GOVT 2306 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Voter Fatigue, Voting Rights Act Of 1965, Optical Reader
8 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
Provide legitimacy in a democratic society: a means of retroactive accountability. Allow voters to change officeholders and force change in policies. Texas is a majority-minority state: less than 50% anglo. Election cycles (primary & general: held at regular intervals set by state law. Separate state and local races: voter fatigue leads to lower voter turnout. Influence of small groups grows as turnout drops: shapes the policymaking process. Separates elections for public officials and policy decision. General elections: held tuesday follow the first monday in november of even numbered years, administered and paid for by the counties, ballots include the following candidates. Other candidates who submitted petitions signed by registered voters. Special elections: an election that is not held on a regularly scheduled basis. City, school board, single-purpose districts: may of odd numbered years, are nonpartisan and most are held in may of odd-numbered years, very low turnout for local government elections. Shows interest groups can get what they want**
