Ch 10 Flashcards
Coat tails
The alleged tendency of candidate to win more vote in an election because of th presence at the top of the ticket of a bett known candidate such as th president
Political action committee
A committee set up by a corporation labor union or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations
Malapportionment
Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population
Gerrymandering
Drawing boundaries of legislative districts in bizarre shapes to favour one party
Sophomore vote
An increase in the votes congressional candidates usually gets when they run first for reelection
Clothespin vote
The vote cast by a person who does not like either candidate and votes for the less objectionable of the two
Position issue
An issue about which the public is divided and rival candidates or political parties adopt different policy positions
Valence issue
An issue about which the public is united and rival candidates or political parties adopt similar positions in hopes that ad he’ll be thought to best represent those beliefs
General election
An election held to choose which candidate will hold office
Primary election
An election held to choose candidates for office
Closed primary
A primary in which voting is limited to registered party members
Open primary
A primary in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place
Blanket primary
A primary in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties
Runoff primary
A second primary held when no candidate wins the majority of the votes in the first primary
Independent expenditures
Spending by political action committees. Corporations or labor unions to help a party or candidate but done independently of them
