Congressional Elections

Free-Write

Write a short essay discussing what constitutes good representation, in your mind. What characteristics of a representative would make you feel like he or she should do a good job representing you and your interests? What behavior should a good representative engage in? When, if ever, should a representative put his constituents’ interests aside and think of the greater good?

You will turn this essay in for participation credit.

Values associated with representation

• Looking like me, having my background– “Symbolic representation”

• Rep. uses own judgment to act on my behalf– “Representative-as-delegate”

• Doing exactly what I would do– “Representative as agent”

• Communication with me

Questions to consider:

• Who do Members of Congress represent?

• Do congressional elections ensure accountable representatives?

• What kinds of candidates do elections favor?

Rules governing election to Congress

• The Constitution

Constitution: election to the House of Representatives

• Election every 2 years• Must be 25 years old• Citizenship for 7 years• Live in the state• Selected same way as largest house of state

legislature (popular vote)• Apportioned among states based on population

Constitution: election to the Senate

• Election every 6 years– Three Classes

• Must be at least 30 years old

• Citizen for 9 years

• Live in the state

• Selected by state legislatures

• 2 per state

Rules governing election to Congress

• The Constitution

• Single-member, winner-take all districts

• Reapportionment and redistricting

• Primary election laws– Open vs. Closed

• FECA

Federal Election Campaign Act(as amended by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002)

• Contribution limit (individuals) = $2000

• Total cycle contribution limit = $95,000

• Contribution limit (PACs) = $5000

How do voters decide?

Heuristics:

• Party ID

• Name recognition

• Incumbency!

Sources of incumbent advantage

• Voters recognize their name

• Gerrymandering

• Privileges of office

• Ease of raising money

How do voters decide?

• Heuristics

• Campaigns

Cost of campaigns

2000 House:

• Ave. expenditures: $693,952

• Incumbents’ ave. expenditures: $814,507

• Challengers’ ave. expenditures: $369,823

Where does money come from?House candidates' ave. funding sources,

2000

Candidate11%

Individuals51%

Other5%

Party2%

PACs31%

Individuals PACs Party Candidate Other

Where does money come from?Senate candidates' funding sources, 2000

PACs13%

Party4%

Candidate24%

Other6%

Individuals53%

Individuals PACs Party Candidate Other

Fundraising9.40%

TV21.80%

Staff salaries17.80%

Other comm.3.90%

Travel 2.5%

Polling2.1%Direct mail

8.10%

Radio ads12.30%

Newspaper ads .4%

Voter reg/GOTV

1.30%

Campaign literature

8.00%

Overhead10.50%

Budget of a typical House campaign

Median Voter Theorem

• Assume that Ideology and issue positions are normally distributed in the population

• In a winner-take-all system, candidates will try to get one more vote than the other candidate by moving toward the center.

• Goal is to win over the “median voter”

Who gets elected?

• White men

Who gets elected?

• White men

• Lawyers

• Christians

• Previously elected officials

Questions to consider:

• What kinds of candidates does this system of elections favor?

• Do you think these elections produce people who are representative of the whole population?

• Do they produce people who can represent the whole population well?

• Do these elections have the potential to hold members accountable to their constituents?