the social and economic elite – views political participation as a privilege • Participation for most people in politics not highly desired nor regarded

Political Culture and Texas • Individualistic culture – blurs distinction between economic and political life – conflicts of interests commonplace – business interests play strong role • Political participation valuable for selfinterest

Who “bothers” to vote? • Registration requirements: – US citizen, 18 age, resident of state, county • must register 30 days before election – State level exclusion • “Mentally incompetent” • felons (rights restored after two years in Texas)

Who “bothers” to vote? • Motor Voter Registration – apply to register with driver’s license application • Effects of law in Texas – 1994 Texas had 8, 641, 848 registered voters • 65% of population – 2000 Texas had 12, 365, 235 registered voters • 85% of population

Who “bothers” to vote? • Most important demographic variables – Education – Income – Age • Strong party identification

Who “bothers” to vote? • Socioeconomic factors – People with lower income levels tend to vote less frequently

Who “bothers” to vote? • Overall turn in the US is relatively low

Who “bothers” to vote? • Turnout – proportion of eligible voters who vote – different from voting age population – different from total population

Who “bothers” to vote? • Turnout drops in non-presidential years – Turnout much lower in primaries than in the general elections

Who “bothers” to vote? • Socioeconomic factors – People with lower educational levels tend to vote less frequently

Who “bothers” to vote? • Socioeconomic factors – Minorities tend to vote less frequently than whites

Who “bothers” to vote? • Socioeconomic factors – Minorities tend to vote less frequently than whites

Who “bothers” to vote? • Family tradition – “learned” behavior • Language – more difficult to gather information

Who “bothers” to vote? • Women’s Suffrage – Nineteenth Amendment (1920) • White primary (1944) – Smith vs. Allwright gave African. Americans the right to vote in primaries in Texas

Who “bothers” to vote? • Voting Rights Act of 1965 – easier registration, oversight of redistricting • Poll tax (1966) – U. S. vs. Texas held that Texas’ use of poll taxes was unconstitutional

Who “bothers” to vote? • Registration requirements – Beare v. Smith (1971) voided annual registration – Dunn vs. Blumstein (1972) abolished one year residency requirements

Who “bothers” to vote? • Other factors effecting turnout • Type of elections – Presidential (50 s) – Congressional (30 s) – State-wide (20 s) – Local (10 s)

Who “bothers” to vote? • Other factors effecting turnout – voter “fatigue” • large number of posts adds length to ballot • frequency of elections

Who “bothers” to vote? National figures for presidential elections – 1992 was 55. 2%, TX: 49. 1% – 1996 was 49. 1%, TX: 41. 3% – 2000 was 51%, TX: 44. 3% – 2004 was 61%, TX: 57% – 2008 was 64%, TX: 56%

Who “bothers” to vote? • National figures for Congressional elections – – – 1990: 26. 8% 1994: 31. 3% 1998: 26. 1% 2002: 39. 5% 2006: 37% 2010: 42%

Who “bothers” to vote? • Off-Year Elections – Congresspersons and Governor elected – 2010: 37. 47% (Perry def White) – 2006: 26. 40% (Perry def Bell) – 2002: 36. 20% (Perry def Sanchez) – 1998: 32. 40% (Bush def Mauro) – 1994: 50. 87% (Bush def Richards) – 1990: 50. 55% (Richards def Clements)

Who “bothers” to vote? • Texas turnout remains stable, but below national averages – has increased absolutely since the 1960 s – ranks no higher than 43 rd in the nation • Presidential elections – Lower in recent years due to lack of contest in state

Who “bothers” to vote? • Efforts to increase turnout – Registration and voting barriers – Motor Voter law increases number registered

Who “bothers” to vote? • Efforts to increase turnout – Early voting adds convenience – Bilingual or multilingual ballots • English, Spanish, Vietnamese

Who “bothers” to vote? • Proposals to increase turnout – Election day registration – Mail-in ballots – Web-based voting

Primary Elections • Parties once held as “private” entities are now considered “public” entities • Election to determine who will represent the party in the general election • Three traditional ways of choosing leaders – Caucuses – Conventions – Primaries

Primary Elections • Parties initially beyond legislative control – private organizations with “public” tasks • Direct primary – Progressive Movement (1890) • Terrell Election Law enacted (1903) – Texas holds first direct primary in 1906

Primary Elections • 1973 Texas Election Code – provides that any party receiving 20% of the gubernatorial vote must hold a primary – all other parties must use the convention system

Primary Elections New political parties – 1% vote supporter list for state-wide elections – used to discourage the creation of new political parties through notarization, lack of participation in another party

Primary Elections • Parties responsible for running primaries – Receive applications, fees, determine order of names on ballot (through drawing) – Certify and arrange for printing ballots

Primary Elections • Types of Primary Elections – Open primary • voters decide at the polls (on election day) in which primary they will participate – Closed primary • primary voter is bound to one party • cannot switch parties and participate in the runoff election of convention of any other party – Blanket primary • can vote on both parties

Primary Elections • Declaring party affiliation – at time you register to vote – can change parties within 30 days of primary or convention • Independents cannot vote in primaries and conventions • Texas is “technically” closed but in reality an “open” primary state

Primary Elections • Primary Runoff Elections – Candidate must receive majority (50% + 1) – Runoff necessary if no majority – legacy of one-party past

Voting in Primaries • Crossover voting – One party’s members vote in opposing party’s primary • Effects on Democrats – Absence of GOP primaries “forces” them to vote in Democratic primary – conservative candidates more successful • GOP “party purity” efforts – Conservative Democrats vote for Reagan over Ford

Primary Elections Timing primaries – From mid-Summer to May for LBJ in 1960 – Texas moves to “Super Tuesday” for Bush • Turnout in primaries – 30% average, lower (10 -20%) in “off-years”

General Elections in Texas • Official public elections to determine who will take office • Decided by plurality vote • Governor, executives chosen in “off year” – separates national from state elections – emphasizes state issues – reduces turnout – increases the impact of party regulars

General Elections in Texas • Office block ballot – advocated by independents, minor parties

General Elections in Texas • Party column ballot – used in Texas – want to be listed first, listed by votes in last gubernatorial election • Small parties seldom succeed, write-in candidates have no chance

General Elections in Texas • Voting machines – Counties select voting devices • paper ballots, punch cards or voting machines – Polling places, poll watchers – Selection judge for each precinct – Canvas votes and certify results

General Elections in Texas • Traditional Campaigns • Taking the stump • “Retail” politics – kissing babies and pressing the flesh

General Elections in Texas • Media – “Old” media was more important: billboards, bumper stickers, yard signs – “Free” media was more important: newspaper and radio news coverage

General Elections in Texas • Modern Campaigns – Parties matter less in modern campaigns – Candidates responsible for money – Candidates responsible for message – Hire political consultants

General Elections in Texas • Modern Campaigns – Extensive use of public opinion pollsters – Direct mail campaigns to targeted areas – Paid media

Special Elections • Designed to fill special emergency needs – ratification of constitutional amendment – filling vacant offices until end of regular term or next general election

Special Elections • Requires majorities, not pluralities – Yarborough wins in 1957 – Hutchison replaces Bentsen in 1993 – attempt by W. Bush to get Gramm to step down early (2001)

Money in Political Campaigns • Costs of campaigns are high – Gubernatorial elections cost $15 million – Justices can spend $1 million – Senate campaign around $500, 000 – House campaign around $200, 000 – Incumbents lacking opponents still spend around $50, 000

Money in Texas Campaigns • Candidates cannot raise or spend money until campaign treasurer is appointed • Required to file disclosure statements – sworn statements of contributions and expenditures – reported to the Texas Secretary of State • Criminal and civil penalties for violations – enforced by Texas Ethics Committee

Money in Political Campaigns • Geography of state forces use of paid media – one minute of TV costs $20, 000 in DFW – one minute or radio can cost $2, 000 – half page ad in major paper can cost $11, 000 • Other expenses – political consultants ($50, 000), polls ($20, 000) – phone banks, mass mailings

Money in Political Campaigns • Small individual contributions – make up vast majority (75%) of contributions – most are between $1, 000 and $10, 000 • “Soft money” from Political Action Committees (PAC’s) – represent big business, labor unions, professional associations

Limitations on Money in Texas Campaigns • “Hard” Money – direct contributions to individual campaigns • Limitations on contributions – no more than $100 cash on direct contributions – no direct contributions from corporations and unions

Limitations on Money in Texas Campaigns? • No limits on the amount candidates can spend – corporations, unions contribute through PACs • Laws make it difficult to limit campaign spending – independent expenditures by PACs, individuals – “soft money” from political parties, interest groups

Who Wins Elections? • Three key factors in determining vote – party identification (Democrat, Republican) – incumbency – name recognition • Issues may be of less importance – policy positions use opinion polls – may run counter to party position

Who Wins Elections? • Mobilizing groups to vote – “energizing the base” • Activities of “special” interest groups – Businesses (Republicans) – Teachers (Democrats) • Opponent’s base – Bush’s success winning minority votes

Who Wins Elections? • State level – homogeneous • Traditionally – white, Protestant males – lawyers and businessmen • Recently – with women and minorities