Describe the functions of elections in a democratic society.

Government and Politics in the Lone Star State

Tenth Edition

Chapter 11

Elections, Campaigns, and Voting in Texas

Learning Objectives

11.1 Describe the functions of elections in a democratic society.

11.2 Compare and contrast the types of state and local elections held in Texas.

11.3 Explain the measures taken to keep some Texans from voting and the countermeasures employed to curtail these discriminatory practices.

11.4 Describe the use of marketing technology in political campaigns.

11.5 Describe the role of controlled and uncontrolled media in the advertising strategy of campaigns.

11.6 Evaluate the impact of money on campaigns and the effectiveness of campaign finance reforms.

The Functions of Elections (1 of 2)

Provide Legitimacy of a Democratic Society

Make retrospective judgments about elected officials

Allow voters to change officeholders and force change in policies

The candidates and parties attempt to define their positions and offer policy alternatives.

The Functions of Elections (2 of 2)

Elections are considered important linkage mechanisms between the people and their elected officials, but this role is based on the assumptions that

There is universal suffrage.

Voters are offered clear alternatives.

Large segments of the population are informed about candidates and their policies.

Voter participation is significant.

State and Local Elections (1 of 8)

Election Cycles

Held at regular intervals set by state law

Separate state and local races

Voter fatigue leads to lower voter turnout.

Influence of small groups grows as turnout drops.

Shape the policymaking process

Separate elections for public officials and policy decisions

Insulate officials from public discontent

State and Local Elections (2 of 8)

Primary Elections

Replaced state nominating conventions in 1903 and held on the second Tuesday in March of even-numbered years

Required for political parties receiving 20 percent of the vote in gubernatorial elections

Function as open primaries in Texas

Parties administer the elections and state pays most of the costs

Run-off elections held if no candidate receives a majority of the vote

Donald Trump in Texas

Donald Trump did not perform as well in Texas as he did in other Super Tuesday states. His presence, however, may have helped explain why turnout was higher in the 2016 primaries than it was in the 2012 race.

Figure 11-1 Turnout since 1970

SOURCE: Texas Politics, http://www.laits.utexas.edu/txp_media/html/vce/features/0302_01/turnout.html (citing Federal Election Commission, Texas Secretary of State, and U.S. Elections Project, George Mason University); and Texas Secretary of State, http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/historical/70-92.shtml.

There are three ways in which voter turnout levels can be calculated. The rates can be calculated by figuring the percentage of registered voters who voted, the percentage of eligible citizens (over 18) who voted, or the percentage of the voting-age population that voted. The figures presented here (consistent with those released by the state) are the percentage of the voting-age population (VAP) that voted. Although it is not common in the United States, some countries present turnout rates as the percentage of registered voters who voted, so be cautious when examining turnout data, as each will paint a slightly different perception of the same event. As you can see here, voter participation rates change depending on the type of election, and they have varied over time. Even with that said, the numbers of people who vote are still low, never exceeding 60 percent since 1970.

State and Local Elections (3 of 8)

General Elections

Held on Tuesday following the first Monday in November of even-numbered years

Administered and paid for by the counties

Ballots include the following candidates:

Candidates nominated in the primaries

Other candidates who submitted petitions signed by registered voters equal to at least 1 percent of the vote in the previous gubernatorial election

State and Local Elections (4 of 8)

City, School Board, Single-Purpose Districts

Are nonpartisan and most are held in May of odd-numbered years

Very low turnout for local government elections

Little money spent on campaigns

Many seats go uncontested

State and Local Elections (5 of 8)

Special Elections

Constitutional amendments

Turnout is typically 10 percent or less when separate from the November general election.

Other elections

Held for bond issues, local initiatives, referenda, recalls, and vacancies

State and Local Elections (6 of 8)

Extended Absentee Balloting

May cast ballots from the twentieth to the fourth day before an election

In 2014, over 40 percent of ballots cast in the general election were cast with early voting.

Changes candidates’ strategies because they must mobilize voters early and “peak twice”

State and Local Elections (7 of 8)

Straight-Ticket Voting

Pull one lever, mark one block, punch one hole, or select the straight-party ticket option

Parties urge voters to “pull one lever” in support of their entire slate of candidates.

State and Local Elections (8 of 8)

Ballot Security

Computer counts votes on punch cards, mark-sense ballots, or touch-screen machines.

In the aftermath of the presidential election of 2000 and the ballot problems in Florida, ballot security and accurate tabulation received more attention in Texas as well as other states.

Waiting to Vote

Voters in Austin wait in long lines to cast their votes in the March 1, 2016, primaries. Many feel that more voting locations need to be provided so voters do not have to wait in such long lines.

Political Suffrage in Texas: A Struggle for Mass Suffrage (1 of 10)

The Poll Tax

Twenty-Fourth Amendment (1964)

The White Primary

Smith v. Allwright (1944)

Restrictive Registration Law

Moved to permanent registration in 1971

Political Suffrage in Texas: A Struggle for Mass Suffrage (2 of 10)

Property Ownership and the Right to Vote

No longer required to vote in bond elections

Women and the Right to Vote

Participated in Texas primaries and state conventions in 1918

Voting rights granted nationally by the Nineteenth Amendment (1920)

Political Suffrage in Texas: A Struggle for Mass Suffrage (3 of 10)

Extension of the Vote to Those 18 Years of Age and Older

Twenty-Sixth Amendment (1971)

Other Discriminatory Aspects of Election Systems

Gerrymandering of single-member districts

At-large elections

Political Suffrage in Texas: A Struggle for Mass Suffrage (4 of 10)

The Voting Rights Act

Outlawed literacy tests and declared illegal election systems that dilute the minority vote

Federal approval needed for redistricting and changes to election laws

Allows federal court challenges to state and local election systems and districts

In a 2013 case, Shelby v. Holder, the Supreme Court ruled that the formulas used to determine which states were subject to preclearance are unconstitutional, as they used data that were more than 40 years old; as a result, for the time being, no state or jurisdiction will be subject to the preclearance rules of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.

Political Suffrage in Texas: A Struggle for Mass Suffrage (5 of 10)

Motor Voter Registration

Since 1993, states must provide citizens the opportunity to register to vote when they apply for or renew a driver’s license.

States must make voter registration forms available at certain agencies that provide welfare benefits or assist the disabled.

Political Suffrage in Texas: A Struggle for Mass Suffrage (6 of 10)

Facilitating Voter Participation

Reduce administrative barriers

Online or “same day” registration

Extended voting

Political Suffrage in Texas: A Struggle for Mass Suffrage (7 of 10)

Contemporary Restrictions on Voting

Citizenship requirement

Felons who are incarcerated cannot vote

2011 voter identification law (requires photo ID)

Not precleared for 2012 election

In effect 2013–2016 following Shelby v. Holder

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit rules it violates Voting Rights Act in July 2016

Political Suffrage in Texas: A Struggle for Mass Suffrage (8 of 10)

Political Gains by Minorities and Women

Hispanics

Hispanics make up approximately 27 percent of adults in Texas who were eligible to register and vote.

By 2015, there were 2,536 Hispanic elected officials (the highest in any state).

By 2016, only ten Hispanics had been elected to statewide office in Texas.

In 2016, 23 percent of the state legislature was Hispanic.

Figure 11-2 Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Total Population of Texas, the Voting Age of All Texans, and Citizens of Voting Age

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010–2014 Five-Year American Community Survey (ACS).

Demographics help explain voter participation rates in Texas and across the nation. Although we have mass suffrage, the numbers of people who choose not to vote vary dramatically by social group. As you can see, depending upon the definition of “population,” different groups will have different levels of relative influence. For example, if we look at the entire population, the percentage that is Anglo is smaller than if we examine the percentage of voting-age population that is Anglo, helping to partly explain the political influence of Anglos in Texas relative to population size.

Table 11-1 Latino Elected Officials in Texas, 1974–2015

Blank cell	1974	1996	2001	2011	2015
Federal	2	5	6	6	6
State	13	35	36	38	43
County	102	203	213	298	289
Municipal	251	536	555	632	626
Judicial/Law Enforcement	172	323	280	472	449
School Board	Blank cell	536	701	1,025	1,072
Special District	Blank cell	51	37	49	51
Total	540	1,689	1,828	2,520	2,536

SOURCE: Juan A. Sepulveda Jr., The Question of Representative Responsiveness for Hispanics, Harvard College, Honors Thesis, March 1985; National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, National Roster of Hispanic Elected Officials, 1996, 2001; NALEO Educational Fund, 2011 National Directory of Latino Elected Officials; NALEO Educational Fund, 2015 National Directory of Latino Elected Officials.

Political Suffrage in Texas: A Struggle for Mass Suffrage (9 of 10)

Political Gains by Minorities and Women

African Americans

12.9 percent of eligible voting-age population

In 2016, they constituted almost 11 percent of the state legislature.

Of all African Americans elected to state office (including the state legislature), only four have been elected to statewide office in Texas.

Political Suffrage in Texas: A Struggle for Mass Suffrage (10 of 10)

Political Gains by Minorities and Women

Women

Prior to Ann Richards’s election as state treasurer in 1982, only two women had been elected to statewide office.

Governor and Criminal Court of Appeals

By 2016, nine women had held twelve statewide elective executive offices in Texas.

In 2016, seven women served in the Texas Senate and twenty-nine in the Texas House.

Journal 11.3

Do you think voter fraud is a large problem? Given the already low voter turnout numbers, should government enact laws that make it more difficult to vote, or should they be passing laws to increase turnout?

Campaign Technology (1 of 3)

Social Media and Public Opinion Polling

Used to do the following:

Identify issues

Gauge public perception of candidates

Develop campaign strategies

Monitor progress of a campaign

Includes tracking surveys and focus groups

The Internet is now seen as a viable way to generate support.

Campaign Technology (2 of 3)

Segmentation and Targeting of the Electorate

Candidates target campaign messages to specific groups.

Voter turnout varies by ethnicity, income, education, age, gender, and marital status.

Established partisan loyalties exist.

Issues resonate differently among groups.

Use surveys and demographic information to help with communications to specific groups

Campaign Technology (3 of 3)

Grassroots

Can be effective in closely contested elections, e.g., 2012 election of Ted Cruz

Traditional grassroots activities include:

Door-to-door campaigning (block walking)

Neighborhood gatherings

Recruiting other volunteers

Addressing and stuffing envelopes

Making signs

Staffing phone banks

Staffing polls on Election Day

Media and Advertising (1 of 3)

Controlled Media

Purchased advertising that increases visibility and name recognition

Signs and billboards

Staged media events

Television and radio advertising

Accounts for half of most campaign budgets

Increased use of negative advertising

Growing use of websites and e-mail

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat

Media and Advertising (2 of 3)

Uncontrolled Media

Positive news stories or blog posts about a candidate do not cost the campaign money.

Candidates try to get positive coverage and reduce negative slants in campaign stories.

Media and Advertising (3 of 3)

Direct Mail and Fund-Raising

Targeted to specific audiences to raise money for specific campaign issues

Often combined with other strategies, such as phone banks and block walks

Internet best for small contributors

Money and Campaigns (1 of 4)

Campaign Costs and Fund-Raising

In the 2014 election cycle, 403 candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, and legislative offices reported raising $202 million.

Candidates for governor raised almost $189.5 million.

Candidates for the Texas House raised $65.6 million.

Candidates for the Texas Senate raised $28.5 million.

Money and Campaigns (2 of 4)

PACs, Fat Cats, and the Really Big Money

No limits on campaign contributions except for judicial races

Political action committees raise money to give to selected officeholders and political candidates.

During 2014 election cycle, 1,421 Texas PACs spent $159 million.

A fat cat is an individual who contributes a large amount of money to political candidates.

The biggest PAC spenders in Texas are Texans for Lawsuit Reform, the Texas Association of Realtors, and the Texas Medical Association.

Money and Campaigns (3 of 4)

Why People Contribute to Campaigns

Contributions are made to influence election outcomes and to shape public policy.

People also make contributions out of a sense of civic duty, general concern for good public policy, partisan loyalty, or personal friendship.

Money and Campaigns (4 of 4)

Attempts at Reforms

Increased reporting of finances to the Texas Ethics Committee

Campaigns must designate a treasurer.

Annual reporting required

Must report names, dates, and amounts of contributions

PACs must report sources of donations.

Shared Writing 11.6

Consider the discussion in “Democrats’ Alliance with Battleground Texas Shows Strains.” More and more attention is directed toward the possibility of Texas “turning blue.” How likely do you think it is to occur in the immediate future? What do you think it will take to mobilize Hispanics to participate at rates similar to those of other minorities? Do you think Hispanics are destined to remain Democratic, or can the Republican Party appeal to this key demographic?

Photo Credits

Page 319: © The Texas Tribune; 322: Pat Sullivan/AP Images; 323: Larry W.Smith/epa european pressphoto agency b.v./ Alamy Stock Photo; 328: Tamir Kalifa/AP Images; 330: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division [LC-USF3301-011961-M2]; 339: Kevin Britland/Alamy Stock Photo; 341: Torin Halsey/Wichita Falls Times Record News/AP Images; 343: © The Texas Tribune; 350: Tucker Gibson

Describe the functions of elections in a democratic society.

NO TIME TO WRITE YOUR ASSIGNMENT? . PLACE AN ORDER WITH ASSIGNMENTS EXPERTS AND GET 100% ORIGINAL PAPERS

Leave a Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Price (USD): $11

DISCLAIMER

Recent Posts

WE ACCEPT

Protected By:

Support Center