7. Political Participation and Elections

Question 1

political participation

Answer 1

Actions of private citizens by which they seek to influence or support government and politics.

Question 2

conventional participation

Answer 2

Relatively routine political behavior that uses institu- tional channels and is ac- ceptable to the dominant culture.

Question 3

unconventional participation

Answer 3

Relatively uncommon politi- cal behavior that challenges or defies established institu- tions and dominant norms.

Question 4

suffrage/franchise

Answer 4

The right to vote.

Question 5

progressivism

Answer 5

A philosophy of political reform based on the good- ness and wisdom of the indi- vidual citizen as opposed to special interests and political institutions.

Question 6

standard socioeconomic model

Answer 6

A relationship between socioeconomic status and conventional political involvement: people with higher status and more education are more likely to participate than those with lower status.

Question 7

election campaign

Answer 7

An organized effort to per- suade voters to choose one candidate over others com- peting for the same office.

Question 8

primary election

Answer 8

A preliminary election con- ducted within a political party to select candidates who will run for public office in a subsequent election.

Question 9

closed primaries

Answer 9

Primary elections in which voters must declare their party affiliation before they are given the primary ballot containing that party’s poten- tial nominees.

Question 10

open primaries

Answer 10

Primary elections in which voters need not declare their party affiliation and can choose one party’s primary ballot to take into the voting booth.

Question 11

presidential primary

Answer 11

A special primary election used to select delegates to attend the party’s national convention, which in turn nominates the presidential candidate.

Question 12

convention (national/nominating convention)

Answer 12

A method used to select del- egates to attend a party’s national convention. Gener- ally, a local meeting selects delegates for a county-level meeting, which in turn selects delegates for a higher-level meeting; the process culminates in a state convention that actually selects the national conven- tion delegates.

Question 13

general election

Answer 13

A national election held by law in November of every even-numbered year.

Question 14

electoral college

Answer 14

A body of electors chosen by voters to cast ballots for president and vice president.

Question 15

straight ticket

Answer 15

In voting, a single party’s can- didates for all the offices.

Question 16

split ticket

Answer 16

In voting, candidates from different parties for different offices.

Question 17

first-past-the-post elections

Answer 17

A British term for elections conducted in single-member districts that award victory to the candidate with the most votes.

Question 18

open election

Answer 18

An election that lacks an incumbent.

Question 19

FEC (Federal Election Commission)

Answer 19

A bipartisan federal agency of six members that oversees the financing of national elec- tion campaigns.

Question 20

hard money

Answer 20

Financial contributions given directly to a candidate run- ning for congressional office or the presidency.

Question 21

soft money

Answer 21

Financial contributions to party committees for capital and operational expenses.

Question 22

voter turnout

Answer 22

The percentage of eligible citizens who actually vote in a given election.

Question 23

registration

Answer 23

*

Question 24

Election Day

Answer 24

Election Day in the United States is the day set by law for the general elections of public officials. It occurs on the Tuesday right after the first Monday in November

Question 25

fund raising

Answer 25

*

Question 26

The television campaign

Answer 26

*

Question 27

The winner-take-all rule

Answer 27

gives all the state’s delegates to the candidate who wins a plurality of its vote.