Vincent Avila Ch 12 Flashcards
501 (c) Group
Interest groups whose primary purpose is not electoral politics
527 political committee
Organizations created with the primary purpose of influencing electoral outcomes
Barack Obama
The first African American president of the United States, a Democrat, who served as forty-fourth president from 2009 to 2017
Bernie Sanders
Longest serving independent in the United States Congress. Ran against Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA)
Passed in 2002, this act amended the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 with several provisions designed to end the use of non-federal, or “soft money” for activity affecting federal elections
Campaign consultant
a private- sector professional who sells to a candidate the technologies, services, and strategies required to get that candidate elected
Campaign manager
The individual who travels with the candidates the campaign.
Citizens United v. FEC
The 2010 U.S. Supreme Court case that enabled corporations and unions have the same political speech rights as individuals under the First Amendment
Closed primary
A primary election in which only a party’s registered voters are eligible to cast a ballot
Communication director
The person develops the overall media strategy for the candidate
Contrast ad
Ad that compares the records and proposals of the candidates, with a bias toward the candidate sponsoring the ad.
Conventional political participation
Activism that attempts to influence the political process through commonly accepted forms of persuasion such as voting or letter writing.
Crossover voting
Participation in the primary election of a party with the voter is not affiliated.
Donald J. Trump
The forty-fifth president, a Republican, elected in 2016; first president elected without prior political or military experience
Elector
Member of Electoral College
Electorate
The citizen eligible to vote
Electoral College
Representatives of each state who cast the final ballots that actually elect a president.
Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)
Passed in 1971, this is the primary law that regulates political campaign spending and fundraising
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
An independent regulatory agency founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the Campaign finance legislation to the United States.
Finance chair
The individual who coordinates the financial business of the campaign
Front-loading
The tendency of states to choose an early date on the nomination calendar
General election
Election in which voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices.
Get-out-the-vote
A push at the end of a political campaign to encourage supporters to go to the polls.
Help America Vote Act
A federal law passed in 2002 that addresses issues of voting systems and voter access that were identified following the 2000 election. It established minimum election administration standards for states and units of local government with for the administration of federal elections and for other purposes related to the bill.
Hillary R. Clinton
First female major party candidate for president of the United States, a Democrat, who ran against President Donald J. Trump in 2016
Incumbency
Already holding an office
Independent expenditures
Spending for campaign activity that is not coordinated with a candidate’s campaign.
Initiative
An election that allows citizens to propose legislation or state constitutional amendments by submitting them to the electorate for popular vote
Inoculation ad
Advertising that attempts to counteract an anticipated attack from the opposition before the attack is launched
Mandate
A command, indicated by an electorate vote, for the elected officials to carry our a party platform or policy agenda
Matching funds
Donations to presidential campaigns whereby every dollar raised from individuals in amounts less than $251 is matched by the federal treasury
McCutcheon v. FEC
The 2014 supreme court ruling that declared section 441 of the federal election campaign act (FECA) unconstitutional, section 441 imposed limits on any individual’s total political contributions in a two year period
Mid-term election
An election that takes place in the middle of a presidential term
Negative ad
Advertising on behalf of a candidate that attacks the opponent’s character or platform
Open primary
Primary election in which party members, independents, and sometimes members of the other party are allowed to participate
Political Action Committee (PAC)
Officially recognized fund-raising organizations that represents interest groups are allowed by federal law to make contributions directly to candidates’ campaigns.
Pollster
A campaign consultant who conducts public opinion surveys
Positive ad
Advertising on behalf of a candidates’ that stresses the candidates qualifications, family, and issues positions, with no direct reference to the opponent.
Presidential coattails
When successful presidential candidates cary into office congressional candidates of the same party in the year of their election
Press secretary
The individual charged with interacting and communicating with journalists on a daily basis
Primary election
Election in which voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election
Prospective judgement
A voters evaluation of a candidate based on what he or she pledges to do about an issue if elected
Public funds
Donations from general tax revenues to the campaigns of qualifying presidential candidates
Reapportionment
The reallocation of the number of seats in the house of representatives after each decennial census
Recall
An election in which voters can remove an incumbent from office prior to the next scheduled election
Referendum
An election whereby the state legislature submits proposed legislation or state constitutional amendments to the voters for approval
Retrospective judgement
A voter’s evaluation of a candidate based on past performance on a particular issue
Runoff primary
A second primary election between the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes in the first primary
Super PAC
Political action committees established to make independent expenditures
Turnout
The proportion of the voting-age public that casts a ballot
Thomas Jefferson
Principle drafter of the declaration of independence; second vice president of the United States; third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. Co-founder of the Democratic- Republican Party
Unconventional political participation
Activism that attempts to influence the political process through unusual or extreme measures, such as protests, boycott, and picketing
Voter canvass
The process by which a campaign reaches individual voters, either by door-to-door solicitation or by telephone
