Chapter 10

Question 1

midterm elections

Answer 1

congressional elections that do not coincide with a presidential election; also called off-year elections

Question 2

primary elections

Answer 2

elections held to select a party’s candidate for the general election

Question 3

general election

Answer 3

a regularly scheduled election involving most districts in the nation or state, in which voters select officeholders

Question 4

closed primary

Answer 4

a primary election in which voters can participate in the nomination of candidates but only of the party in which they are enrolled for a period of time prior to primary day

Question 5

open primary

Answer 5

a primary election in which the voter can wait until the day of the primary to choose which party to enroll in to select candidates for the general election

Question 6

majority system

Answer 6

a type of electoral system in which, to win a seat in the parliament or other representative body, a candidate must receive a majority of all the votes cast in the relevant district

Question 7

runoff election

Answer 7

a “second-round” election in which voters choose between the top two candidates from the first round

Question 8

plurality system

Answer 8

a type of electoral system in which, to win a seat in the parliament or other representative body, a candidate need only receive the most votes in the election, not necessarily a majority of the votes cast

Question 9

proportional representation

Answer 9

a multiple-member district system that allows each political party representation in proportion to its percentage of the total vote

Question 10

straight-ticket voting

Answer 10

selecting candidates from the same political party for all offices on the ballot

Question 11

redistricting

Answer 11

the process of redrawing election districts and redistributing legislative representatives; this happens every 10 years, to reflect shifts in population or in response to legal challenges in existing districts

Question 12

gerrymandering

Answer 12

the apportionment of voters in districts in such a way as to give unfair advantage to one racial or ethnic group or political party

Question 13

majority-minority district

Answer 13

an electoral district, such as a congressional district, in which the majority of the constituents belong to racial or ethnic minorities

Question 14

caucus (political)

Answer 14

a normally closed political party business meeting of citizens to select candidates, elect officers, plan strategy, or make decisions regarding legislative matters

Question 15

grassroots politics

Answer 15

political campaigns that operate at the local level, often using face-to-face communication to generate interest and momentum by citizens

Question 16

delegate

Answer 16

a representative who votes according to the preferences of his or her constituency

Question 17

party platform

Answer 17

a party document, written at a national convention, that contains party philosophy, principles, and policy positions

Question 18

electoral college

Answer 18

the presidential electors from each state who meet after the general election to cast ballots for president and vice president

Question 19

ballot initiative

Answer 19

a proposed law or policy change that is placed on the ballot by citizens or interest groups for a popular vote

Question 20

referendum

Answer 20

the practice of referring a proposed law passed by a legislature to the vote of the electorate for approval or rejection

Question 21

recall

Answer 21

a procedure to allow voters to remove state officials from office before their terms expire by circulating petitions to call a vote

Question 22

campaign

Answer 22

an effort by political candidates and their supporters to win the backing of donors, political activists, and voters in their quest for political office

Question 23

incumbent

Answer 23

a candidate running for re-election to a position that he or she already holds

Question 24

town hall meeting

Answer 24

an informal public meeting in which candidates meet with ordinary citizens; allows candidates to deliver messages without the presence of journalists or commentators

Question 25

political action committee (PAC)

Answer 25

a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns

Question 26

527 committees

Answer 26

nonprofit independent groups established specifically to receive and disburse funds to influence the nomination, election, or defeat of candidates; named after Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, which defines and provides tax-exempt status for nonprofit advocacy groups

Question 27

501(c)(4) committees

Answer 27

nonprofit groups that also engage in issue advocacy; under Section 501(c)(4) of the federal tax code, such a group may spend up to half its revenue for political purposes and donors do not have to be identified, hence the name dark money

Question 28

prospective voting

Answer 28

voting based on the imagined future performance of a candidate or political party

Question 29

retrospective voting

Answer 29

voting based on the past performance of a candidate or political party