Chapter 9: Elections

Question 1

Functions of elections

Answer 1

• selecting representatives
• shaping policy (choice between platforms)
• promoting accountability (holds incumbents accountable)

Question 2

normal election

Answer 2

• high percentage of incumbents are re-elected

- party ratios in house and senate don’t change much

Question 3

nationalized election

Answer 3

• turnover is much higher; reelection rates for party’s incumbents decreases
• open seat = no challenger

Question 4

position-taking

Answer 4

writing legislation, voting on legislation, appearing on committees, giving floor speeches

Question 5

fundraising

Answer 5

making phone calls, attending events, meeting w/ interest groups

Question 6

electioneering

Answer 6

going back to one’s district, appearing on tv, and running campaign ads

Question 7

attack ads

Answer 7

campaign advertising that criticizes a candidate’s opponent, typically by making potentially damaging claims about opponent’s background on record

Question 8

Geer

Answer 8

campaign ads have several beneficial effects:

• people exposed to campaign ads tend to be more interested in the campaign
• they also tend to know more about he candidates bc ads highlight real differences

Question 9

candidate ads

Answer 9

positive

Question 10

interest group ads

Answer 10

negative

Question 11

paradox voting

Answer 11

the question of why citizens vote even though their individual votes stand little chance of changing the lection outcome

Question 12

voter’s illusion

Answer 12

• voting is an act of altruism, which means we vote not for ourselves, but for others
• most people vote vc a civic ripple effect that benefits nation as a whole (like “wave”)
• people vote bc it looks good and makes them feel good

Question 13

voting cues

Answer 13

pieces of info about a candidate that are readily available, easy to interpret, and lead a citizen to decide to vote fora particular candidate

Question 14

incumbency

Answer 14

vote for the incumbent

Question 15

partisanship

Answer 15

vote for your party

Question 16

personal vote

Answer 16

vote for the incumbent if he/she helped you out

Question 17

personal characteristics

Answer 17

vote for the candidate who’s personal characteristics match your own

Question 18

retrospective evaluation

Answer 18

vote for the incumbent if he/she has made things better

Question 19

for (or against) party in power

Answer 19

vote for the incumbent if his/her party has done a good job (nationalized)

Question 20

requirements for candidates

Answer 20

president: 35, born in US, 4 yrs
senator: 30, resident of state & US for 9 years, 6 yrs
representative: 25, resident of state & US for 7 years, 2 yrs

Question 21

FECA

Answer 21

• created the Federal Election Commission
• provided for public financing for presidential candidates
• enacted strict limits on both contributions and expenditures
• allowed political action committees (PAC) to use money to solicit individual contributions

Question 22

In 2014, an individual could donate:

Answer 22

$2,600 per candidate per election
$32,300 per national party per year
$10,000 per state party per year
$5,000 per PAC per year

Question 23

Buckley v. Valeo

Answer 23

• limiting campaign expenditures violated the 1st amendment
• limiting campaign contributions was constitutional, bc the gov has a vested interest in preventing corruption
• disclosure requirements also violated the first amendment
• -only required to report contributions that are ear marked for political purpose
• -only required to report expenditures for communications that expressly advocate for election/defeat

Question 24

hard money

Answer 24

donations tha are used to help elect or defeat a specific candidate

Question 25

soft money

Answer 25

contributions that can be used of rooter 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

Question 26

magic words

Answer 26

vote for
elect
support
vote against
defeat
reject

Question 27

McCain-Feingold

Answer 27

considered following ads electioneering communications and may no longer be funded:

• refers to a clearly identified candidate for federal office
• publicly distribute don radio or tv for a fee
• communication is distributed w/in 30 days prior to a primary or 60 days prior to a general election
• targeted to the relevant electorate

Question 28

McCain-Feingold exceptions:

Answer 28

• no other forms of communication are covered by these restrictions
• restrictions do not apply to broadcast ads by state
• do not apply to charitable organizations that are exempt from federal taxes

Question 29

disclosure

Answer 29

all states require some level of disclosure form candidates, committees, and political parties of the amount and source of contributions and expenditures

Question 30

contribution limits

Answer 30

not MO, OR, UT, and VA

Question 31

public financing

Answer 31

candidates shot ask grants agree to:

• spending limits
• limit or cease raising private contributions

Question 32

Citizens’ United

Answer 32

• under 1st amendment, corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections can’t be limited
• disclosure requirements are constitutional
• upheld ban on direct contributions to candidates from corporations and unions

Question 33

Post-Citizens’ United

Answer 33

• any outside group can use corporate money to make a direct case for who deserves your vote on election day and why
• no limits on timing
• superPACS (can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money)
  ex. Arizona