Elections and Campaigns

Question 1

What do elections accomplish?

Answer 1

prevent corruption by avoiding election of, or reelecting, incompetent or corrupt politicians through selection and accountability effects.

Question 2

What are the five voter-decision-making models? Explain each

Answer 2

The Partisan Model
- The Retrospective Voting Model
- The Valence Model
- The Spatial Model (ideology)
- The Directional Model

Question 3

What do Fox & Lawless say ?

Answer 3

• Women’s underrepresentation persists in elected offices despite gains in education and pipeline professions
• Women and men are equally qualified to run. However, highly accomplished women from both parties:

a. are significantly less likely than men to perceive themselves as having the skills and traits necessary to run for and hold public office;

b. are more likely to be deterred by the mechanics of campaigning

Question 4

What does Stephens-Dougan say ?

Answer 4

• “Racial distancing: process by which politicians across race and party assure white voters they won’t upset racial norms.
• white voters will reward candidates (both Black and white) who
  1. Show they prioritize white interests over minorities.
  2. Don’t appear racist towards African Americans.

Question 5

According to the median voter theorem, which of the following election ideology strategies in a primary/general election system would be the most effective for a Democratic candidate for office?
A. Run a liberal campaign in the primary, then run a conservative campaign in the general election.
B. Run a liberal campaign in the primary, then a moderate campaign in the general election.
C. Run a moderate campaign in both primary and general elections.
D. Run a liberal campaign in both primary and general elections.
E. Run a conservative campaign in both primary and general elections.

Answer 5

B. Run a liberal campaign in the primary, then a moderate campaign in the general election.

Question 6

Which electoral rule governs the election of the president and vice president by the electoral college?
A. Majority rule
B. Unanimity rule.
C. Plurality rule
D. Borda rule
E. Consensus

Answer 6

A. Majority rule

Question 7

What type of organization, in the aftermatch of Citizens United v. FEC (2010), was created to spend money raised from individuals, corporations, and unions, independent of political candidates?
A. Super PAC
B. 527 organizations
C. PAC
D. Mega PAC
E. 504(c)^3 organization

Answer 7

A. Super PAC

Question 8

Though both candidates in an election may prefer to run positive campaigns, each candidate has incentives to “go negative” regardless of the type of campaign run by his or her opponent. This set of considerations creates a/an ________ for candidates when deciding what type of campaigns to operate.
A. Coordination problems
B. Prisoner’s dilemma
C. Collective action problems
D. Principal-agent problem
E. Unstable coalition

Answer 8

B. Prisoner’s dilemma

Question 9

What type of contributions are called “hard money”?
A. contributions to political parties for voter mobilization
B. contributions to 527 organizations
C. contributions to candidates for federal office
D. contributions to 501(c)^3 organizations
E. contributions to political parties for voter education

Answer 9

C. contributions to candidates for federal office