Abstract This paper provides a brief insight to the main events of the 2000 U.S. presidential elections. It analyzes how George W. Bush won the original vote in Florida and then won a recount of the same vote and how the Gore team opposed Bush's win, trying to hold on as long as they could. They claimed that the "butterfly" ballot used in several counties, including the Democratic Palm Beach County, was unconstitutional. It compares these events to the elections of 1876 between Samuel J. Tilden and Rutherford B. Hayes, a Republican governor like Bush and how like the 2000 election, the outcome of the 1876 election depended largely upon contested votes, recounts and even legal posturing in Florida .
From the Paper "The legal ballot used in Palm Beach County was actually designed by an elected Democrat official. Prior to the election, it was reviewed and approved by both Democrats and Republicans, publicized, and mailed to all registered voters in a sample ballot. New ballots were also provided for voters who complained of making mistakes. At the request of the Gore's team, hand-counts of individual ballots were conducted in many Democratic counties, including Palm Beach. However, during the first hand-count in Palm Beach, the standard was changed for judging whether or not a ballot was valid."
Tags: 2000, election, Palm, Beach, County, ballot, Samuel, J., Tilden, Rutherford, B.
Abstract This paper explains what went wrong on Election Night, in particular the problems with VNS and with Ellis? involvement in Fox's (2:15 a.m.) call. The author also covers how U.S. newspapers called the election in their November 8th editions. Chip Minemyer, associate editor of the Centre Daily Times will then give his input on the problems of election night. Finally, the author provides conclusions based on the facts he has gathered on this case.
From the Paper " Almost everyone in the United States and throughout the world remembers how close and controversial George W. Bush's victory against Al Gore was in the 2000 U.S. presidential election. Many people know that the five major U.S. television networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and Fox) twice wrongly declared the winner of the pivotal state of Florida, the Associated Press first declared Gore the winner, and that many U.S. newspapers said Bush was the winner in one of their November 8th editions. The networks crowned each respective candidate as the victor - first between 7:49 and 8 p.m. ET for Gore and then just after 2:16 a.m. for Bush ? only to see their declarations of victory change, in Gore's case to undecided call and then to a Bush victory, and in Bush's case to see victory projections change to an undecided status. What many people do not know about the miscalls are the crucial roles the Voter News Service (VNS), a consortium funded by the five major news networks and the Associated Press, and John Ellis, George W. Bush's first cousin and a member of the Fox News? team of people responsible for calling the winner, had in the erroneous projections on election night. (Mnookin 94 & 95 and Associated Press, "Fox Exec"?)
Abstract This paper discusses elections from a Political Science perspective. The paper includes an introduction of the topic, a brief overview of its history and functions, different systems of vote counting, types of election, electoral abuses and a look at the system of Electoral College.
From the Paper "Election is the formal process of selection of a person or people to office(s) of authority through voting. It could also constitute the choice between alternate courses of action (such as in a referendum or a plebiscite) and may be conducted by balloting, a show of hands or by oral voting. The voters are known collectively as the electorate."
Abstract This paper compares two recent presidential election campaigns and victories - Bush in the U.S. and Le Pen in France. It examines the electoral system and how a majority is calculated in each of these countries. The paper also questions which of these systems is the fairest. These assessments are based on the recent presidential elections in France and America.
From the Paper "Political organization is dependent on the leader of a country. However, he too is dependent on the popularity he gains through election. Modern day election is no longer a structure of simple popularity and what people believe but instead, most elections has become a ground for political propaganda. For instance in the U.S. elections, the federal controls the standard of the election to ensure there is no unfair voting strategies. However, the question arises who would govern the Fed themselves? How will the public know that the ruling party does not influence the controlling body. Similar notions / questions could be raised in the case of French election procedures, a nation that is marked by socialist and republic governance suddenly changed to democracy. "
Tags: democracy, france, america, le, pen, bush, president, election, vote, politics
Abstract This paper considers many strategies, techniques, philosophies for winning local elections given a three-month election cycle, and how these strategies provide insights into how they may be adapted to other locations. It looks at the use of radio, television and the Internet and the Democratic process in theory and practice.
From the Paper "Democracy begins at the local level although it is often most associated with national elections. Local officials however, including mayors have a direct impact on the daily lives of the citizens in their region. In ..."
Tags:elections, local, campaigns, campaign strategy, radio, Internet, television
Abstract In this paper, the writer discusses the U.S. election system. The writer argues that the election system is mostly corrupted by partisanship and money.
From the Paper "Democracy is a form of government that substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few. For generations, American politicians, media and high school social studies teachers have trumpeted our form of government as the epitome of democracy. Words like freedom, democracy and liberty have been thrown like a blizzard of self-righteous spears at any other countries' methods of governance that diverge from ours, particularly those societies who fail to reflexively add and the ... "
Abstract This paper discusses how judges can no longer render independent decisions when they are forced to campaign for their positions. This paper explains how the integrity of the justice system becomes weakened when the candidates are forced to beg for money from contributors. Once elected these contributors expect that the candidate will then hand out favors in the form of favorable decisions. The paper emphasizes that it is against electing judges.
From the Paper "It is important that current system of electing judges remain intact because the courts system is the one body within the government that is independent of Congress and the President. Currently, there has been a movement by the Republican party to remove those judges perceived to be activist judges, as these judicial officers' decision seems to go against the grain of conservative thought. According to one article, "The conservative crusade against activist judges has been even more effective on the state level, where elective judges who voted in ways displeasing to Republicans have been denied re-election by organized electoral campaigns"(Schwartz, "Opposing Viewpoints")".
Abstract This essay explores the use and power of public opinion polls by news media during a Canadian federal election. The focus is the Toronto Start and indicates the bias to the Liberals. Furthermore, whether it concerned placement, context, or lack there of, time and again, the paper used polling information to the best advantage of the Liberals, even when there was not much that could be done.
From the Paper "The fact that The Toronto Star is a Liberal newspaper is well-known. During the 1988 election, for instance, the paper was one of handful of Canadian news outlets to take an editorial stance against the Tory darling of Free Trade, once again endorsing the Liberals. Since and before, the paper has been steeped in Liberal tradition, and this partisanship was just as evident during this year's federal election, as evidenced by the use of polls, in particular. Whether it concerned placement, context, or lack there of, time and again, the paper used polling information to the best advantage of the Liberals, even when there was not much that could be done.
Abstract This paper analyses the 2005-2006 Canadian federal election in which the Conservative Party under Stephen Harper won a minority government by defeating the Liberal Party under Prime Minister Paul Martin, which had itself won a minority government just over a year before. The paper discusses how the lack of an overwhelming majority victory by any single political party in these elections means that the structure of the Canadian electoral system has a particularly significant impact upon the determination of which party will form the government and, perhaps more importantly, what policies will be implemented by that party.
Abstract This paper examines the nature of the apathy in voter participation rates during the past two federal elections in Canada. It discusses the nature of the reasons used to explain low voter turnout rates in Canadian federal elections. Additionally, the paper proposes useful strategies that could be (and are being) employed in order to combat low voter turnouts.
Table of Contents:
Introduction: Low Voter Turnout
Underlying Roots and Causes Behind Low Voter Turnout
Strategies for Improving Voter Turnout
Conclusions: The Way Forward for the Canadian Electorate
From the Paper "With more people turning out for the 2006 federal election than did in 2004, the call for electoral reform has become somewhat muted. It is important, however, that the process of reform continue so that Canada can improve its standing among other democratic nations with regard to voter participation. Targeting potential youth voters to impress upon them the importance of the political process and dismantling the winner-take-all electoral system are important first steps in this regard. Federal transparency and oversight of political actions may be the only means that can restore voter trust in politicians. Only time and concerted effort will reveal if it is possible for Canada to avoid a potential voter crisis in the coming decades."
The following paper is a statistical analysis of the results of the 2000 presidential election, through regression analysis and hypothesis testing to call into question the validity of the results.
Abstract The following paper draws into question the results of the vote in Florida in the 2000 presidential election. The data set is drawn from the Florida Department of State. The purpose of this paper is not to address a value judgement, rather it is an attempt to investigate whether the differentials in the recount are statistically significant, indicating the presence of some sort of irregularity.
From the Paper "19th century elections were characterized by accusations of dirty politics and election fraud. Increasingly in the 20th century, counting procedures became more accurate, communication improved and, seemingly, election results should be reported expeditiously and without question of accuracy. However, several weeks after our nation's most critical election, a gamut of irregularities, particularly in Florida, whose electoral votes will determine the outcome of the election, has delayed the recognition of a winner. With George W. Bush's lead vacillating well under one thousand votes, an adjustment of a decidedly small proportion of the votes could change the outcome of the election. This paper discusses two of the irregularities that render Bush's seeming victory in the state uncertain."
Tags:election, statistics, bar, graph, county, net, differential, results, initial, count, first, recount, axis, represent
Abstract This paper analyzes the process of primary election in the United States for nominating a candidate for president from amongst the two parties, Republicans and the Democrats.
Abstract This paper discusses how new technologies have changed election campaigning in Canada and the United States in the last twenty years. The effects of non-stop campaigning, television, direct-mail, political consultants, constant polling, and high tech fundraising are examined and analyzed as well.
Abstract This paper explains that the Republicans were represented by Rutherford B. Hayes, while the Democrats were represented by Samuel B. Tilden. The author points out that the 1876 election, a highly publicized and explosive battle between the Democrats and the Republicans, took place ten years after the Civil War, a crucial time for the United States of America. The paper compares the election of 1876 and the election of 2000; a candidate had to face defeat in the jaws of victory, the electoral votes were in dispute in the state of Florida, and the outgoing president tainted with scandals had completed two terms in office.
Table of Contents
Introduction: What Is an Election?
Brief Study of the 1876 Election History of the 1876 Election
From the Paper "The Democratic Party believed that the Republicans stood to lose due to the record levels of corruption in the administration of President Grant. The Democratic Party also believed that people were tired of the Republican Party as they were responsible for the economic crisis, which had hit the nation and had left them all suffering as a result. The republicans were also hated due to their constant quotation of the term reconstruction. Reconstruction was something, which the southern states, hated, as they had to adapt according to the plans laid out by the reconstruction process."
This paper discusses that the reasons why the City of York, U.K., like many cities in Western democracies, is experiencing the problem of low voter turnout in elections.
Abstract This paper explains that, in a democracy, when so few people turn out for an election, it denies legitimacy to the government that is elected and often results in a government that is not answerable to the people because that government was only elected by a small percentage of the people. The author points out three main reasons for the small voter local election: the United Kingdom's use of the First Past the Post system for local elections; the age of the voters; and the proximity of the voters to the polling places. The paper relates that most European nations now use a proportional system for national and local elections, making the United Kingdom's use of the First Past the Post system for local elections somewhat of a relic.
From the Paper "However, there is still a third variable which must be considered in this problem. The vicinity of the voters to the polling places has been found to have a bearing on how many people participate in the local elections. In areas in which residents live less than five minutes away from the polling place for a local election, voter turnout has been found to be very high, almost sixty-five percent in some cases. However, in areas in which voters lived more than five minutes away from their polling places, voter turnout dropped astoundingly to around thirty-five percent. This indicates that voters want convenience in their polling places, probably because people today lead such busy lives that it is difficult for them to take much time out of their day to go and vote in a local election."
