American Politics Today - Essentials (3rd Ed)

200 CHAPTER 7|ELECTIONS

ELECTORAL CAMPAIGNS

Now that we have reviewed the main steps of how American elections work, we

will focus in this section on the campaign process and what candidates do to con-

vince people to vote for them on Election Day. Our emphasis is on things that can-

didates do regardless of the offi ce they are running for, across the entire election

cycle, the two-year period between general elections.

Setting the Stage

On the day after any election, candidates, party offi cials, and interest groups all start

thinking about the next election cycle. They consider who won and who lost, which

incumbents look like safe bets for re-election and which ones might be vulnerable,

who might retire soon or run for another offi ce in the next election, and whether the

election returns reveal new information about the kinds of campaigns or issues that

might increase voter turnout or support the next time.

DESCRIBE THE FEATURES

AND STRATEGIES OF

CAMPAIGNS FOR FEDERAL

OFFICE

election cycle The two-year
period between general elections.

0.00

2004 2008 2012

George W.

Bush (Rep.)

John

Kerry

(Dem.)

John

McCain

(Rep.)

Mitt

Romney

(Rep.)

Barack

Obama

(Dem.)

Barack

Obama

(Dem.)

20.00

40.00

60.00

80.00%

2000

George W.

Bush (Rep.)

Al Gore

(Dem.)

Popular Vote Electoral Vote

Source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/historical.html (accessed 11/12/12).

POPULAR VOTE vs. ELECTORAL VOTE, 2000–2012

FIGURE » 7. 1