Political Participation - Interest Groups, Political Parties, and Campaigns

Political action committee (PAC)

... Committee formed by a special-interest group to raise money for their favorite political candidates.

Obama

"A skinny kid with a funny name who believes that American has a place for him too." Won a seat in the Senate for Illinois at the 2004 Democratic Convention (stole the spotlight here).

Amicus curiae brief

... "friend of the court" brief filed by an interest group to influence a supreme court decision

Patronage

... (politics) granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support

Direct election

... 17th Amendment

Super Tuesday

... A Tuesday in early March in which many presidential primaries, particularly in the South, are held.

Iron triangle

... A close relationship between an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group

Australian ballot

... A government printed ballot of uniform size and shape to be cast in secret that was adopted by many states around 1890 in order to reduce the voting fraud associated with party printed ballots cast in public.

Political party

... A group of individuals with broad common interests who organize to nominate candidates for office, win elections, conduct government, and determine public policy

Electoral college

... A group selected by the states to elect the president and the vice-president. Each state's number of ELECTORS (2 votes per elector - pres and VP) is equal to the number of its senators and representatives in Congress. The candidate's goal is to win a majority of the Electoral College (270). Created as the result of a compromise between Framers (wanted selection of pres by Congress) and people who advocated direct popular election. If tie b/w two candidates or no majority -> House of Reps. 12th Amendment in 1804 provided for separate elections for pres and VP - each elector has one vote per office.

Litigation

... A lawsuit.

Party platform/plank

... A political party's statement of its goals and policies for the next four years. The platform is drafted prior to the party convention by a committee whose members are chosen in rough proportion to each candidate's strength. It is the best formal statement of a party's beliefs.

Blanket primary

... A primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties A primary in which any registered voter is able to vote for candidates from more than one party. A voter, for example, may vote for a Democrat for U.S. senator and for a Republican for governor.

Closed primary

... A primary in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote A primary election limited to registered party members. Prevents members of other parties from crossing over to influence the nomination of an opposing party's candidate.

Direct primary

... A primary where voters directly select the candidates who will run for office

Swing state

... A state that does not consistently vote either Democratic or Republican in presidential elections.

Lobbying

... A strategy by which organized interests seek to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of the legislature.

Elite theory

... A theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization.

Pluralism

... A theory of government that holds that open, multiple, and competing groups can check the asserted power by any one group.

Safe seat

... An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other, so the success of that party's candidate is almost taken for granted.

Realigning (critical) election

... An election in which there is a long term change in party alignment

Single member district system

... An electoral district in which voters choose one representative or official.

Interest group

... An organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy

Plurality

... Candidate or party with the most votes cast in an election, not necessarily more than half.

Revolving door

... Employment cycle in which individuals who work for government agencies that regulate interests eventually end up working for interest groups or businesses with the same policy concern.

Divided government

... Governance divided between the parties, as when one holds the presidency and the other controls one or both houses of Congress.

Soft money

... Money raised in unlimited amounts by political parties for party-building purposes. Now largely illegal except for limited contributions to state or local parties for voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.

Superdelegate

... National party leaders who automatically get a delegate slot at the Democratic national party convention.

Hard money

... Political contributions given to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amount and fully disclosed.

Factions

... Political groups that agree on objectives and policies; the origins of political parties.

Gerrymandering

... Process of redrawing legislative boundaries (sometimes oddly shaped like a salamander) for the purpose of benefiting the party in power. Credited to MA governor Elbridge Gerry. Supreme Court ruled that this process to dilute minority strength is illegal under the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Suffrage

... Right to vote

Reapportionment

... The process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives (and consequently the Electoral College) every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census. Recently has favored the Republicans.

Front loading

... The recent tendency of states to hold primaries early in the calendar in order to capitalize on media attention. New Hampshire, a small, heavily white, and conservative state, is usually the first and receives more media coverage than it deserves, which skews voter opinions in more populous states. This action benefits the front-runner (opponents have little time to turn the contest around if they fall behind) and the candidate who can raise bulk of the money before the nomination season begins (little opportunity to raise money once primaries begin).

Redistricting

... The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population. Political process that the majority party in a state uses to ensure formation of voting districts that protect their majority. Republicans tried to do this in Texas after gaining control in the 2002 election. Can be used in favor of or against incumbents (many incumbents in the same district).

Split ticket voting

... Voting for candidates of different parties for different offices at the same election

Party column ballot

... a ballot listing all candidates of a given party together under the name of that party; also called an "Indiana" ballot

Open primary

... a primary in which any registered voter can vote (but must vote for candidates of only one party)

Office column ballot

... ballot in which candidates are arranged by office rather than party. encourages split ticket voting

Dealignment argument

... contention that parties are less meaningful to voters, who have abandoned the parties in greater numbers to become independents.

Nonpartisan elections

... elections in which candidates are not identified by party membership on the ballot.

Balancing the ticket

... occurs when a presidential nominee chooses a vice presidential running mate who has different qualities in order to attract more votes for the ticket.

Straight ticket voting

... practice of voting for candidates of only one party in an election

Plurality elections

... such as those for Congress are won by the person with the most votes, regardless if he/she has a majority.

Fixed terms

... terms of office that have a definite length of time, e.g., two years for a member of the House.

Free rider problem

... the problem faced by interest groups when citizens can reap the benefits of interest group action without actually joining, participating in, or contributing money to such groups.

527 political committees

... unregulated interest groups that focus on specific cause or policy position and attempt to influence the decision of voters; unregulated soft money in previous election cycles ended up in the hands of these organizations; campaign reform law had no effect on overall spending; no limits! no regulations! But can't specifically endorse a candidate (ex. the Media fund and Americans Coming Together)

Independent

...A voter with no bias towards one party. These have recently increased.

General election campaign

...After earning the party's nomination, candidates aim to win a general election via endorsements and money from interest groups and voters. Liberal, labor, and minority groups back Democrats while social conservatives and business orgs back Republicans. Candidates have a slogan.

Incumbent

...Already in office. People in office tend to remain in office. More House incumbents stay than do Senatorial ones.

Coattail effect

...Successful presidential candidates usually carry into office congressional candidates of the same party in the year of their election. The gains are usually minimal (counter-ex: Harry Truman's party), and seats can sometimes even be lost.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

...The Supreme Court addressed the difficult balance between free speech (1st Amendment) and the need to prevent political corruption. Ruled that no limit can be placed on the amount of money candidates can spend from their own families' resources (considered a right of free speech).

Bush v. Gore (2000)

...With Electoral College results being so close (271 for Bush, 267 for Gore), Gore ordered a recount; however, the Supreme Court controversially decided to stop the recount in Florida, and Al Gore became the 4th person to win the popular vote yet lose the presidency.

Caucus

A closed meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform. The first is Iowa and receives much attention. Popular in the past. Participants spend several hours learning about candidates via speeches, so their vote is more well-informed than participants of primaries.

Dark horse

A political candidate who is not well known but could win unexpectedly.

Regional primaries

A proposal to reform the Electoral process. The country would be divided into 5/6 geographic areas and all states in each region would hold their presidential primary elections on the same day. Candidates couldn't camp out in Iowa (1st caucus) and New Hamp (1st primary) anymore.

Unit rule

A traditional party practice under which the majority of a state delegation can force the minority to vote for its candidate. Abolished by the Democrats.

Proportional representation primary

An election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote, used by Democrats.

Nomination campaign

Begins as soon as the candidate has decided to run and ends the night of the party primary or convention. The goal is to win a primary election via targeting leaders and activists who choose nominees in primaries. Candidates can't move too far to the right or left.

Federal Election Campaign Acts 1971-4

Created FEC, which enforces the nation's election laws. Required disclosure of contributions and expenditures. Provided limitations on contributions and presidential election expenditures.

Constituency services

Describes a wide array of assistance provided by a member of Congress to voters in need (ex: finding an internship for a college student). Helps incumbents get reelected.

Midterm election

Elections in the middle of presidential terms. Has a much lower voter turnout than presidential elections. Threat to incumbents of the president's party (usually lose seats) (counter-ex: in the 2002 midterm election, Bush's party gained seats b/c right after 9/11 attacks).

Invisible primary

Frontloading has amplified the importance of this, which is the year prior to the start of the official nomination season when candidates begin raising money and unofficially campaigning.

Fraud

In the 19th century, political parties ran the elections and supplied paper ballots (different color per party choice). Now states monitor the election process to try to reduce this problem.

Nader effect

In the 2004 election, anything-but-Bush adherents were so determined to get President Bush out of office that they gave Kerry their votes. This effect originated from the 2000 election, in which people who wanted neither Bush nor Gore voted for Nader. Not enough to swing any states in either case.

Scare-off Effect

Incumbents have the ability to scare off high-quality challengers b/c of institutional advantages, such as high name recognition, large war chests, and experience. Explains why reelection rates are lower in the Senate than in the House.

Absentee voting

Most states have this system, where voters can request to receive their ballots at home. Oregon is the only state where all voters vote by mail (takes longer to get results).

Zell Miller

Most surprising speaker at the Republican Convention. e was Democrat in the name only, and sharply attacked John Kerry and the Democrats' positions on national defense.

McCain-Feingold Bill (Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002)

Raised hard money limits to $2000. Banned soft money contributions to national political parties and restricted the use of political ads. Lessened the influence of big money on politics. One way that the Electoral process was reformed. "Fast track" provision - any suits challenging the constitutionality of these reforms would be placed before a District Court (thwarted lobbying groups and high-profile elected officials who tried to tie up BCRA in courts). In McConnell v. FEC (2003), the Supreme Court upheld BCRA measures restricting speech in contributions (soft money) and advertising.

National Voter Registration BILL (Motor Vehicle Act) 1993

Requires states to allow people to register to vote when applying for driver's licenses applications or completing license renewal forms.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Suspended literary tests. Empowered federal officials to: register voters, ensure that citizens could vote, and count ballots. Prohibited states from changing voting procedures without federal permission.

Keep the College, Abolish the Electors

This proposal preserves the college but removes all voting power from electors and their legislative appointees. It would remove the threat of faithless electors, who are appointed by state legislators to vote for the candidate who won that state's vote but then choose to vote for a different candidate.

Popular vote

This reform would abolish the Electoral College entirely and have the president selected by popular vote (eliminates what happened to Gore). Most democratic reform yet least likely to be enacted as the Constitution would have to be amended. Endorsed by CA.

Congressional District Plan

Under this plan, each candidate would receive one electoral vote for each congressional district he/she wins in a state, and the winner of the overall popular vote in each state receives two bonus votes (1 per senator). Can currently be adopted by any state w/o constitutional amendment. Winner of popular vote can still lose presidency.

Six-year itch

Voters are restless for change in the 6th year of a 2 term presidency, and the incumbent president's party typically loses seats during that midterm election. After Bush's War on Iraq in 2006, Republicans lost 36 total seats (mainly in the House) and gave Democrats control of both houses in the 2006 midterm election.

Winner-take-all primary

the system in which the candidate who wins the most votes in a state secures all of that state's delegates, used by Republicans.