Ch. 10-Elections and Campaigns Flashcards
incumbent
the person already holding an elective office
coattails
the alleged tendency of candidates to win more votes in an election because of the presence at the top of the ticket of a better known candidate, such as the president
political action committee (PAC)
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 the boundaries of legislative districts in a bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party
sophomore surge
an increase in the votes congressional candidates usually get when they first run for reelection
clothespin vote
the vote cast by a person who does not like either candidate so votes for the less objectionable of the two, putting a clothespin over his or her nose to keep out the unpleasant stench
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 election in which voting is limited to already registered party members
open primary
a primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place
blanket primary
a primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties
runoff primary
a second primary election held when no candidate wins a majority of the votes in the first primary
independent expenditure
spending by political action committees, corp.s, or labor unions to help party or candidate but done independently of them
soft money
funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party actitivities, such as get-out-the-vote drives, but not on behalf of a specific candidate
