Download Campaigns

Campaigns
Goals of a Campaign
1. Convince the public to vote for a
candidate
– Name,face
2. Create a campaign organization
3. Let voters know the issues
4. Raise Money
How can campaign workers
accomplish these goals?
1. Canvassing:
speaking to voters
directly,
Local level: doorto-door
National level:
taking polls
How can campaign workers
accomplish these goals?
• 2. Endorsements:
propaganda
technique,
promoting a certain
person or idea
How can campaign workers
accomplish these goals?
• 3. Advertising and Image Modeling:
creating the right image
What do campaigns have to pay
for?
•
•
•
•
•
Advertising
Transportation
Salaries for campaign staff
Postage
Phone
Regulations of Financing
• Federal Election
Commission (FEC)
– Limits the amount
of money an
individual can
donate to a
candidate
– Need to tell the
public about
spending
Presidential Election Campaign
Fund
• Allows taxpayers to be able to check a box
and donate $3 of their annual taxes to this
fund
Presidential Campaign Fund
• Candidates need to raise $100,000 on
their own and then they can qualify for
money from this fund.
• Each candidate gets equal amounts only if
they don’t receive direct contributions.
What about the Third Parties?
• They can get money too!
• Only if they receive more than 5% of the
popular vote.
Who donates
money?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Individual citizens
Party organizations
Corporations
Interest Groups
Sneaking around the Campaign
Finance Law
• PACs Political Action
Committees
– Gives money to a
candidate only if they
support their issue
• Soft-money: money
given to a party but not
to a particular candidate.
– The party can use it how
they want!
Soft-Money
• PACs give most of
their soft-money to
incumbents:
politicians who
already hold an office.
Some facts
• Under federal law, in 2007-08, an
individual may contribute no more
than:
• • $2,300 to a candidate per election
(primary and general)
• • $28,500 to a political party per year
• • $108,200 combined per election cycle
to candidates, parties and PACs
• The 2008 campaign was the costliest in
history, with a record-shattering $5.3 billion
in spending by candidates,
• The amount spent on the presidential race
alone was $2.4 billion when all candidates
and related expenses are included
Voting on Issues not the Candidate
• Citizens can propose a new law or
constitutional amendment through an
initiative
What if you don’t like a law?
• Referendum: citizens can approve or reject a
state or local law.
• More than ½ the state has to vote
• Law can be sent back and voted on again