Elections and Campaigns -- Chapter 8 Vocab

Question 1

blanket primary

Answer 1

A variant of the open primary in which all nominated candidates for each party are present on the ballot, allowing voters to vote for candidates of different parties.

Question 2

closed primary

Answer 2

A type of primary in which the voter must be a registered member of a political party to vote in that party’s primary.

Question 3

coattails (political)

Answer 3

The tendency of lesser-known or weaker candidates to profit in an election because of a more popular candidate on the ticket.

Question 4

electoral coalition

Answer 4

A base of committed partisans supporting an electoral candidate who also attracts swing votes.

Question 5

general election

Answer 5

The second election in a campaign that determines which party’s nominee will win office.

Question 6

incumbent

Answer 6

The person currently in office.

Question 7

negative ad

Answer 7

Media advertising meant to cast an opponent in an unfavorable light.

Question 8

office-bloc ballot

Answer 8

A ballot that lists all candidates by office to minimize a straight party ticket vote. Championed by the Progressives.

Question 9

open primary

Answer 9

A type of primary in where the voter can decide which party’s primary to participate in.

Question 10

party-column ballot

Answer 10

A ballot that was government-printed and listed in columns all candidates of each party. A voter could mark the top on one column to vote for every candidate in that column.

Question 11

political action committee

Answer 11

A committee set up by an interest group to contribute financially to candidates and campaigns.

Question 12

position issue

Answer 12

A campaign issue on which the rival parties or candidates take different positions in order to reach out for electoral support.

Question 13

presidential primary

Answer 13

A special kind of primary used to pick delegates to the presidential nominating conventions of the major parties.

Question 14

primary election

Answer 14

The first election in a campaign, determines a party’s nominee for an office.

Question 15

prospective voting

Answer 15

Voting on the basis of a person’s view of candidates’ positions on the issues.

Question 16

public finance law

Answer 16

A federal law providing funds to candidates seeking the presidency.

Question 17

realigning or critical periods

Answer 17

Periods during which a sharp, lasting shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties.

Question 18

realignment

Answer 18

The situation when a new issue of utmost importance to voters cuts across existing party divisions and replaces old issues that formed the basis of party identification.

Question 19

retrospective voting

Answer 19

Voting on the basis of how things have gone in the recent past.

Question 20

runoff primary

Answer 20

A type of primary where if no candidate gets a majority of the votes in the first primary vote, the two candidates with the most votes compete in a second primary election.

Question 21

split-ticket voting

Answer 21

An election result in which a voter divides their vote between one party’s presidential candidate, and the others congressional candidate.

Question 22

spots

Answer 22

Short ads on behalf of a candidate on television.

Question 23

straight-ticket voting

Answer 23

Voting for candidates who are all of the same party.

Question 24

theme

Answer 24

An element of campaign strategy that is a simple, appealing idea that can be repeated easily.

Question 25

tone

Answer 25

An element of campaign strategy that involves either a positive (build-self) or negative (attack-opponent) approach.

Question 26

valence issue

Answer 26

A campaign issue that is linked in the voters’ minds with something almost universally approved or disapproved by the electorate.

Question 27

visual

Answer 27

A campaign appearance covered in a news broadcast.