Brooke-Campaigns, Elections, and Voting Flashcards
501 c Group
Groups that are exempted from reporting their contributions and can receive unlimited contributions and can receive unlimited contributions. Section 501c of the tax code specifies that such groups cannot spend more than half their funds on political activities
527 Political committees
Independent political groups that are not subject to contribution restrictions because they do not directly seek the election of particular candidates. Section 527 of the tax code specifies that contributions to such groups must be reported to the IRS
Barack Obama
The 44th president of the United States (2009-2017). He previously served in the Senate, representing Illinois (2004-2008).
Bernie Sanders
is an American politician serving as the junior United States Senator from Vermont since 2007 pro-labor and emphasizes reversing economic inequality.
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
Banned soft money donations to political parties (loophole from FECA); also imposed restrictions on 527 independent expenditures (issue ads only, not direct advocacy for a candidate). Declared unconstitutional by Citizens United case. Also known as McCain-Feingold Act.
Campaign Consultant
sometimes act as political strategists, a senior political consultant who promote the election of certain candidates or the interests of certain groups. This is achieved by planning campaign strategies, coordinating campaign staffers, and arranging events to publicize candidates or causes.
Campaign Manager
director is a paid or volunteer individual whose role is to coordinate a political campaign’s operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vote (with direct contact to the public), and other activities supporting the effort, directly.
Citizens United v. FEC
is a landmark U.S. constitutional law, campaign finance, and corporate law case dealing with regulation of political campaign spending by organizations.
closed primary
A type of direct primary limited to registered party members, who must declare their party affiliation in order to vote. The closed primary serves to encourage party unity and prevent members of other parties from infiltrating and voting to nominate weak candidates.
communications director
A director of communications is responsible for managing and directing an organization’s internal and external communications.
contrast ad
Advertising on behalf of a candidate that attacks the opponent’s platform or character.
conventional political participation
Relatively routine political behavior that uses institutional channels and is acceptable to the dominant culture
crossover voting
in primary elections in the United States, crossover voting refers to a behavior in which voters cast ballots for a party with which they are not traditionally affiliated.
Donald J. Trump
is the 45th and current president of the United States.
elector
a person who has the right to vote in an election
electorate
all the people in a country or area who are entitled to vote in an election.
electorate college
a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.
Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)
is the primary United States federal law regulating political campaign spending and fundraising. The law originally focused on increased disclosure of contributions for federal campaigns.
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
is an independent regulatory agency whose purpose is to enforce campaign finance law in United States federal elections.
Finance chair
The campaign professional who directs fundraising, campaign spending, and compliance with campaign-finance laws and reporting requirements
front loading
A high-tech method of raising money for a political cause or candidate. It involves sending information and requests for money to people whose names appear on lists of those who have supported similar views or candidates in the past.
general election
a regular election of candidates for office, as opposed to a primary election.
get-out-the-vote (GOTV)
describes efforts aimed at increasing the voter turnout in elections. … Campaigns typically attempt to register voters, then get them to vote, either by absentee ballot, early voting or election day voting.
Help America Vote Again (HAVA)
is a federal program that reformed aspects of the United States election system. The law was prompted by voting issues encountered in the contested Presidential election of 2000
Hilary R. Clinton
is an American politician, diplomat, lawyer, writer, and public speaker
incumbency
he holding of an office or the period during which one is held.
independent expenditures
The Supreme Court has ruled that individuals, groups, and parties can spend unlimited amounts in campaigns for or against candidates as long as they operate independently from the candidates.
initiative
Procedure whereby a certain number of voters may, by petition, propose a law or constitutional amendment and have it submitted to the voters.
inoculation ad
Coverage of a candidate’s campaign by the news media.
mandate
an official order or commission to do something.
matching funds
Matching funds are funds that are set to be paid in equal amount to funds available from other sources. Matching fund payments usually arise in situations of charity or public good.
McCutcheon v. FEC
McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, 572 U.S. 185, is a landmark campaign finance decision of the United States Supreme Court.
mid-term election
A midterm election refers to a type of election where the people can elect their representatives and other subnational officeholders in the middle of the term of the executive.
Negative ad
In political campaigns, an attack ad is an advertisement whose message is designed to wage a personal attack against an opposing candidate or political party in order to gain support for the attacking candidate and attract voters.
open primary
a primary in which any registered voter can vote (but must vote for candidates of only one party
political action committee (PAC)
Support specific candidates/party and register with Federal Election Commission and financial support to candidates
Pollster
someone who conducts surveys of public opinion
Positive ad
the business of drawing public attention to goods and services
presidential coattails
The tendency for a popular political party leader to attract votes for other candidates of the same party in an election.
press secretary
one of the president’s top assistants who is in charge of media relations
primary election
a preliminary election to appoint delegates to a party conference or to select the candidates for a principal, especially presidential, election.
prospective judgement
a voter’s evaluation of a candidate based on what he or she pledges to do about an issue if elected.
public funds
Public fund refers to the funds of every political division of a state wherein taxes are levied for public purposes.
reapportionment
The process by which congressional districts are redrawn and seats are redistributed among states in the House. Reapportionment occurs every ten years, when census data reports shifts in the population of districts. Each district must have an equal number of residents.
recall
is a procedure by which, in certain polities, voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before that official’s term has ended.
referendum
a general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has been referred to them for a direct decision.
retrospective judgement
a voter’s evaluation of the performance of the party in power.
runoff primary
a second primary election held in some states to decide which of the two highest candidates for an office in the first primary will be awarded the party nomination.
super PAC
a type of independent political action committee which may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but is not permitted to contribute to or coordinate directly with parties or candidates.
turnout
the number of people attending or taking part in an event, especially the number of people voting in an election.
Thomas Jefferson
was principal author of the Declaration of Independence and served as president from 1801 to 1809, between John Adams and James Madison.
Unconventional political participation
Relatively uncommon political behavior that challenges or defies established institutions and dominant norms
Voter Canvas
process by which a campaign reaches individual voters, either by door-to-door solicitation or by telephone volunteer.
