Chapter 5:Electoral Process And Voting Flashcards
Reapportionment
-Process occurs every 10 years in which seats in legislative body are distributed among administrative divisions entitled to representation
Gerrymandering
Manipulate the boundaries of an electoral constituency so as to favor 1 party or class
Front loading
The tendency of states ro choose an earlier date on the primary calendar
McGovern-Fraser Commission
A group of people whose purpose was o examine ehe nominación proses for the President of the US a]making it more democratice and open process`
Political Party
A group of office holders, candidates, activists, and voters who identify with a group label and seek to elect to public office individuals who run under that label
Governmental Party
The office holders and candidates who run under a political party’s banner
Organizational Party
The workers and activists who staff the party’s organization
Party in Electorate
The voters who consider themselves allied/associated with the party
Party Machine
A party organization that recruits its members with tangible incentives and is characterized by a high degree of control over member activity
Direct Primary
The selection of party candidates through the ballots of qualified voters rather than a party than at party nomination convention
Civil Service Laws
These acts removed the staffing of the bureaucracy from political parties and created a professional bureaucracy filled through competition
Issue oriented politics
Politics that focuses on specific issues rather than one party, candidate, or other loyalties
Ticket-Split
To vote for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election
Coalition
A group of interests or organizations that join forces for the purpose of electing public officials
National Convention
A party meting held in the presidencial election year for the purposes of nominating a presidential and vice presidential ticket and adopting a platform
Think tank
Institutional collection of policy-oriented researchers and academics who are sources of policy ideas
How do think tanks influence political parties’ positions?
Think tanks push forward ideas both supported by fact and simple opinion, influencing public opinion
-ideas appear on tv, testify on congressional hearings, build coalitions on policy issues, and shape public debate.
Important role of national committee chairperson
- plans presidential nominating convention, most publicized and vital event in party’s calendar
- prime spokesperson, hires staff, raises money, represents in media,
How is party discipline enforced?
- seniority determines most COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS, an occasional choice plum may be given to the loyal or withheld from the rebels
- the senate majority leader can decide whether a member’s bill is given priority in LEGISLATIVE AGENDA or will be dismissed without so much a hearing
- PORK BARREL PROJECT gov projects yielding rich patronage benefits that sustain many legis electoral survival ,ay be included/deleted
- SMALL FAVORS & PREREQUISITE may impose sanctions of various sorts to punish lawmakers
How was Ronald Regan a party oriented president?
During reelection…
- made over 2 dozen campaign and fundraising appearances
- taped more than 300 endorsements
- involved in recruiting candidates
- Helped underdog/long shot candidates
- signed more than 70 fund-raising appeals for party committees
Party Identification
A citizen’s personal affinity for a political party,usually expressed by his or her tendency to vote for the candidate of that party
Third-Partyism
The tendency of 3rd parties to arise without some regularity in a nominally 2 party syste,
Proportional representation
A voting system that apportions legislative seats according to the percentage of the vote won by a particular political party
Ralph Nader
2000 Green Party Nominee who led a nation wide anti-establishment campaign to oppose the corporate-backed main
3 functions of 3rd parties
- Benefits because allows for greater diversity
- 2 part system isn’t integral of a successful representative democracy
- 3rd parties can provide useful solution to political problems on the local and regional levels
Electorate
Citizens eligible to vote
Mandate
A command indicated by an electorate’s votes, for the elected officials to carry out their platform
Primary Election
Election in which voters decide which of the candidates with in a party will represent the party in the general election
Open Primaries
A primary election in which party members, independents, and sometimes members of the other party are allowed to vote
Closed Primary
A primary election in which only a party’s registered voters are eligible to vote
Crossover Voting
Participation in the primary of a party with which the other is not affiliated
Raiding
An organized attempt by voters of one party to influence the primary results of the other party.
Nonpartisan Primary
- A primary used to select candidates regardless of party affiliation
Initiative
An election that allows all citizens to propose legislation and submit it to the state electorate for popular vote
Referendum
An election whereby the state legislation to the state’s voters for approval
Superdelegate
Delegate slots to the Democratic Party’s national convention that is reserved for an elected party official
Elector
Members of the electoral college chosen by methods determined in each state
Functions of Popular Election
- Legitimizes the government - helps organize government pointing society to a certain direction
- Ensure government is accountable to the people
Initiative
The process by which citizens propose legislation and submit it to the state electorate for popular vote
Referendum
A proposed legislation submitted by the state legislature and is to be voted by states voter for approval
criticisms of the presidential primary election
Winner take all primary
who wins the most votes in a state secure all of that state’s delegates, arguable unfairness
Criticism for Pres . Primary Election- Proportional Rep. Primary
- candidate who secure a % of votes are awarded delegates in proportion to the # of pop votes; gives majority of delegates more difficulty to accumulate thus can lengthen contest
How does choosing an earlier date for presidential primaries gain influence?
- receives more media coverage than it warrants simply b/c first
- excessive coverage skies other opinions in more populous states that hold primaries later
Gerrymandering
Legislative process through which the majority party in each statehouse tries to assure that the max # of representatives from its political party can be elected to congress through the redrawing of legislative districts
Incumbent
Already holding an office position
Coattail Effect
The tendency for a popular political party votes for candidates of the same party
Midterm Elections
Elections that take place in the middle of a presidential term
How do congressional elections differ from the presidency?
Most candidates for congress labor in relative obscurity. Majority are little-known legislatures and local office holders.
3 advantages of Incumbents
-Already hold a position in office and trend to hold that position
—— formed support from people & sponsors
-Highly visible in their districts
—— Easily access media, speak frequently, etc
-The ability to fend off challenges from strong opposition candidates “scare off effect”
Problem with Gerrymandering
Dilutes minority strength; illegal under voting rights act of 1965
Voter turnout
The proportion of the voting - age public that votes
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Act prohibiting racial discrimination in voting
26th Amendment
The right of US citizens to vote at age 18
Ticket Splitting
Voting for candidate of different parties for various offices in the same election
Why Voter Turn Out is so low…
- too busy
- difficulty in registration
- absentee voting
- number of elections
- voter attitudes
- weak political parties
How to Improve voting turnout
- Easier registration and absentee voting- allowing fir registration day to be the same as voting day, automatic registration
- Make Election Day a holiday
- Strengthen Parties
Patterns in Voting
Race- White/Vietn Amer- Rep, Afr/Hisp/Chin Amer- Demo
Gender- Women Demo, Men Rep
Income- Poor Demo, Rich Rep
Voter Canvas
The process by which a campaign reaches individual voters, either by door to door or cell
Get-Out-Vote
A push at the end of political campaign to encourage supporters to go to the polls
Pollster
A professional who takes public opinion surveys that guide political campaign
Direct Mailer
A professional who supervises a political campaign’s direct mauls fundraising strategies
Communication Director
The person who develops the overall media strategy for the candidate blending the free press coverage with the paid tv, radio, and mail media
Press Secretary
The individual charged with interacting and communicating with journalist on a daily basis
Political Action Comittee
PAC- Federally mandated, officially registered fund-raising committee that represents interest groups in the political process
Public Funds
Donations from the general tax revenues to the campaigns of qualifying presidential candidates
Marching Funds
Donations to presidential campaigns from the federal gov that are determined by the amount of private funds a qualifying candidate raises
Tasks of a campaign consultant
Are private sector professionals and firms who sell to a candidate the technologies, services, and strategies required to get the candidate elected to his/her office of choice
- oversee entire campaign
- fundraising, polling, mass mailings, media relations, advertising, and speech writing
3 types of advertisements in a political campaign
- Positive Ads - stress the candidates qualifications, family and issue positions w/out referencing opponent
- Negative Ads- attack the opponent’s character and platform
- Contrast Ads- compare the records and proposals of the candidates with a bias towards sponsor
3 problems with media coverage
- news media reports political news based on news editor’s decisions of what is news worthy - “fit to print”
- Media is usually bias
- Over emphasizes trial parts in campaign
What is the goal of campaign finance laws
Created to prevent money scandal and corruption
Blanket primary
Voters may vote in either parties, but not both, on an office by office basis
Runoff Primary
2nd round contest between 2 candidates with the most votes
General election
Once parties have chosen candidates, this is contest between parties to fill office.
Recall
Allow citizens to remove someone from office
Drawbacks of elections
Poorly worded, too many get on ballot
Presidential Elections
Every 4 years, its actually 50 separate state elections where delegates are elected.
- held on Tuesday after 1st Monday in November
Election Stages
Invisible Primary- time for announcement to 1st primary, fundraiser, endorsements and public interest are key
Primary Season- 1st caucus in Iowa and 1st primary in Hew Hamp.
-Front-loading
Waiting - period from presumptive candidate until convention when made the official candidate
Nominating Convention- Party out of power has it first. Speeches, platform and Vice President chosen
Primary vs Caucus…
Primary are state wide elections to choose a candidate
Caucus are meeting throughout state and discuss candidates then one
-people with genuine interest and who have performed research
Political Parties Promote..
Stability, unity, mobilize support, organize elections, and inform voters
PArty Convention
Conventions have become a 4 day pep rally
Select party candidate
McGovern- Fraser Commission
Formed after 1968 democratic convention in response to demands for reform by minorities and other who sought better representation
Electoral College
Framers did not trust electors to vote for president directly
Electors chosen by parties, party that wins the majority of the pop Vogt gets all the states electoral votes
Probs with Electoral College
- winner of pop vote may not win election b/c votes aren’t distributed in exact proportion to pop
- electors not bound to vote for candidate
- elections may be thrown into house of reps where voting is state by state
Why not dump electoral college
- smaller states have more say with the system
- changing it requires a constitutional amendment
15th amendment
Opened up voting African American
19th Amend
Opened voting up to women
Structure of a Campaign
- Nominating Camp- aimed @ party Lakers and activists who choose nominee, often get pushed to ideological extremes
- general election Camp- ultimate foal of candidate is to win election, has to avoid extremes
- personal camp- make personal appearance with family, speeches, press conferences
- organizational camp- behind the scenes needs people for fund raising, press releases, polls and consultant
- media campaign- all camps in use paid media
Hard Money
Money given directly to a candidate for their campaign
Soft money
- originally meant money is given to the party to be used for general purposes
- loop holes allow for. Money to be used to directly help candidates
-527 political organizations formed to focus on single issues and attempt to influence voters
Federal Elections Campaign Acts (FECA 1971)
Regulate political money. Goal was to limit impact of money on elections and limit big business influence
McCain- Feingold- Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act (BCRA)
Tried to limit impact of money
Buckley vs. Valeo
Supreme Court struck down limits to campaigns spending
Citizens United
Supreme Court ruled that corporations are people and have free speech , and unlimited campaign donations.
Suffrage/Frachise
Right to Vote
Candidate Centered Campaigns
Campaigns have most of the initiative and influence
Party Centered Campaign
Politics that focus on what parties want. Parties choose candidates, issues, disseminated info, organize and run campaigns
Realignment
The switching of voter preference form 1 party to another
Delignment
Process by which large portion of electorate abandons previous party affiliation without developing a new one to replace it.
George Wallace
Far right politician, governor fo Alabama
- promoted low grade industrial development, low taxes, and trade school
Ross Perot
Am,divan business magnate fonder of the successful electronic data System corporations
