Voting Timeline
Frontloading
When many states hold their primaries / caucuses early in the year to gain attention. Helps incumbents because they don’t need as much marketing, as their names are well-known already. Hurts lesser known candidates because they don’t get a lot of time to gain traction and become well-known.
Constitutial Clause
1st Amendment - Freedom of speech
Primary
Any election held within a party to elect a candidate for a race.
Super PAC
Can raise an infinite amount of funds
Cannot donate directly to candidates
Influence elections (ads, flyers, websites, mail)
Cannot coordinate with the candidate or campaigns (prohibited contribution)
Delegate / Super Delegate
Delegate - Individuals who are voted in and pledge to support a certain candidate of a certain party. Candidates’ delegate numbers for each state are determined by how well they do in the popular vote. More ideological, richer in general, and more educated than the typical voter.
Super delegate - Elected officials who attend the national convention and vote for a candidate of their choosing. They aren’t pledged to any candidate. Undemocratic because they aren’t chosen by votes.
National Convention
All delegates attend and vote on the candidate that will run for a specific party. It’s four days long and generally held in a swing state.
Ruling
Government cannot limit money spent by PACs because money = speech
Struck down parts of the BCRA
Caucus
At a specific time and place, voters gather to discuss who they want as their party's candidate. A vote takes place at the end. Usually has a low turnout, and the ones that come are more extreme / very involved in their party.
30-60 Day Rule
Electioneering communications cannot happen within:
Within 30 days of the primary
Within 60 days of the general election
Raiding
When members of one party vote in another party's election during an open primary. Typically, the voters will vote for the worst candidate in the opposing party to make it easier for their own party to win. Can sometimes backfire.
Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary
The first votes of the new year every year
Very small and white states
If you’re one of the around 18 candidates and you don't finish in the top 3 of these two, then you’re done
Soft money v. Dark Money
Soft money - Money given indirectly to a candidate through the party. Unlimited amounts can be given because it isn't directly to the candidate. The party takes the money and uses it for campaigning for the candidate.
Dark Money - Any sort of spending to influence political events done by undisclosed sources, super PACs, 501(c)4s, and shell companies
Open and Closed Primary
Open primary - A primary election where voters from any party may vote in either parties election
Closed Primary - Primaries that are only open to registered voters from that party. This is the most common type of primary.
Loophole group
527 group
Parties, candidates, committees, and associations
Can spend unlimited money as long as engaged in issue advocacy only
National Convention
All delegates attend and vote on the candidate that will run for a specific party. It’s four days long and generally held in a swing state.
Invisible Primary
Potential candidates visit Iowa and New Hampshire years in advance to sway voters as much as they can and get to know politicians in those states
Facts of the Case
- Citizens United, a conservative group, ran ads against Hillary Clinton
- Happened right before the 2008 primary
- FEC claimed it couldn't air because it was too close to the primaries.
-30-60 days limit from BCRA
Party Convention
Congress selects delegates to choose who the presidential candidates are
What did it do?
Banned soft money contributions
Banned electioneering communications with the 30-60 day rule
Raised individual contributions to campaigns from $1000 to $2000
Reapprotionment
The number of seats in the House of Representatives could be reassigned along with the number of electoral votes. This happens due to an increase in population that leads to districts having to be redrawn.
Super Tuesday
The day when roughly a dozen states hold their primaries or caucuses. Drastically narrows down who’s still running
Question
Is electioneering communication against freedom of speech?
Congressional Caucus Meeting
Members of Congress from each party met and chose a person they wanted to run for president
501(c)4 Groups
Nonprofits
Have unlimited funding for campaigns
Two types:
- Social welfare organizations
- Local associations of employees
Winner-take-all system
A system where the candidate with the most votes takes all of the votes. Most commonly used in the electoral college, where the candidate with the most votes gets all of the electoral college votes for that state.