Campaigns and Election

Define plurality election

A plurality election is one in which there are multiple candidates, but the candidate achieving the most votes (not necessarily a majority) is elected to office. While the Constitution requires that the president be elected by a majority (or the election is decided by the House of Representatives), there is no constitutional requirement that congressmen be elected by a majority.

Define precinct:

A precinct is the smallest electoral district in a county. In urban areas, counties are typically divided into wards, which are then further subdivided into precincts.

In the legislative process, what is a referendum?

A referendum enables voters to directly cast ballots on proposed laws. During the Progressive Era, reformers championed the referendum as a means of enhancing the role of voters in their government.

In the legislative process, what is an initiative?

An initiative is a means by which a petition, signed by a requisite number of voters, can be presented as an electoral measure to the people by a whole. During the Progressive Era, the right to propose initiatives was established in a number of state constitutions.

At the time the states ratified the Constitution, to whom did suffrage extend?

At the time the states ratified the Constitution, only white male property owners were entitled to vote. During the first few decades of the 19th century, the property qualification was gradually abolished in almost all states (although South Carolina remained an exception).

Define exploratory committee

Before potential candidates officially announce their candidacy for office, they sometimes form exploratory committees. These committees put the candidates' name before the voters, gauge media and political support, and ascertain the availability of financing.

Define primary election

During a primary election, voters select from candidates seeking the nomination of a political party. Technically, voters in primary elections are voting for delegates to the national convention, where the presidential candidate is officially chosen by a delegate vote. The delegates pledge that they will vote for the candidate on the convention's first ballot. The trend is that the leading candidate typically has a majority of convention delegates before the convention; thus, only one ballot is taken.

During the primaries, candidates direct their message toward which type of voters?

During the primaries, candidates attempt to appeal to the party faithful, who make up the large majority of primary voters. Once the nomination is secured, candidates then attempt to appeal to moderates and independents at the center of the political spectrum. Not surprisingly, the different messages delivered in the primary and general election seasons often lead to charges that a candidate is a "flip-flopper."

What is the Australian ballot?

First popularized in Australia, the Australian ballot received widespread adoption in the early 1900s. Under the Australian ballot, a voter's ballot is cast in private. As part of the Progressive Movement, the use of the Australian ballot marked a significant reform as a means of preventing voter intimidation.

National political campaigns often complain of the "front-loading of primaries." What do they mean?

Front-loading of primaries is when a state moves up the date of its primary. Since primaries are incredibly important to a candidate's campaign, the effect of moving up the primary date is to increase that state's importance. The two earliest primary states are typically Iowa and New Hampshire, and other often jockey for position behind them. Political parties have been known to penalize states for moving their primaries too early.

How does the case of Buckley v. Valeo (1976) affect federal elections?

In Buckley, the Court upheld the Federal Election Campaign Act, which limited the amount a donor could contribute directly to a candidate's campaign. The Court did strike down a portion of the act, which prohibited candidates from contributing a large amount to their own campaigns.

What decision did the Supreme Court reach in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)?

In Citizens United, the Court struck down portions of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, that prohibited electioneering communications from unions, corporations, and not-for-profits in the days shortly before an election. The Court held that the act violated the First Amendment rights of these groups.

What is a blanket primary?

In a blanket primary, voters pick one candidate for each elective office without consideration of party lines. The candidates with the highest vote totals by party for each office then stand in the general election as their party's nominee. Blanket primaries are used only in Alaska and Washington. As an example, during a blanket primary a voter may choose a Republican gubernatorial candidate and a Democratic candidate for state treasurer.

How do "winner-take-all" primaries work?

In a winner-take-all primary, the candidate who wins the plurality of primary votes wins the entire delegate count of that state. Not all states have winner-take-all primaries; some states award delegates based on each candidate's pro-rata share of the primary vote.

Although most states use the primary system of choosing candidates, a small handful use the caucus system. What takes place in the caucus system?

In caucus systems, party members meet at the precinct level, where they choose representatives to county meetings. At these county meetings, representatives are chosen for the state convention, where the state's preference for a nominee is made by choosing delegates to the national convention.

During the Progressive Era, reformers designed measures to increase the responsibility of government to the people. What were some of these measures?

Measures advanced during the Progressive Era included the secret (Australian) ballot, initiatives, referendums, recalls, and direct primaries. Reformers intended these measures to limit the influence of party bosses.

What did the Federal Election Campaign Act establish?

Passed in the wake of Watergate, the Federal Election Campaign Act provided matching funds for both primary and general election candidates. The Act provides that for each dollar raised, a matching amount of funds will be provided by the federal government, provided the candidate agrees to some restrictions on contributions from the public. The system was designed to eliminate the influence of money in politics, and provide outsiders with a chance to win their party's nomination. In 2008, President Obama declined federal funds, and both candidates did so in 2012.

What is the minimum voting age in national elections?

Pursuant to the 26th Amendment, the minimum voting age is 18 years old.

Define suffrage

Suffrage means having the right to vote.

On _____ _____, up to half of all states have primary elections.

Super Tuesday Since Super Tuesday primaries are held in a wide variety of states, they are the first real tests of a candidate's nationwide appeal. Further, since almost 50% of convention delegates are at issue, a strong showing on Super Tuesday can secure the nomination.

To what group did the 15th Amendment (1870) extend voting rights?

The 15th Amendment eliminated any racial qualifications for voting; although it applied to any race, it was directed toward black suffrage in the post-Civil War era.

What limits did the Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 place on contributions to political campaigns?

The Campaign Finance Reform Act (also known as the McCain-Feingold Act) limited the amount of hard-money contributions to campaigns to $2,000, and banned soft-money contributions from corporations to political parties. In 2010, the Court struck down the provisions of the Campaign Finance Reform Act as unconstitutional in Citizens United v. FEC.

What is the role of the Federal Election Commission?

The Federal Election Commission discloses campaign finance information and enforces federal election laws, including those that put dollar limits on the amount of contributions a candidate may receive from each supporter.

How did the Motor Voter Act, passed in 1993, amend voting registration procedures?

The Motor Voter Act (more formally known as the National Motor Voter Registration Act), which went into effect for the 1996 presidential election, required states to offer facilities for registering voters at the same locations where those voters registered to drive. The Motor Voter Act was designed to increase voter registration.

What is the coattail effect?

The coattail effect takes place when a popular candidate "rides on the coattails of" (influences) the success of another candidate of the same party. The coattail effect takes place because (a) a popular candidate brings voters out to the polls, and (b) many voters vote a straight ticket.

Define Solid South

The term "Solid South" refers to the dominance of the Democratic Party in the former Confederate States, which lasted roughly from the end of Reconstruction until the 1960s, when Southern Democrats broke with the party over the issue of civil rights.

What are the two election processes that make up a campaign for president?

The two election processes are: Seeking the nomination: prior to the party convention, presumptive nominees compete for delegates in state-by-state primaries and caucuses. The general election: during the general election, the candidate competes against the other party's nominee for president

How does voter turnout in non-presidential election years compare with voter turnout in presidential election years?

Voter turnout in non-presidential election years is typically lower than voter turnout in presidential election years. Overall, voter turnout has been decreasing since the early 1900s, which many political scientists attribute to a decline in political efficacy.

What is the difference between closed and open primaries?

While both open and closed primaries choose a party's nominee, during a closed primary voting is only open to registered members of a party. During an open primary, anyone may cast a ballot to determine a party's nominee.

Elections that occur halfway through a president's term are known as _____ _____.

midterm elections Midterm elections take place for the entirety of the House, and 1/3 of the Senate. They are exceedingly important for presidents, as both a gauge of the popularity of their terms to date, and for ensuring that one or both houses of Congress remain in control of their party.

In 1920, the states ratified the 19th Amendment, which extended suffrage to _____ throughout the country.

women Prior to ratification of the 19th Amendment, some states had allowed women to vote in local and/or national elections.