The Campaign Process

Question 1

501c Group

Answer 1

Groups that are exempted from reporting their contributions and can receive unlimited contributions.

Question 2

527 Political Committee

Answer 2

Independent political groups that are not subject to contribution restrictions because they do not directly seek the election of particular candidates.

Question 3

Campaign Consultant

Answer 3

Sells a candidate the technologies, services, and strategies required to get that candidate elected.

Question 4

Campaign Manager

Answer 4

Travels with the candidate and coordinates the many different aspects of the campaign.

Question 5

Communication Director

Answer 5

Develops the overall media strategy for the candidate.

Question 6

Contrast Ad

Answer 6

Compares the records and proposals of the candidates with a bias towards the sponsor.

Question 7

General Election Campaign

Answer 7

Part of a political campaign aimed at winning a general election.

Question 8

Get-Out-The-Vote

Answer 8

Push at the end of the campaign to encourage supporters to go to the polls.

Question 9

Hard Money

Answer 9

Legally specified and limited contributions that are clearly regulated by the Federal Election Campaign Act and by the Federal Election Commission.

Question 10

Inoculation Ad

Answer 10

Attempts to counteract an anticipated attack from the opposition before the attack is launched.

Question 11

Matching Funds

Answer 11

Donations to presidential campaigns from the federal government determined by the amount of private funds a qualifying candidate raises.

Question 12

Negative Ad

Answer 12

Advertising on behalf of a candidate attacking the opponent’s platform or character.

Question 13

Nomination Campaign

Answer 13

Part of a political campaign aimed at winning a primary election.

Question 14

Political Action Committee

Answer 14

Federally mandated, officially registered fundraising committee that represents interest groups in the political process.

Question 15

Pollster

Answer 15

Takes public opinion surveys that guide political campaigns.

Question 16

Positive Ad

Answer 16

Advertising on behalf of a candidate that stresses the candidate’s qualifications, family/issue positions, without reference to the opponent.

Question 17

Press Secretary

Answer 17

The individual charged with interacting and communicating with journalists on a daily basis.

Question 18

Public Funds

Answer 18

Donations from the general tax revenues to the campaigns of qualifying presidential candidates.

Question 19

Soft Money

Answer 19

The virtually unregulated money funneled by individuals and political committees through state and local parties.

Question 20

Voter Canvass

Answer 20

The process by which a campaign reaches individual voters, either by door to door solicitation or by telephone.