Exam 3 Flashcards
Three Factors to Voter Turnout
Higher educated, income is higher, and if they are older
How Voters Decide
Partisan loyalty, issue and policy preferences, candidate preferences
The candidates race, ethnicity, religion, genders are sometimes factors
Primary Elections
elections held to select a party’s candidate for the general election
Primary Elections
elections held to select a party’s candidate for the general election
Top-Two Primaries in CA
Where two candidates with the highest total votes advanced to the general election
Super PACs
committees that may receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, labor unions and other PACs for the purpose of financing independent expenditures and other independent political activity.
Buckley v. Valeo (1976)
introduced the concept that money is “speech”
Allows unlimited spending by candidates on own campaign
Citizens United v. FEC (2010)
Super PACs allow for unlimited donations and spending
Can call for the election or defeat of specific candidates
Groups that form around specific interests
Cannot make contributions to candidates, parties, or other political committees
Ballot Initiatives
- Write the initiative draft (2k fee)
- Submit the initiative draft to the attorney general
- The signature Phase (2)
Applicants have 150 days to gather the required number of signatures from registered voters
For laws: need 600,000 signatures needed as of 2018 (5%)
For Constitutional amendments: 8% (2018: 960,000) - Verification Phase (3)
Signatures are turned in into county election officials for verification
Initiative will either be Qualified for ballot or failed by the secretary of state (because of not enough verified signatures or deadline
Referendums
A referendum is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a new policy or specific law,
The Recall Election
a procedure by which, in certain polities, voters can remove an elected official from office through a referendum before that official’s term of office has ended.
The Evolution of Media
Printing press (colonial period)
Newspaper (early 19th century-Present)
Radio (late 19th century-present)
Broadcast television (1950’s-present)
Why can’t you swear on broadcast TV?
The FCC maintains indecency regulation over television, radio, and other broadcasters, which keep the public airwaves free of obscene material
Equal Time Rule
states that registered candidates running for office must be given equal opportunities for airtime and advertisements at non-cable television and radio stations beginning 45 days before a primary election and 60 days before a general election
Framing
Power of the media to influence how people interpret events and issues
Party Polarization
refers to the increasing divide between republicans and democrats
America has become more polarized
Goals of Political Parties
seek government power by winning elections
To obtain power they:
Nominate canydidates
Coordinate campaigns and mobilize voters
Once in power they:
Create legislation
Inform party members how they should vote on important issues
Winner-Take-All Systems
Candidate with the most votes (plurality) wins
2nd place or lower earns no seats in this system
Provides little incentive for 3rd party candidates
Proportional Representation
Voters select parties, not candidates
Legislative seats are awarded based on the proportion of support each party receives
Goals of Third Parties
the intent is to force national public attention on such an issue
Partisanship
Party identification refers to an individual voter’s psychological ties to one party or another
Interest Groups Definition
play a role in representing individuals, corporate interests, and the public before government
Pluralism
Pluralists believe that social heterogeneity prevents any single group from gaining dominance and argued that good government encourages multitudes of interests
Unequal Representation
Individuals are less likely to join a group if income is lower, have lower levels of education, or no professional occupation
Collective Goods
Items and resources that benefit everyone, and from which people cannot be excluded.
Free-Riders
Those not taking action in a (collective action) group
