Campaigns and Elections
Campaign Funding
Running for public office in America can be expensive, particularly if a candidate wants to win. The more powerful the position, the costlier the campaign becomes. In this episode, you will take a look at the different ways candidates raise money, as well as legal restrictions on how campaigns may be funded. To get started, click the player button.
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Court Cases Involving the Federal Election Commission (FEC)
Citizens United v. FEC (2010) has had a significant impact on how political campaigns are funded. Here are two other notable court cases involving campaign finance.
Emily's List v. FEC: This case challenged several Federal Election Commission regulations that restricted how nonprofits may spend and raise money. FEC regulations stated that nonprofits must use “hard money” to advocate their policy positions and candidates. Emily’s List argued that campaign contributions constituted “speech” and any regulation of these contributions violated the First Amendment. The court agreed with the plaintiff and ruled against the FEC.
Free Speech v. FEC: Three individuals from Wyoming challenged FEC regulations and practices determining when a communication is considered advocacy and when it is considered solicitation. Federal Election Commission policy states that if a group spends more than $1,000 on the "expressed advocacy" for or against a political candidate, it may be required to register as a PAC. Maintaining a PAC can be expensive, and the group from Wyoming viewed this financial burden as an infringement on their First Amendment rights. The case eventually made it to the Circuit Court of Appeals, before being denied a writ of certiorari by the Supreme Court.
Influence of the Media
The media has a major influence on public opinion. This influence becomes essential to candidates during election season. During this episode, you will learn about the roles of mass media, campaign ads, scientific polls, and the Internet in the electoral process. Click the player button in order to begin this episode.
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Reapportionment
American citizens' representation in the House of Representatives is based on the population of their states. The number of seats in the House is set at 435, so when a change in population occurs, a change in seats also occurs to reflect the shift in population. This episode will examine reapportionment. Click the player button to begin.
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Campaigns and Elections Review
Now that you have examined campaigns and elections, it is time to test your knowledge. Using the information you studied during this topic, please complete this interactivity. This is a non-graded interactivity and is only used to help you review what you have learned. Read the directions for each question and select the best answer. You will be able to review your answers after you submit them. To begin the review, click the player button.