Chapter 7: Elections

Question 0

A primary election in which any registered voter can participate in the contest regardless of party affiliation

Answer 0

Open primary

Question 1

A politician running for re-election to the office he or she currently holds

Answer 1

Incumbent

Question 2

A primary election in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote

Answer 2

Closed primary

Question 3

The election in which voters cast ballots for house members senators and (every four years) a president and vice president

Answer 3

General election

Question 4

Voting system in which the candidate who received the most votes within a geographic area Winfield action regardless of whether that candidate wins a majority (more than half) of the votes

Answer 4

Plurality voting

Question 5

A voting system which a candidate must win more than 50% of votes to win election if no candidate wins enough votes to take off it’s a runoff election is held between the two vote getters

Answer 5

Majority voting

Question 6

Under majority voting system a second election held only if no candidate wins a majority of the votes in the first general election. Only the top the top two vote getters in the first election compete in the run off

Answer 6

Runoff election

Question 7

The ballot vote in which citizens like to party’s nominee for the general election

Answer 7

Primary

Question 8

A local meeting in which party member select the party’s nominee for the general election

Answer 8

Caucus

Question 9

During the presidential primaries the practice of determining the number of convention delegates allotted to each candidate based on the percentage of the popular vote cast for each candidate. All Democratic primaries and caucuses use the system as do some states’ with Republican primaries and caucuses

Answer 9

Proportional allocation

Question 10

During the presidential primaries the practice of assigning all of the given States delegates to the candidate who received the most popular votes. Some states Republican primaries and caucuses use this system

Answer 10

Winner- take -all

Question 11

Body that votes to select America’s president and vice president based on the popular vote in each state. Each candidate nominees a slate of Elektoy who are selected to attend the meeting of the college if their candidate wins the most votes in a state or district

Answer 11

Electoral college

Question 12

The two-year period between general elections

Answer 12

Election cycle

Question 13

An elected position for which there is no incumbent

Answer 13

Open seat

Question 14

The actions officeholders take the election cycle to build support for their re-election

Answer 14

Permanent campaign

Question 15

A campaign’s efforts “get out the vote” or make sure their supporters vote on election day

Answer 15

GOTV (“get out the vote”) or the ground game

Question 16

Campaign advertising that criticizes the candidates opponent typically by making potentially damaging claims about the opponents background or record -rather than focusing on positive reasons to vote for the candidate

Answer 16

Attack ads

Question 17

The government agency that enforces them regulates election laws; made up of six presidential appointees of whom no more than three can be members of the same party

Answer 17

Federal election commission

Question 18

Donations that are used to help elect or defeat a specific candidate

Answer 18

Hard money

Question 19

Contributions that can be used for voter mobilization or to promote a policy proposal or point of view as long as these efforts are not tied to supporting or opposing a particular candidate

Answer 19

Soft money

Question 20

The question of why citizens vote even though the individual votes stand little chance of changing the election outcome

Answer 20

Paradox of voting

Question 21

Pieces of information about a candidate that are readily available, easy to interpret, and lead a citizen to decide to vote for a particular candidate

Answer 21

Voting cues

Question 22

A typical Congressional election in which he reelection rate is high and the influences the House and State contests are largely local

Answer 22

Normal election

Question 23

The idea that a popular president can generate additional support for candidates affiliate with his party. Coattails are weak and or nonexistent in most American elections

Answer 23

Coattails

Question 24

A ballot on which a voter selects candidates from more than one political party

Answer 24

Split ticket

Question 25

A ballot on which a voter selects candidates from only one political party

Answer 25

Straight ticket