American Federal Government - Module 3 Discussions
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Daytona State College *
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Dec 6, 2023
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Module 3 Discussion - Chp 8 Question 3 – Create a Winning Strategy
3. You've been hired to create a winning strategy to get the most votes for the Democratic OR Republican candidate in the next presidential election (choose one). How does electoral competition influence your strategy? Which type of voters are you more likely to seek out and why?
If I was hired to create a winning strategy to get the most votes for my Democratic candidate, I would need to carefully assess first what my candidate brings to the table and how
much funding they have available. This would help me formulate my campaign plan. Electoral competition would influence my strategy because it would impact what the most important issues of the campaign should be. Raising issues that are important to your constituency is crucial in getting your candidate nominated for primaries and ultimately getting
them elected. It would also aid in making their opinion known on controversial topics of other candidates. This would allow voters to better understand where my candidate stands on the topics most critical to them and allow for the support of those that have the same stance on those issues. When targeting voters, I would first seek out women since they tend to vote Democratic and have the highest rate of turnout. I believe this would give my candidate an advantage if I could win their support. I would also focus attention on the minorities and young people of the
nation. These groups are most likely to vote for a Democratic candidate. Donata Hunter
Module 3 Discussion -Chp 8 Question 6 – Low Turnout and Voting Importance
6. Most people acknowledge that it is important for citizens to vote, but many Americans do not vote. Discuss some of the institutional explanations for low turnout, as well as some of the personal reasons (i.e., the explanations that people give for not voting). Do you think voting is an important component of a democracy? What are some solutions to low turnout in American elections?
One of the institutional explanations for not voting is voter registration laws, which sometimes require them to register 30 days in advance. Voter identification regulations are another obstacle that some face. It can be difficult, almost impossible for some to obtain this. The elderly and disabled can have limited ability to get to the proper places to obtain identification. Another rising institutional explanation is felons losing their right to vote. The number of felons continues to rise, this in turn leads to the loss of more individuals voting rights. Some of the personal reasons one might not vote are voter apathy, which is simply having no interest in the candidates or the issues that are being voted on. Another personal reason for not voting is the fear that their vote won’t count or make a difference because they believe the election is already leaning in one candidate’s favor. Simply not being able to make the time to go to the election polls is another reason one might not vote when they are eligible.
Voting is definitely an important component of a democracy. Without voting we wouldn’t have a democracy. The people’s voices need to be heard and represented in the governing bodies. One solution to low turnout is to expand early voting into states that currently don’t offer it. Another way to fight low turnout would be to allow same-day registration in more states, as well as automatic voter registration. This would give many that don’t make the deadline to register the chance to have their vote counted. Another way to allow more voters the ability to vote would be to get rid of the voter ID laws. There are many other ways that voting could be more inclusive of the total eligible voting population, but these
would all make a huge impact. Donata Hunter
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Module 3 Discussion - Chp 9 Question 1 – Political Parties and Interest Groups
1. Explore the role of political parties in American politics. In what ways do political parties differ from interest groups? How do parties contribute to democratic government? Why is it important to have "competitive" and "responsible" political parties?
The role of political parties in American politics is that political parties seek to control the government by nominating candidates, electing them to public office, and winning elections. Political interest groups do not seek to control the government but rather seek to influence government policies. This is commonly done through lobbying and contributing to candidates’ campaigns that align with their interests. Political parties contribute to democratic government by organizing electoral competition, unifying large portions of the electorate, and simplifying democracy for voters. They also help transform individual preferences into policy and provide mechanisms for opposition. This is essential in increasing participation and political knowledge. It is important to have competitive political parties because it helps increase interest and
turnout. Competitive parties have incentives to focus on an array of issues, from healthcare to the economy. This gains the interest of those who would usually not participate. Having responsible political parties is just as important. The constituents should be able to rely on the information of their politicians, without being lied to. It is also important that they inform their
voters of their interests and motives. Once they land in office, they need to remain working toward their voters’ best interests by enacting laws that represent them.
Donata Hunter
Module 3 Discussion - Chp 9 Question 9 – Have your parents identification affected your political party
9. Have your parents’ party identifications affected your choice of political party? Is there a strong relationship between the party choices of the parents and their children? According to demographic traits and date such as your religion, ethnicity, gender, social class, and residence,
which party would you be more likely to support? Does this match your preference?
I don’t think that my parents’ party identification directly affected my choice of a political party. We don’t always share the same views when it comes to politics. However, I do believe that the values, morals, and ideology that I was raised with certainly shaped my thought process which influenced my favoring of a particular political party. My parents are both Democrats and rarely differ in opinion from their party’s views and ideas. I usually favor independent candidates; however, I have in the past favored both Democrat and Republican candidates. According to my demographic traits, I should support the democratic party. I am a Christian, Latin woman. I am a part of the middle class and am not yet a homeowner. This demographic most often is related to a Democrat. While I am not a Democrat, I do share a lot of their same values and views on hot-ticket issues. However, there are very few Democratic candidates themselves that I have liked or would have voted for. I almost always choose an independent candidate. Donata Hunter
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Module 3 Discussion - Chp 10 Question 1 – Difference in Electoral Systems
1. There are a variety of elections and electoral systems in democracies around the world. Discuss the differences between plurality, majority, and proportional representation electoral systems. What are the advantages and disadvantages associated with the different kinds of electoral systems? Would you like to see more proportional representation in the US?
In plurality electoral systems a candidate only needs to get more votes than any other candidate. This does not always mean that they received the majority votes. An advantage of this system is that only one election is needed when there are multiple candidates. However, a disadvantage of this system is that sometimes a candidate won that the majority of voters voted against. In a majority electoral system, the candidate must win by a majority, which is fifty percent plus one. This electoral system often leads to a runoff election, which consists of the top two winners. The runoff is often needed sometimes because of elections with more than two candidates, resulting in none of the candidates winning the majority of the votes. An advantage of this system is that the elected official was voted in by a majority of the constituents. A disadvantage to this system is that sometimes a second vote is needed to identify the ultimate winner. The proportional representation system is a multiple-member district system that allows
each political party representation in proportion to its percentage of the total vote. In this
system, the percentage of votes won would coincide with the percentage of seats your party held. An advantage of this system is that the constituents can have their issues voiced proportionally to the seats held. This helps ensure all the ideas of the people are heard. A disadvantage to this system could be that many of the constituents could feel strongly one way
and have to bend to conform to the ideas of the few. I think a more proportional representation in the U.S. could be both helpful and problematic. It would allow for both sides to be heard proportionally to their constituents in the elected officials’ area. But I would worry it could also cause an area that is primarily filled with one party to be negatively affected by the opposing party’s ideas of only a few.
Donata Hunter
Module 3 Discussion - Chp 10 Question 10 – Why Do Some Vote and Some Do Not
10. Why do some people choose to vote while others do not? Is it a reasonable decision to not vote if there is only an infinitesimally small chance that one’s vote will swing an election? Why might people choose to vote even knowing they are not likely to be the swing voter?
There are many reasons why someone that is eligible to vote does not vote. A common reason is not having the proper identification. This stops many that want to vote, but their state requires a government-issued identification. Many things can hinder one from being able to obtain this, from the cost itself, to needing a birth certificate or social security card. It also sometimes is simply not having transportation to the DMV to obtain an ID.
Not being able to go on Election Day due to work or other prior appointments. Sometimes voter apathy, or a lack of interest, is another popular reason for someone not to vote. They are not likely to vote if none of the candidates that are currently running for office align with their views.
On the contrary, others chose to vote so that they can elect candidates that will represent their views and ideas. They may be unhappy with something that is currently up for debate and want someone that will be a voice for them. I do not think that choosing not to vote is ever a reasonable idea. The fewer people that vote, the less likely the nation is to have its true wants and needs represented. I think a good reason that one might vote even if there is only a small chance of their vote making a difference is because it takes everyone to make an impact on the total election. If everyone
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believes their vote doesn’t matter, it will lead to a lower voter turnout, which in turn will lead to less of the nation’s views being heard.
Donata Hunter