elections Flashcards

1
Q

past methods to limit voter participation

A

property ownership and literacy requirements
poll taxes
gender/race restrictions
placement of pols and schedulling of polling hours
voter registration rules

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2
Q

current limitations on voting

A

prisoners are prohibited from voting in 48 states
depends on the state

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3
Q

australian ballot

A

electoral format that presents the names of all candidates for any given office on the same ballot

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4
Q

convenience voting

A

voting by mail

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5
Q

electoral districts

A

geographical area that a specific senator, governor, representative or president represents

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6
Q

electoral college

A

institution established by the constitution for the election of the president and vicepresident

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7
Q

gerrymandering

A

manipulate the boundaries of an electoral consituency so as to favor one pary or class

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8
Q

first past the post

A

voters cast their vote for a candidate of their choice which means that the candidate who reiceives most votes wins

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9
Q

folk theory of democracy

A

belief system that the voting public supports, elects and embraces candidates who reflect the collective whishes and desires of people

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10
Q

2 accounts of populist democracy

A

the public decides issues through the election of individuals who will carry their will out
2. people rule through direct democracy

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11
Q

retrospective theory of voting

A

the electorate in its greate role as appraiser of past events, past performance, past actions; election outcomes is based on public approval/disapproval of the actual performance of incumbent political leaders

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12
Q

3 factors of the electoral system that affect who gets elected

A
  1. who decides to run for office and which candidates have an edge over others
  2. incumbents have advantage
  3. district lines
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13
Q

casework/constituency service

A

talking to constituents, providing minor services, introducing special bills and intervening with the bureaucracy for them

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14
Q

patronage

A

direct services/ benefits that members provide for their districts

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15
Q

example of patronage

A

pork barrel legislation- representatives seek to capture federal projects and funds for their districts

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16
Q

franking priviledge

A

members of congress can send mail to their consitutents free of chage to keep them informed

17
Q

Mayhew 1974

A

because of focus on re-election, members of congress work to express public opinion, handle consituent request, legislating and oversight

18
Q

party leadership in house and senate

A

power in the hands of majority leader and minority leader who are both elected by party caucus or conference and together control senate’s calendat

19
Q

committee system

A

congress’ second organizational structure is a division and specialization of labour rather than power hierarchy

20
Q

characteristics of committee system

A

a fixed size, officers, rules, staff, offices
2. jurisdiction is defined by the subject matter of the legislation it deals with
bills assigned to them , most of them die there

21
Q

what are the 2 types of commitee

A

authorizing - deals with substantive issues; the executive and its agencies has the authority to act
appropriating - provides money through 12 appropriation bills that enable agencies to deployauthority they have been granted

22
Q

on what is based the committee hierarchy?

A

seniority

23
Q

staff system

A

comes after the committee

24
Q

staff system responsibilities

A

handle consituency requests
deals with legislative details
oversees the activities of administrative agencies
drafts proposals, organzies hearings, negotiate with lobbyists

25
Q

explain how a bill becomes a law

A
  1. needs to be submitted by a senator or rep to the clers of house/senate and referred to the appropriate committee for deliberation
  2. during deliberation, the committee refers it to a subcommittee- hearings
  3. if it makes past the hearings, it goes to the rules committee which establishes the rules by which action will be governed on the bill
  4. bill’s supporters prefer a close rule - forbidding members of congress from offering amendments to abill from the floor; those against it prefer an open rule that permits floor debate and the addtion of amendments from the floor
  5. debate, unlimited until cloture is invoked
  6. The bill is voted on. If passed, it is sent to the other chamber unless that chamber already has a similar measure under consideration. If either chamber does not pass the bill then it dies. If the House and Senate pass the same bill then it is sent to the President. If the House and Senate pass different bills they are sent to Conference Committee. Most major legislation goes to a Conference Committee.

conference commitee: If the Conference Committee reaches a compromise, it prepares a written conference report, which is submitted to each chamber.
The conference report must be approved by both the House and the Senate.

must be signed by the president to become law

26
Q

how is the house majority able to manipulate the agenda and pass legislation?

A
  1. speaker of the house serves as a presiding officer
  2. committee on rules can bring bills, resolutions, conference report to the floor to limit debate and amendments and the majority can get resoutions, special rules adoptes
    the speaker appoints conference committee to suit the needs of its majority
27
Q

senate features

A

the majority’s party leader doesn’t preside and attempts to move the senate by making motions from the floor
- motions can be fillibusteres
- for cloture it’s required 3/5 of the majority
- polarized parties mean that a minority party that has 41 or more can block majority party legislation on the floor