Overview

Campaigns and elections are essential to democratic accountability, allowing citizens to choose representatives and influence public policy. The media plays a central role in informing voters, shaping public opinion, and setting the political agenda. Understanding how these elements interact is key to analyzing modern American politics.

Key Themes and Events

• Electoral Systems: The United States uses a plurality, winner-take-all system for most elections. This favors the two-party system and affects campaign strategies and voter behavior.
• Presidential vs. Congressional Campaigns: Presidential races are national in scope, heavily media-driven, and decided through the Electoral College. Congressional races focus on local issues and often rely on incumbency advantages.
• Campaign Finance: Federal law regulates donations and expenditures. Key legislation includes the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) and the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA). Citizens United v. FEC (2010) allowed unlimited independent political spending by corporations and unions.
• Role of Media: Media functions include reporting news, investigating corruption, interpreting events, and acting as a political watchdog. New media, including social media, has transformed how campaigns are run and how voters engage.
• Voter Behavior and Turnout: Influenced by factors such as party identification, issue salience, media exposure, and candidate image. Negative ads, debates, and last-minute news cycles can all impact election outcomes.
• Polling and the Horse Race: The media often emphasizes who's winning (the "horse race") over policy substance. Polls influence campaign strategy and voter perception but must be evaluated critically.

Quick Tip

Understand the Electoral College and how campaign finance laws affect elections. Know the differences in media influence, from traditional networks to digital platforms. CLEP questions may ask about major legislation, polling, and media roles.