Chapter 14

Question 1

Front-loading

Answer 1

the process of scheduling presidential primaries early in the primary season

Question 2

Government matching funds

Answer 2

money given by the federal government to qualified presidential candidates in the primary and general election campaigns

Question 3

Invisible primary

Answer 3

early attempts to raises money, line up campaign consultants, generate media attention, and get commitments for support even before candidates announce they are running

Question 4

Issue ownership

Answer 4

the tendency of one party to be seen as more competent in a specific policy area

Question 5

Motor Voter bill

Answer 5

legislation allowing citizens to register to vote at the same time they apply for a driver’s license or other state benefit

Question 6

Opposition research

Answer 6

investigation of an opponent’s background for the purpose of exploiting weaknesses or undermining credibility

Question 7

Political efficacy

Answer 7

citizens’ feelings of effectiveness in political affairs

Question 8

Presidential primary

Answer 8

an election by which voters choose convention delegates committed to voting for a certain candidate

Question 9

Social connectedness

Answer 9

citizens’ involvement in groups and their relationships to their communities and families

Question 10

Valence issues

Answer 10

issues on which most voters and candidates share the same position

Question 11

Wedge issue

Answer 11

a controversial issue that one party uses to split the voters in the other party

Question 12

Citizens United

Answer 12

Citizens United is a conservative non-profit organization; mission is to restore the United States government to “citizens’ control”

Question 13

Electoral College

Answer 13

a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.

Question 14

McCutcheon v. FEC

Answer 14

a landmark campaign finance case before the United States Supreme Court challenging the Federal Election Campaign Act

Question 15

Electoral mandate

Answer 15

the perception that an election victory signals broad support for the winner’s proposed policies

Question 16

GOTV drives

Answer 16

efforts by political parties, interest groups, and the candidate’s staff to maximize voter turnout among supporters

Question 17

Hard money

Answer 17

campaign funds donated directly to candidates; amounts are limited by federal election laws

Question 18

Soft money

Answer 18

unregulated campaign contributions by individuals, groups, or parties that promote general election activities but do not directly support individual candidates

Question 19

Issue advocacy ads

Answer 19

advertisements paid for by soft money, and thus not regulated, that promote certain issue positions but do not endorse specific candidates

Question 20

Momentum

Answer 20

the widely held public perception that a candidate is gaining electoral strength

Question 21

Negative ads

Answer 21

campaign advertising that emphasizes the negative characteristics of opponents rather than one’s own strengths

Question 22

Party caucus

Answer 22

local gathering of party members to choose convention delegates

Question 23

Position issues

Answer 23

issues on which the parties differ in their perspectives and proposed solutions

Question 24

Prospective voting

Answer 24

basing voting decisions on well-informed opinions and consideration of the future consequences of a given vote

Question 25

Retrospective voting

Answer 25

basing voting decisions on reactions to past performance; approving the status quo or a desire for change

Question 26

Swing voters

Answer 26

the approximately one-third of the electorate who are undecided at the start of a campaign

Question 27

Voter mobilization

Answer 27

a party’s efforts to inform potential voters about issues and candidates and to persuade them to vote

Question 28

McCain-Feingold Act

Answer 28

Stops political parties from raising and spending unregulated funds

Question 29

Buckley v. Valeo

Answer 29

Buckley won the right to spend as much as his own money that he wants on his campaign; spending money to influence elections is a form of free speech

Question 30

Faithless electors

Answer 30

a member of the United States Electoral College who does not vote for the presidential or vice presidential candidate for whom he or she had pledged to vote; They may vote for another candidate or not vote at all.