Chapter 12 Flashcards - Alexander Johnson

Question 1

501 (c) group

Answer 1

Interest groups whose primary purpose is not electoral politics.

Question 2

527 political committees

Answer 2

Organizations created with the primary purpose of influencing electoral outcomes; the term is typically applied only to freestanding interest groups that do not explicitly advocate for the election of a candidate.

Question 3

Barack Obama

Answer 3

The first African American president of the United States, a Democrat who served as forty-fourth president from 2009 to 2017. Senator from Illinois from 2005 to 2008; member of the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004.

Question 4

Bernie Sanders

Answer 4

Longest serving independent in the United States Congress. Ran against Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary; senator from Vermont since 2007; first elected to the House of Representatives in 1991.

Question 5

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA)

Answer 5

Passed in 2002, this act amended the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 with several provisions designed to end the use of nonfederal, or “soft money” (money raised outside the limits and prohibitions of federal campaign finance law) for activity affecting federal elections

Question 6

campaign consultant

Answer 6

A private-sector professional who sells to a candidate the technologies, services, and strategies required to get that candidate elected.

Question 7

campaign manager

Answer 7

The individual who travels with the candidate and coordinate the campaign.

Question 8

Citizens United v. FEC

Answer 8

The 2010 U.S. Supreme Court case that enabled corporations and unions have the same political speech rights as individuals under the First Amendment. As part of the ruling, the Supreme Court found that the government may not prohibit corporations and unions from using their general treasury funds to support or denounce political candidates in elections.

Question 9

closed primary

Answer 9

A primary election in which only a party’s registered voters are eligible to cast a ballot.

Question 10

communications director

Answer 10

The person who develops the overall media strategy for the candidate.

Question 11

Contrast ad

Answer 11

Ad that compares the records and proposals of the candidates, with a bias toward the candidate sponsoring the ad.

Question 12

conventional political participation

Answer 12

Activism that attempts to influence the political process through commonly accepted forms of persuasion such as voting or letter writing.

Question 13

crossover voting

Answer 13

Participation in the primary election of a party with which the voter is not affiliated.

Question 14

Donald J. Trump

Answer 14

The forty-fifth president, a Republican, elected in 2016; first president elected without prior political or military experience; and experienced businessman.

Question 15

elector

Answer 15

Member of the Electoral College.

Question 16

electorate

Answer 16

The citizens eligible to vote.

Question 17

Electoral College

Answer 17

Representatives of each state who cost the final ballots that actually elect a president.

Question 18

Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)

Answer 18

Passed in 1971, this is the primary law that regulates political campaign spending and fundraising. The law originally focused on increased disclosure of contributions for federal campaigns.

Question 19

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

Answer 19

An independent regulatory agency founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States.

Question 20

finance chair

Answer 20

The individual who coordinates the financial business of the campaign

Question 21

front-loading

Answer 21

The tendency of states to choose an early date on the nomination calendar.

Question 22

general election

Answer 22

Election in which voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices.

Question 23

get-out-the-vote (GOTV)

Answer 23

A push at the end of a political campaign to encourage supporters to go the polls.

Question 24

Help America Vote Act (HAVA)

Answer 24

A federal law passed in 2002 that addresses issues of voting systems and voter access that were identified following the 2000 election. It established minimum election administration standards for states and units of local government with responsibility for the administration of federal elections and for other purposes related to the bill.

Question 25

Hillary R. Clinton

Answer 25

First female major party candidate for president of the United States, a Democrat, who ran against President Donald J. Trump in 2016. Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013; New York senator from 2001 to 2009; former first lady

Question 26

incumbancy

Answer 26

Already holding an office.

Question 27

independent expenditures

Answer 27

Spending for campaign activity that is not coordinated with a candidate’s campaign.

Question 28

initiative

Answer 28

An election that allows citizens to propose legislation or state constitutional amendments by submitting them to the electorate for popular vote

Question 29

inoculation ad

Answer 29

Advertising that attempts to counteract an anticipated attack from the opposition before the attack is launched.

Question 30

mandate

Answer 30

A command, indicated by an electorate’s votes, for the elected officials to carry out a party platform or policy agenda.

Question 31

matching funds

Answer 31

Donations to presidential campaigns whereby every dollar raised from individuals in amounts less than $251 is matched by the federal treasury.

Question 32

McCutcheon v. FFC

Answer 32

The 2014 Supreme Court ruling that declared Section 441 of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) unconstitutional. Section 441 imposed limits on any individual’s total political contributions (to federal candidates, parties, or political action committees) in a two-year period.

Question 33

mid-term election

Answer 33

An election that takes place n the middle of a presidential term.

Question 34

Negative ad

Answer 34

Advertising on behalf of a candidate that attacks the opponent’s character or platform.

Question 35

open primary

Answer 35

A primary election in which party members, independents, and sometimes members of the other party are allowed to participate

Question 36

Political action committee

Answer 36

Officially recognized fund-raising organizations that represent interest groups and are allowed by federal law to make contributions directly to candidates’ campaigns.

Question 37

Pollster

Answer 37

A campaign consultant who conducts public opinion surveys.

Question 38

Positive ad

Answer 38

Advertising on behalf of a candidate that stresses the candidate’s qualifications, family, and issue positions, with no direct reference to the opponent.

Question 39

Presidential coattails

Answer 39

When successful presidential candidates carry into office congressional candidates of the same party in the year of their election.

Question 40

press secretary

Answer 40

The individual charged with interacting and communicating with journalists on a daily basis.

Question 41

primary election

Answer 41

Election in which voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election.

Question 42

prospective judgment

Answer 42

A voter’s evaluation of a candidate based on what he or she pledges to do about an issue if elected.

Question 43

public funds

Answer 43

Donations from general tax revenues to the campaigns of qualifying presidential candidates.

Question 44

reapportionment

Answer 44

The reallocation of the number of seats in the House of Representatives after each decennial census.

Question 45

recall

Answer 45

An election in which voters can remove an incumbent from office prior to the next scheduled election

Question 46

referendum

Answer 46

An election whereby the state legislature submits proposed legislation or state constitutional amendments to the voters for approval.

Question 47

retrospective judgment

Answer 47

A voter’s evaluation of a candidate based on past performance on a particular issue.

Question 48

runoff primary

Answer 48

A second primary election between the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes in the first primary.

Question 49

super PAC

Answer 49

Political action committees established to make independent expenditures.

Question 50

turnout

Answer 50

The proportion of the voting-age public that casts a ballot.

Question 51

Thomas Jefferson

Answer 51

Principle drafter of the Declaration of Independence; second vice president of the United States; third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. Co founder of the Democratic- Republican Party.

Question 52

unconventional political participation

Answer 52

Activism that attempts to influence the political process through unusual or extreme measures, such as protests, boycotts, and picketing.

Question 53

voter canvass

Answer 53

The process by which a campaign reaches individual voters, either by door-to-door solicitation or by telephone