Civics- Chapter 10

If no candidate receives a majority of the electoral votes, ___________________ chooses the president from the leading candidates.

The House of Representatives

Explain the Republican system.

- More conservative - Believe that social programs should be created and run by state/local gov. and by nongovernmental organizations

Explain the Democratic system.

- More liberal - Favors a greater role for the federal government in providing social programs

Congress has had to choose the president only twice: _______ & ___________.

1800 & 1824

________ election raised a total or more than $900 million for campaigns.

2004

Explain One-Party governments.

A single political party controls the gov. in some countries. Law usually forbids the formation of all other political parties, often dictatorships.

Explain how you become a voter and the rules that go with it.

All U.S citizens become eligible to vote at age 18, at the national, state, and local level. You must be registered in order to vote. Most states require voters to register by giving their name, address, dates of birth, etc. No one can vote more than once. You may be asked to register as a member of a political party or as an independent voter.

When is the nominating convention held?

August/September

TRUE OR FALSE: Candidates for each party are usually determined after the primaries. However, candidates are officially chosen at the national nominating conventions. To win the nomination, a candidate must receive the LEAST AMOUNT of the convention delegates' votes.

False: a candidate must win a majority of the delegates' votes.

secret ballot

Method of voting in which a voter marks a ballot in secret

Explain Third Parties.

Often influenced national elections even though they did not win the election.

Explain a closed primary election.

Only those voters who are registered to a particular party can vote to choose the party's candidates.

Most states hold two types of elections. Name them.

Primary and General

What are the types of financing for campaigns?

Private financing and Public Financing

Explain some famous Third Party situations.

Republican Party denied Theodore Roosevelt the presidential nomination, He formed a third party (Progressive Party) and ran for election. Even though he did not win he took votes from the Republican candidate,so he actually helped the Democratic party win the election. - Ross Perot (1992) ran against Bill Clinton (Democrat) and George Bush (Republican). Bill Clinton won the election but Ross Perot got 19% of the popular votes.

What is the role of the precinct captain?

The party leader in the precinct or voting district

independent votes

Voters who are not part of a political party

A ___________ heads each committee.

chairperson

In each state, members of each political party choose ___________ to go to their party's convention to nominate candidates for president/vice president

delegates

Running for office is ______________.

expensive

_______________________ selects the date, location, and rules for the party's national nominating convention.

the National committee

When is the General Election held?

the first Tuesday following the first Monday of Novemeber

electoral college

the group of electors that casts the official votes that elect the president and vice president

popular vote

the votes cast by citizens in a presidential election

electoral votes

the votes cast by the electoral college for president and vice president

Explain about Independent Candidates.

Can have their name printed on the general election ballot if enough supporters sign a petition. Usually only receive local grassroots support from individuals.

Name the two types of Primary elections.

Closed and Open

What is the role of political parties?

Convince voters to elect candidates who support the party's ideas

Explain voting in the early 1800s.

During the early 1800s, voting in the US. was usually by voice vote. Voters announced aloud to the election official their choice of candidate. This meant a person's vote was public knowledge.

What is the largest party committee?

the national committee

Before a candidate gets to the White House, he/she must win their party's nomination at _____________________.

the national convention

When voters vote in a presidential election, their vote is part of ____________.

the popular vote

political spectrum

the differences in political views held by the different political parties

Name the advantages of the Two-Party System.

1) Each party tries to attract as many voters as possible 2) Both parties tend to offer ideas and policies that are near the center of public opinion 3) Neither party wants to offer policies that might be considered too extreme, in fear of supports joining the other party.

In ________, the U.S. adopted the secret ballot. It was a paper ballot that listed the names of the candidates.

1888

How many electoral college votes does a presidential candidate have to win to become the next president?

270 or more

Presidential elections take place every ____ years.

4

How many electoral college votes are there?

538

open primary

A primary election in which voters may vote for the candidates of any party

primary election

An election in which the voters of various parties choose candidates to run for office in a general election.

What limits are placed on individual contributions to political candidates in national elections?

Every political candidate in federal elections to report the name of each person who contributes $200 or more in a year. They can't use the money for their own personal gain.

What does the popular vote determine if it doesn't elect the president?

It determines which presidential candidate in the state will win the electoral college votes awarded for that particular state.

Polling places are divided into precincts with _____________________.

Local Organizations

___________________ organizes volunteers to help with the campaign passing out literature, polls, etc.

Local Organizations

Explain a straight ticket and a split ticket.

Many voters vote straight ticket - they vote for all of the candidates of one party. Other voters may vote a split ticket -choosing candidates of more than one political party.

What are the three different levels of committees in political parties?

Party Committees, National Committees, State Committees

_____________ plan campaign strategies.

Party Organizations

Explain Multiparty Systems.

Several European countries have multi-party systems, where there are more than two strong political parties. They often agree to compromise and come together to form a coalition.

Name one reason someone might have to register to vote more than once in their lifetime?

So they can change their political party or state.

TRUE OR FALSE: Each party's national nominating convention is held during the summer of the presidential election year. Portions of this is televised in hopes of winning the support of voters across the country for their platform and candidate.

TRUE

Vice presidential candidates are usually chosen for ___________________________________________________________.

They are usually chosen for their ability to win votes.

Explain how we vote today.

Today, most voting is done by a DRE system which allows voters to select their candidate by touching the person's name on a screen and the vote is automatically recorded.

What is the major qualification for voter registration in most states?

You must be 18 years old.

elector

a person elected by the voters in a presidential election to be a member of the electoral college

candidate

a person who runs for election to take public office

polling place

a place where citizens go to vote

plank

a political party's specific proposal for legislation or a statement of a short-term goal regarding a single issues. Planks are the components of a party platform

one-party system

a political system in which a single political party controls the government, and all other parties are banned

multi-party system

a political system in which many political parties play a role in government

two-party system

a political system with two strong political parties

closed primary

a primary election in which only voters who are members of the party can vote for the party's candidates (its closed off for the other party)

platform

a written statement outlining a political party's views on issues and describing the programs it proposes

coalition

an agreement between two or more political parties to work together to run a government

general election

an election in which voters elect their leaders

political party

an organization of citizens who have similar views on issues and who work to put their ideas into effect through government action

President/members of Congress elected in _________-numbered years.

even-numbered years

One job of political parties it to ___________________________________________________________.

nominate candidates to run for political office

Effective parties must be well organized with ___________, _______________, _____________.

leaders, committees, and workers

___________ are responsible for conducting the local campaigns

local organizations

precincts

local voting districts in a country, city, or ward

Party Organizations are organized at the _________, ___________, & ____________ levels.

local, state, and national

third parties

minor political parties in a two-party system

Name some of the voting mechanisms used today.

paper ballot, mechanical lever machines, punch cards, mark sense, and direct recording electronic systems

Each part of a platform is called a _________.

plank (Ex: lowering the crime rate/increasing funding for police departments)

A party's ___________ is the party's views and policies on important issues. It sets out to address the nation's problems.

platform

Before a candidate gets to the White House, he/she must win his/her party's nomination in ________________.

political convention

The ___________________ has the strongest voice in deciding who will serve as their VP candidate.

presidential nominee

What is the one reason Party Organizations exist?

to nominate and elect candidates to office

nominate

to select candidates to run for public office

Explain an open primary election.

voters may vote for candidates of either party