Voting and Interest Groups

Eligibility Requirements

18 years old, resident of the state for a specific time period, citizen of the United States

Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act

1946; all lobbies must register with federal and state governments and report all expenditures

"Polls show our candidate is pulling ahead, and we expect to win in a landslide."

Bandwagon

Where are lobbyists frequently invited to?

Congressional Committees to speak

Popular beauty queen says, "I'm voting for candidate B and so should you."

Endorsement

"Make America Great Again"

Glittering Generality

What state uses a caucus?

Iowa

"My parents were ordinary, hardworking people, and thy taught me those values."

Just Plain Folks

What social factor has an effect on public opinion?

Mass media

Who cannot vote?

Mentally institutionalized, imprisoned, and those who do not meet state requirements

"Candidate A is a dangerous extremist."

Name-calling

What governmental factor has an effect on public opinion?

Nations economic system

How many times can you vote in each election?

Once

election results

One way to determine pubic opinion, but not always reliable

What kind of power is holding an election?

Reserved power (state)

"Candidate C has the best record on the environment."

Stacked Cards

Who sets the rules regarding elections?

States

Associating a patriotic symbol with a candidate

Symbols

Random sample

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion

What personal factors play a role in public opinion?

age, gender, income, hobbies, race, religion, and occupation

Early voting

an accommodation that allows voting up to two weeks before Election Day

What is the one real excuse for not voting?

apathy

What happens once a person is registered to vote?

assigned to a district

Propaganda

attempt to promote a person or idea

loaded question

biased questions asked to get a certain response

Functions of Interest Groups

bring issues to the public and lawmakers, and support candidates who favor their goals

Ticket

candidates for president and vice president

How do state play a role in the national convention?

choose delegates to attend the convention according to population

How do individual donors support campaigns?

contribute money

Nominating convention

delegates are chosen by party members to select the candidate

What is the mot common type of interest groups?

economic groups

What do political parties hold in order to raise money for campaigns?

elaborate dinners

no excuse voting

elections are always held the first tuesday after the first monday of november in even years, early voting, absentee voting, mail-in voting

Why do lobbyists try to arouse public opinion?

encourage the public to communicate with elected leaders

There are interest groups for:

ethnic, age, gender, and specific causes

Political Action Committee (PAC)

fund raising organizations

Canvassing

going through neighborhoods to ask for support

How do interest groups gain strength?

in number

Have regulation laws been effective or ineffective?

ineffective

What is the #1 thing lobbyists provide?

information

Labor unions

interested in the rights of workers

Buisness organization

interested in trade relationships

Apathy

lack of interest

Caucus

meeting of party members

What type of primary election does North Carolina use

modified closed primary

Where are presidential candidates chosen?

national convention

Where can you gather information on election candidates?

newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and the internet

Pressure groups

nickname for interest groups because they try to pressure the government into making decisions

Bias

one-sided point of view

closed primary election

only registered party members may vote

public opinion

opinions of a group of people about a person or issue

Open Primary Election

party membership not required to vote

Lobbyists

people that try and gain support

interest group

people who share a similar point of view

pollsters

people who take polls

Who chooses the vice-presidential candidate?

presidential candidate

absentee voting

provisions made for those unable to get to their regular polling places on election day

What is the most accurate way to determine public opinion?

public opinion polls

primary election

registered voters choose the candidate

Industrial and trade

represent certain types of businesses

Professional associations

represent different professions

What do lobbyists spend a lot of their time doing?

researching issues in order to persuade lawmakers

Why is registration not an obstacle?

states allow people to register when they renew their driver's license

Public opinion polls

surveys with random samples of citizens that are used to estimate the opinion of the entire population

Presidential Election Campaign Fund

tax payers check a box on tax forms

Mail-in voting

the method by which registered voters fill out and mail ballots that have been mailed to them

Electorate

the people eligible to vote

voter turnout

the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election

What is the most important element of campaigning?

to create a positive image for a candidate

Lobby

try to get government officials to support a groups goals