Campaigns And Elections

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15th Amendment

Back 1

Forbids a state to deny a person the right to vote because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Hint 1

1870

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19th Amendment

Back 2

Firbids a state to deny a person the right to vote because of their sex

Hint 2

1920- Womens suffrage

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24th Amendment

Back 3

Forbids levying of a poll tax in primary and general elections for national office

Hint 3

1964

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26th Amendment

Back 4

Lowers the legal voting age to 18 for all national, state, and local elections

Hint 4

1971

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"beauty contest"

Back 5

A presidential primary in which candiates compete for popular votes, but the results have little or noeffect on the selection of delegates to the national convention, which is made by the party elite.

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blanket primary

Back 6

A primary election system in which each voter receives a single ballot listing each party's candidates for each nomination and the voter can vote for candidates for either party of an office.

Hint 6

US Supreme Court deemed this method of candidate selection unconstitutional in CA Democratic Party v. Jones in 2000

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bundling

Back 7

The practice of adding together maximum individual campaign contributions to increase their effect.

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caucus

Back 8

A closed meeting of party leaders or members to select party candidates or to decide on policy.

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closed primary

Back 9

The selection of party candidates in an election limited to party members.

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coattail effect

Back 10

The influence of a popular or unpopular candidate or elected official on the electoral success or failure of candidates on the same party ticket.

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credentials committee

Back 11

A committee used by political parties at their naitonal conventions. The committee inspects the claim of each prospective delegate to determine whether he or she is a legitimate representative of his or her state and can participate in the convention.

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crossover voting

Back 12

The ability to cast a vote in a primary for a candidate from another party.

Hint 12

Voters can do this in open primary states.

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dealigning election

Back 13

A general election in which a widely established coalition of voters committed to consistent support for the candidates of one party dissolves and disappears from the electoral horizon.

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elector

Back 14

A person on the partisan slate, selected according to state laws and the applicable political party apparatus, who casts ballots for president and vice president. The number of electors in each state is equal to that state's number of representatives in both houses of Congress.

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electoral college

Back 15

The group of electors selected by the voters in each state and Washington DC. This group officially elects the president and the vice president of the United States.

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eligible voter

Back 16

A voter who meets the legal requirements for the right to vote.

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expanding electorate

Back 17

a factor contributing to low voter turnout. Since voter turnout rates are based on statistics counting all potential or eligible voters, rather than registered voters, an expanding electorate negatively impacts the overall voter turnout rate.

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expansion of the franchise

Back 18

Granting voting rights to more and more members of society.

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Federal Election Campaign Act

Back 19

Controls the raising and spending of funds for political campaigns. Second Act passed imposed additional reforms, including the creation of the Federal Election Commission; providing public financing for presidential primaries and general elections; limiting presidential campaign spending; limiting contributions by citizens and groups; and requiring disclosure of contributions.

Hint 19

1972 and 1974

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focus group

Back 20

A small group of people in a moderator-led discussion that gathers feelings, opinions, and responses to specific candidates and political or economic issues.

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front-loading

Back 21

The practice of scheduling presidential primary elections during early parts of election campaign to increase the amount of influence that certain states or regions exert on the nomination.

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front runner

Back 22

The presidential candidate considered to have the lead at any given time in an election.

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general election

Back 23

A statewide election usually held shortly after a primary election to fill state and national offices.

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gerrymandering

Back 24

The practice of drawing legislative district boundaries with an eye toward creating a political advantage for a particular party of faction.

Hint 24

The shape of a gerrymandering district has been manipulated by the state's legislature's dominant party to increase their electoral strength.

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Hatch Act (Political Activities Act)

Back 25

A law that limits contributions to political parties and spending by political parties. Made it illegal for individuals and corporations under contract with the government to contribute to political candidates or to political parties.

Hint 25

1939 - resulted from federal employees being threatened with losing their jobs or promotions if they didn't donate to political campaigns.

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independent candidate

Back 26

Candidate not affiliated with a political party.

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indirect election

Back 27

An election in which voters do not vote to fill the office but vote for the people who will cast the votes to fill the office.

Hint 27

For example, citizens vote for the electoral college, which then elects the president.

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Iowa caucus

Back 28

The first caucus of the presidential campaign season, which is closely watched and strongly contested.

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issue voting

Back 29

Casting a vote for a candiate primarily due to his or her stand on a particular issue of importance to the voter.

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legitimacy

Back 30

The acceptance of the government's right to rule by the people the government rules. Rises from a shared belief that the government is operating as it should, that is, making decisions by following correct decision-making policies and using power appropriately within a justly defined Constitutional role.

Hint 30

By granting to a government, people regard the gavoernment as valuable, its decisions and actions as valid and binding, and worthy of a certain level of obediaence and compliance.

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low voter turnout

Back 31

A situation in which only a small percentage of eligible voters actually cast their votes in an election.

Hint 31

Seen as a problem in the American political system.

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majority method (majority rule)

Back 32

A principle of democracy asserting that a simple majority, defined as 50 plus one in most cases, should select public officials and determine the policies and actions of their government.

Hint 32

In certain cases special majorities are needed, such as the 2/3 majority within the Senate that the Constitution requires to approve a treaty.

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Motor Voter Law

Back 33

A law that requires state to make voter registration procedures easier and more accessible to citizens.

Hint 33

1993 - two ways of doing this are to offer voter registration at state driver's license offices and registration by mail.

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national party convention

Back 34

The meeting held every four years by each majority party to select presidential and vice presidential candidates, to write a platform, to choose a national committee, and to conduct party business.

Hint 34

Presidential candidates have been selected by their parties N.C. since 1832

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New Hampshire primary

Back 35

The first primary of the presidential election season. It is watched closely and contested strongly.

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open primary

Back 36

A voting system that permits voters to choose the party primary of their choice without disclosing party affiliation.

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platform plank

Back 37

One of the articles, or statements, in a party platform.

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plurality

Back 38

More voters than any other candidate but less than fifty percent. It's possible to win an election with a plurality (and not a majority) of votes in most national, state, and local elections.

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plurality method

Back 39

A method of determing the winner in nearly all elections in the US, in which the candidate who receives more votes ( a plurality) than any other candidate wins.

Hint 39

In some instances a candidate can win an election even if more than 50% of the voters vote against that candidate.

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plurality runoff method

Back 40

A method used in some Southern states. If no candidate receives a majority vote, a second, runoff election is held between the two highest vote getters.

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political consultant

Back 41

A paid professional whom a political candidate, party, or campaign hires to develop a campaign strategy and manage the campaign's activities and efforts.

Hint 41

The primary concern of the consultant is the image of the politician, party, or campaign.

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presidential debate

Back 42

Series of televised debates generally held once the two major parties ( or sometimes three) select their candidates for president.

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presidential primary

Back 43

A statewide election in which a party votes for delegates to their national convention as part of hte process of determing a presidential nomineel

Hint 43

Delegates may be pledged to a particular candidate or they may be unpledged.

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primary election

Back 44

A preliminary election in which voters narrow the field of candidates for specific offices.

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proportional voting system (proportional representation)

Back 45

An electoral system that allocates seats in the legislature to each party or group approximately equal to its popular voting strength.

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realigning election

Back 46

A general election in which a new coalition of electoral support ( voters) coalesces around a party's candidates on their agenda to form a semipermanent electoral coalition

Hint 46

Also labeled critical elections - the last one took place with FDR and his New Deal Majority in Congress by a coalition of voters from organized labor, ethnic groups and urban residents.

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reapportionment

Back 47

The reallocation of seats in teh House of Representatives. Takes place only after a census, though if there are no significant population changes, it may not.

Hint 47

Done through a mathematical formula that considers the nations population and the 435 seats the Constitution allows the House.

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referendum

Back 48

A process in whihc legislative or constitutional proposals are presented to the voters for their approval.

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registered voter

Back 49

An eligible voter who has signed up to vote.

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registration

Back 50

Listing the names of eleigible voters. registrations helps determine that people meet certain legal requirements before voting, such as age, citizenship, and residency.

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registration requirements

Back 51

Legal barriers enforced on all potential voters.

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single-member district

Back 52

An elctoral district from which a single legislator is chosen, usually by a pluarlity vote, in contrast to proportional representation or at-large system.

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socieconomic status (SES)

Back 53

A group of people within the society who share similar income levels and similar types of employment.

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soft money

Back 54

Campaign contributions that get around laws setting maximum campaign contributions because they're given to political parties and party committees to fund general party activities, instead of to a specific candidate.

Hint 54

Parties usually use this money in a way that helps its candidates.

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Super Tuesday

Back 55

A Tuesday in March in which a large number of presidential primaries, including those of most Southern states, are held.

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super-delegate

Back 56

A party leader or election official who's granted the right to vote at a party's national convention due to the leader's political position, not due to an election at state level.

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swing voters

Back 57

Refers to those voters who are uncommitted to a particular party or candidate up until election time.

Hint 57

Political advertising is often used to try and capture the allegiances of these undecided voters

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telescoping effect

Back 58

The occurence, in a winner-take-alll system, of a presidential candidate winning in a state by just a few popular votes yet recieving all of that state's electorial college votes.

Hint 58

His or her opponent may have almost as many popular votes, yet will receive none of the state's electoral college votes.

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third party

Back 59

A political party other than the two main parties in a two-party system. Third parties are usually made up of independent voters and dissatisfied members of one or both major parties.

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tracking poll

Back 60

A poll taken on a nearly daily basis for a candidate as election day nears.

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voter turnout

Back 61

The percentage of citizens who participate in an election by casting a vote.

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Voting Rights Act

Back 62

Eliminated restrictions on voting that had been used to discriminate against African Americans and other minority groups.

Hint 62

1965

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winner take all

Back 63

A voting system in which the candidate who recieves a plurality of hte votes wins.

Hint 63

Only one candidate can win each election.