Chapter 10 Vocab

Question 1

Direct-mail firms

Answer 1

Design and produce mailings to promote the candidate or solicit money

Question 2

Polling firms

Answer 2

Survey voters on their attitudes towards issues and candidates and to run focus groups

Question 3

Political technology firms

Answer 3

Supply services such as web site design, online advertising, online fundraising and voter targeting

Question 4

Incumbent

Answer 4

The person already holding an elective office

Question 5

Coattails

Answer 5

The alleged tendency of candidates to win more votes in an election be have if the presence at the top of the ticket of a better-known candidate, such as the president

Question 6

Political Action Committee (PAC)

Answer 6

A committee such up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntarily donations

Question 7

Malapportionment

Answer 7

Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population

Question 8

Gerrymandering

Answer 8

Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts in bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party

Question 9

Sophomore surge

Answer 9

An increase in the votes congressional usually get when they first first run for reelection

Question 10

Media consultants

Answer 10

Create advertisements and buy airtime from stations and networks

Question 11

Clothespin vote

Answer 11

The vote cast by a person who does not like either the candidate and so votes for the less objectionable of the two, putting a clothespin over his or her nose to keep out the unpleasant stench

Question 12

Position issue

Answer 12

An issue about which the public is divided and rival candidates or political parties adopt different policy positions

Question 13

Valence issue

Answer 13

An issue about which the public is united and rival candidate or political parties adopt similar positions in hopes that each will be thought to best represent those wildly share beliefs

Question 14

General election

Answer 14

An election held to choose which candidate will hold office

Question 15

Primary election

Answer 15

An election held to choose candidates for office

Question 16

Closed primary

Answer 16

A primary election in which voting is limited to already registered party members.

Question 17

Open primary

Answer 17

A primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place

Question 18

Blanket primary

Answer 18

A primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties

Question 19

Runoff primary

Answer 19

A second primary election held when no candidate wins a majority of the vote in the first primary

Question 20

Independent expenditures

Answer 20

Spending by political action committees, corporations, or labor unions to help a party or candidate but done independently of them

Question 21

Soft money

Answer 21

Funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party activities, such as get-out-the-vote drives, but not on behalf of s specific candidate

Question 22

527 Organizations

Answer 22

Organizations under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code that raise and spend money to advance political causes

Question 23

Prospective voting

Answer 23

Voting for a candidate because you favor his or her ideas for handling issues

Question 24

Retrospective voting

Answer 24

Voting for a candidate because you like his or her past actions in office