Chapter 9: Campaigns, Elections, and Voting Flashcards
absentee voting
The casting of a ballot in advance by mail in situations where illness, travel, or other circumstances prevent voters from voting in their precincts.
australian ballot
a secret ballot prepared by the government, distributed to all eligible voters, and, when balloting is completed, counted by government officials in an unbiased fashion, without corruption or regard to individual preferences
Buckley v. valeo
1976
campaign consultant
a paid professional who specialized in the overall management of political campaigns or an aspect of campaigns
campaign manager
a professional whose duties comprise a variety of strategic and managerial tasks, from fund-raising to staffing a campaign
campaign strategy
the blueprint for the campaign, including a budget and fund-raising plan, an advertising strategy, and a staffing plan
caucus
a meeting of part members held to select delegates to the national convention
chad
a ready-made perforation on a punch card ballot
citizens united v. federal election commission
→ corporations and labor unions are entitled to the same 1st amendment protections that individuals enjoy, resulting in drastically increased spending through super PACs by corporations and labor organizations
closed primary
ppl in said party can only vote in this election
coattail effect
the phenomenon by which candidates running for lower-level offices such as city council benefit in an election from the popularity of top-of-ticket nominee
→ confuses dumb ppl deliberately
contested convention
an open convention in which no candidate has won the required number of delegates to within the nomination on the first ballot
501(c)4s
nonprofit organizations operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare, including lobbying or engaging in political campaigning
527
a tax-exempt group that raises money for political activities, much like those allowed under the soft money loophole
fundraising consultant
a professional who works with candidates in identifying likely contributors to the campaign and arrange events and meetings with donors
general election
an election that determines witch candidates win the offices being sought
gotv
get out the vote
incumbency
the situation already holding office that is up for reelection
independent expenditures
Outlays by PACs and others, typically for advertising for or against a candidate, but uncoordinated with a candidate’s campaign.
initiative
a citizen-sponsored proposal that can result in new or amended legislation or a state constitutional amendment
instant runoff election
a special runoff election in which the computerized voting machine simulates the emulation of last-place vote getters
media consultant
a professional who brings the campaign message to voters by creating handouts and all forms of media ads
office-block ballot
a type of ballot that arranges all the candidates for a particular office under the name of that office
proposition
a proposed measure placed on the ballot in an initiative election
prospective voting
a method of evaluating candidates in which voters focus on candidates’ positions on issues important to them and vote for the candidates who best represent their views
rational abstention thesis
a theory that some individuals decide the costs of voting are not worth the effort when compared to the benefits
recall
a special election in which voters can remove an officeholder before his or her term is over
referendum
an election in which voters in a state can vote for or against a measure proposed by the state legislature
retrospective voting
a method of evaluating candidates in which voters evaluate incumbent candidates and decide whether to support them based on their past performance
runoff election
a follow-up election that is held when no candidate receives the majority of votes cast in the original election → elimination
salient
in relation to a voting issue – having resonance, being significant, causing intense interest
super PACs
political organizations that use contributions from individuals, corporations, and labor unions to spend unlimited sums independent from the campaigns, yet influencing the outcomes of elections
→ AVOID LIMITATIONS BY CLASSIFYING AS NONPROFITS
super tuesday
the tuesday early in march on which the most primary elections are held, many of them in southern states
turnout rate
the proportion of eligible voters who actually voted
voter fatigue
the condition in which voters grow tired of all candidates by the time election day arrives, and may thus be less likely to vote
open primary
a type of primary in which both parties’ ballots are available in the voting booth, and the voters simply select one on which to register their preferences
→ ppl can abuse and vote for unpopular candidate to sabotage opposing party
types of elections:
primary and general
types of elections:
primary and general
primary election
→ determines nominees to go into general election
general election
→ party nominees go against each other
presidential primaries
pop vote → delegates
delegates → nominating convention
1968 President Humphrey
protests bc did not compete in the party primary & chosen as candidate → voters select delegates who go to con.
timing of primaries
earlier the better v. more $ and attacks
super duper tuesday
early primary in february
CA, NY, IL, NJ
when are general elections
THE FIRST TUESDAY AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY IN NOVEMBER
______ oversees elections
states
determining for congress
winner takes all
most votes = winner
people recalled
g. davis → a. schwarzenegger
s. walker → stayed
voting
- registering
- varies state to state
- secret (aus ballot)
2002 HAVA
help americans vote act
→ $650 M for electronic voting systems ONLY
2000 al v. gore
decided by scotus
chad perforation & butterfly ballots
→ recount
types of ballots
party column: organized by party
office block: organized by position
2018 midterm broward county FL
D - votes not counted
president eligibility
natural born
35+
resident 14 y
vice president eligibility
natural born
35+
cant be from same state as pres candidate
senate eligibility
citizen 9
30 +
resident of state
house
citizen 7
25+
resident of state
informal requirements
respected, no criminal record, “clean past”, experienced
lawyers & businessmen
educated
1921 Teapot Dome
Harding
selling gov land to private developers → pocketed money
→ 1925 federal corrupt practices act
1930s new deal
FDR
→ 1939 hatch act
1970s watergate
nixon
→ 1971 federal election campaign act (FECA)
PACs
raise and spend money → influence elections
formed by corps
→ money contributions a form of free speech
2002 Campaign Finance Reform Act
bipartisan
from enron scandal (soft money)
aka mccain feingold act
→ NO MORE SOFT MONEY CONTRIBUTIONS, LIMITS ON INDIV CONTRIBUTIONS & LIMIT ADS
presidential campaigns & electoral college
538 electors
simple majority (270)
pop vote → district color → maj color → electoral vote
electors meet in state capital & announce results in joint session
predictors of voting
education
age
race
income
party competitiveness
predictors of voting: age
young < old
2016 fewer than 2008
predictors of voting: income
lowest wage: 50-60 %
highest: 85%
predictors of voting: party competitiveness
tight race = vote matters
2016 56% turnout - 131M
prospective voters
look towards future, etc, does research
retrospective voters
past reputation and scandals
MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN DETERMINING WHICH CANDIDATE
party affiliation
factors in deciding
specific issues
incumbency
why no vote??????
lack of efficacy (?)
voter fatigue
structure of elections - date time & registration
rational abstention - too much effort = not worth it
what happens when not enough ppl vote
threatens democracy (authoritarianism)
unequal representation
