gov ch 10

For only the fourth time in US history, the 2016 Presidential election resulted in a different winner in the ____ as opposed to the _____.

Electoral College, Popular Vote For only the fourth time in U.S. history the candidate who won the electoral college did not win the popular vote. Trump prevailed in the Electoral College with 279 votes to Clinton's 228 votes, but Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by approximately 1.2 percent.

A nonprofit group that also engages in issue advocacy and is allowed to spend up to half of its revenue for political purposes is called

a 501(c)(4) committee. A 501(c)(4) is a nonprofit group that also engages in issue advocacy. It may spend up to half its revenue for political purposes but is not required to disclose from where it gets its funds or exactly what it does with them.

Primary elections are held to select

a political party's presidential candidate for the general election. The presidential election process starts with primary elections and caucuses (essentially a party business meeting) that are held for the major parties in each state in which each party chooses the presidential nominee for that party. Most states hold primary elections, but about one-third use caucuses instead.

In MOST congressional elections, ____ outspend ____.

incumbents, challengers Members of Congress (incumbents) find it much easier to raise campaign funds and thus almost always outspend their challengers. Incumbents can out-raise their opponents by significant amounts because most of the special interest contributions go to incumbents.

When a congressional election is held that does not coincide with a presidential election, it is called a(n)

midterm election. Congressional elections that do not coincide with a presidential election are sometimes called midterm elections; they are also sometimes called off-year elections.

Except on rare occasions, boundaries for congressional and state legislative districts in the United States are redrawn by the states every ____ years.

10 The boundaries for congressional and state legislative districts are usually redrawn every 10 years in response to population changes, as determined by the U.S. Census.

Third-party candidates for president can receive public funding only if they received at least _____ percent of the vote in the previous presidential race.

5 percent The Federal Election Campaign Act also provides for public funding of presidential campaigns, as discussed above. As they seek a major-party presidential nomination, candidates become eligible for public funds by raising at least $5,000 in individual contributions of $250 or less in each of 20 states. Candidates who reach this threshold may apply for federal funds to match, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, all individual contributions of $250 or less that they receive. Currently, candidates who accept matching funds may spend no more than $42 million, including the matching funds, in their presidential primary campaigns. Third-party candidates are eligible for public funding only if they received at least 5 percent of the vote in the previous presidential race. This stipulation effectively blocks preelection funding for third-party or independent candidates, although a third party that wins more than 5 percent of the vote can receive public funding after the election.

What is a closed primary?

an election in which voters can participate in the nomination of candidates, but only of the party in which they are enrolled for a period of time prior to Election Day Under the laws of some states, only registered members of a political party may vote in a primary election to select that party's candidates. This is called a closed primary.

Political Action Committees (PACs) are organizations established

by corporations, labor unions, or interest groups to channel the contributions of their members into political campaigns. Political Action Committees, or PACs, are organizations established by corporations, labor unions, or interest groups to channel the contributions of their members into political campaigns. PACs are permitted to make larger contributions to any given candidate than individuals are allowed to make.

The federal courts have established ____ as a critical factor in establishing the boundaries of legislative districts.

equal populations The Supreme Court has held that a key component in drawing legislative districts within a state must be the establishment of roughly equal populations so as to be in accord with the principle of "one person, one vote."

State legislators routinely seek to influence electoral outcomes by manipulating the organization of electoral districts. This strategy is called

gerrymandering. State lawmakers who are responsible for drawing the district boundaries routinely seek to influence electoral outcomes to favor one political party over another by drawing electoral districts for Congress and state legislatures. This strategy is called gerrymandering.

In 2003, Californians voted out Governor Gray Davis. This election was unusual because

he lost in a rare recall effort. In 2003 many California voters blamed Governor Gray Davis for the state's $38 billion budget deficit, allowing his opponents to secure enough signatures to force a vote. In October 2003, Davis became only the second governor in American history to be recalled by his state's electorate.

Citizens United permitted individuals and organizations to form committees, called ________, which can raise unlimited amounts of money to run political advertising.

political action committees Citizens United permitted individuals and organizations to form committees called Super PACs, which could raise unlimited amounts of money to run advertising for and against candidates, so long as their efforts were not coordinated with those of the candidates. This resulted in a significant increase in campaign spending in the 2010 midterm election and unprecedented spending in the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections. Obama, the Democratic National Committee, and its affiliated Super PACs spent $1.11 billion in 2012, while Romney, the Republican National Committee, and its affiliated Super PACs spent $928 million, or almost $1 billion, swamping previous general election totals.

The electoral college is

presidential electors from each state who cast ballots for president and vice president. The electoral college is a form of indirect election used to choose the president. In this system, a group of electors from each state formally selects the president and vice president of the United States.

Who is the incumbent?

the current officeholder, running for re-election A candidate in an election that is currently in office is known as an incumbent. Incumbents usually are already well-known and have an advantage in the race against new challengers.