History: Chapter 7
How does the government administer elections?
State- make most election laws (most elections are for State and local offices Federal- sets rules, likes the date, for elections day Congress- requires use of secret ballots, bans corruption, protects voting rights, and regulates campaign financing
What is the most expense in campaigning?
TV advertising
unions can't give money directly to candidates
Taft-Hartley Act of 1947
banks and corporations can't give money directly to candidates
Tillman Act of 1907
the process of voting without going to polling places on election day
absentee voting
the medium by which a voter registers a choice in an election
ballot
What is the Australian Ballot?
ballot that most States use, printed at public expense, lists the names of all the candidates, is given out only at the polls, and is marked in secret
an election in which all voters can vote for candidates from every party
blanket primary
Who do State legislatures nominate when they hold caucuses?
candidates for State offices
Who does Congress nominate when they hold caucuses?
candidates for the presidential election
The Supreme Court ruled that the 1st Amendment protection of free speech means that most campaign spending limits are unconstitutional. Why?
candidates spend money to their share message with the American people
a group of like-minded people who meet to select the candidates they will support in an upcoming election
caucus
allows corporations and unions to advocate for or against candidates at any time, the super PAC is born
citizens united vs FEC (2012)
a party's nominating election in which only party members can vote
closed primary
when a strong candidate at the top of the ballot attracts support for lesser candidates in his or her party
coattail effect
When did the nomination process of self-announcement take place?
colonial times
Eventually, what kind of nominating method replaced caucuses?
convention
What is the nominating method used by the major parties in most States?
direct primary
an election help in a party to pick the party's candidates
direct primary
Who modifies the election and voting in the precinct?
election board
What do many people argue about in a open primary?
everyone is helping nominate candidates for elections, anyone can take part in the nominating process, no one is excluded, and it respects/protects voters privacy
Where do campaigns receive public funds?
federal and state treasuries, online telethons and fundraising dinners
regularly scheduled elections for public office
general election
campaign contributions given directly to candidates and subject to legal limits
hard money
What might help reduce coattail effect?
holding state and local election on different days from federal elections
What factors help to determine how much will be spent on a political campaign?
how much money they raise and their current position in government (incumbent or new candidate)
Where is runoff primary used in the US?
in states where candidates need more than plurality
What do many people argue about in a closed primary?
it prevents one party from raiding the other's party preference a matter of public records, other voters are no included in nominating process, and vote must give more thought to who they vote for
Why does the FEC have a difficult time enforcing the laws?
lack of staff and funds
In many states, who is usually required to be nominated by petition?
minor parties and independent candidates
What is the first step in the election process?
nomination
the naming of those who seek office
nomination
an election in which candidates are not identified by party labels
nonpartisan election
When do most states hold elections for state offices?
on the same date that Congress sets the national elections
a party's nominating election in which any qualified voter can vote, also called crossover primary
open primary
What happens to paper, absentee, and electronic ballots after they are cast?
paper- collected and taken to a counting facility absentee- mailed to counting facility or polling place electronic- sent electronically or stored and sent manually
Who controls the nominating conventions?
party bosses
How are candidates nominated through the convention process?
party voters choose delegates who attend conventions, where they pick party candidates and elect delegates to attend higher level conventions
the political arms of special interest groups
political action committee (PAC)
the place where voter in a precinct vote
polling places
a voting district
precinct
How are candidates nominated through the direct primary process?
qualified voters cast private ballots for their preferred candidate. The person receiving the most votes in nominated
What are some things that candidates spend their money on during campaigning?
radio time, TV advertising, managers, newspaper ads, buttons, traveling, polls, mass mailing, etc.
an election held if no one wins a majority in the main primary
runoff primary
What is the oldest form of nomination?
self-announcement
Where is self-announcement still used today?
small towns and rural areas in many parts of the country
Why is the Presidential Election Campaign Fund set up the way it is?
so only candidates with national organization can qualify for funding
campaign contributions given to parties and other political organizations in unlimited amounts
soft money
When is self-announcement usually used?
someone who failed to win a regular party nomination or by someone unhappy with the party's choices
a grant of money, usually from government
subsidy
Who regulates and conducts party primaries?
the States
Why do people usually donate money to candidates and their parties?
they believe in a party or candidate, wish to influence public policy, or want to improve access to government
What kind of problems arose with caucuses?
they were criticized as being too small, private, and out of touch with everyday party members
T/F No person can give more than $5,000 to a PAC or $28,500 to a national party in a single year.
true
When and why are petitions used in the nominating process?
used at local levels, where candidates may be nominated by petitions signed by a minimum # of qualified voters in the election district
When are runoff primaries held?
when the primary winner does not receive a majority of the votes
What usually happens in countries where one party wins most of general elections?
whoever wins the nominations is usually elected to office
Name four prominent presidential contenders who have used the self-announcement process for nomination.
1. Gorge Wallace (1968) 2. Eugene McCarthy (1976) 3. John Anderson (1980) 4. Ross Perot (1992)
List two problems that can result from the high cost of political campaigns.
1. candidates will try and buy their way into office 2. special interests to try to buy favor from those who hold office
Depending upon the State, how are the 3 ways that registers voters can vote?
1. cast ballots within precincts at polling places on election day 2. at polling places just before election day 3. mail-in absentee ballot in the weeks leading up to the election
What are the two kinds of direct primary that are used?
1. closed primary 2. open primary
Name some positions where nonpartisan elections are used
1. elected school officials 2. municipal school 3. state judges
What does the Help American Vote Act of 2000 require?
1. replace lever-operated and punch-card voting machines by 2006 (most states failed to meet this) 2. improve their administration of elections through better training of local election officials and those who work in polling places 3. computerize voter registration systems to facilitate the identification of qualified voters on election day and minimize fraudulent voting 4. allow provision voting, so a person whose eligibility to vote has been challenged can cast a vote that will be counted if it is later found that they are qualified voter
The laws the Federal Election Commission is suppose to enforce cover four areas. List them below.
1. require the timely disclosure of finance data 2. place limits on campaign contributions 3. place limits on campaign expenditures 4. provide public funding for several parts of the presidential election process
What the 5 ways nominations are made?
1. self-announcement 2. caucus 3. convention 4. direct primary 5. petition
List the five sources of private campaign money for candidates and their parties.
1. small contributors 2. wealthy individuals and families 3. candidates and their families 4. various nonparty groups (PAC) 5. temporary organization
When was the nominating method of caucus used in America?
1720s
When did the nomination method of conventions become popular?
1831
What is the Presidential Election Campaign Fund and when was it established?
1971; used taxpayer money on help fun pre-convention campaigns, national party conventions, and presidential election campaigns
When were financial limits imposed?
1974
How many choices do voters usually have for most political offices on election day? Why?
2 options because the US government is only a two-party system (Republicans and Democrats)
______ of the States let voters cast ballots at polling places for a period of several days before election day
2/3
Describe nominating method of self-announcement
A person announces the he/she wants to run for office
What are the advantages and disadvantages of online voting?
Advantages- make voting more convenient, reduce cost, increase voter turnout Disadvantages- digital disaster, jammed phone lines, blocked access, hacker, viruses, and fraudulent voting
What are advantages and disadvantages of lever-operated voting machines?
Advantages- speeds up voting process, reduces fraud and counting errors Disadvantages- very expensive, major storage and transport problem
Can't just regulate money (without compelling reason such as quid pro quo) because money is freedom of speech
Buckley vs Valeo
What is the difference between closed and open primaries?
Closed primaries help make candidates more responsive to their party, force voters to choose a party affiliation, and prevents opposing party from "raiding" a primary and picking the weakest candidate. Open primaries do not exclude independent voters.
Who regulates the use of money in federal election?
Congress
sets limits on and requires disclosure of spending by candidates for federal offices and provides for financing for Presidential candidates. Requires full and timely disclosures, limited some contributions, capped spending, and permitted unions and corporations to form PACs. Updated in 1974, 1976, and 1979 through amendment
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971
What is the FEC and what does it stand for?
Federal Election Commission and it's a commission that helps administer FECA and all the federal laws dealing with campaign finance
Why do states require that ballots be cast in secret?
If not secret, parties could persuade and sway the voter's decision
overturned limits on aggregate federal campaign contributions to all federal candidates, parties, and political action committees combined
McCutcheon vs FED (2014)
expand disclosure, limit influence of PACs by banning ads 30 days before election and 60 days before primary
Mccain-Feingold (Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002)
When is election day usually held?
November of every even-numbered year, on the Tuesday following the first Monday
What states holds all its elections by mail?
Oregon
How do precincts differ from a polling place?
Polling places are where the voters who live in a precinct go to cast their ballot