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14 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Three major functions of elections |
1. institutionalize political activity 2. provide regular access to political power 3. let people guide the country's policy direction |
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Three types of elections |
1. Primaries 2. General elections 3. policy specific elections |
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Differences between a referendum and an initiative |
An initiative is a process by which citizens can gather signatures on a petition to place a proposed new law or constitutional maendment on the ballot. A referendum is the vote that people participate in to vote to approve or disapprove a proposed law or constitutional amendment |
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Three reasons people might vote |
1. Like policies of party or candidate 2. civic duty 3. political efficacy |
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Major provisions of motor voter act |
required states to allow people to register to vote at the same time they registered for a driver's license |
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Six demographic factors related to voter turnout |
1. education 2. age 3. race 4. gender 5. marital status 6. union membership |
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Explain the Mandate theory of elections |
a candidate or party who wins the election thinks they won because the voters approved of their policies. (even if they barely won) |
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Three important dimensions of candidate image |
1. integrity 2. reliability 3. competence |
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four conditions necessary for policy voting to take place |
1. voters have clear view of their own policy position 2. voters have clear view of candidate's policy position 3. Voters can see differences between candidates 4. Voters actually vote for candidate with same policy position as theirs |
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How the Electoral College works |
1. Electors selected (same number as total senators and congressmen in a state) 2. individuals vote 3. electors for candidate who received majority vote cast vote for that candidate (most states except Maine and Nebraska are winner take all) 4. If no candidate wins majority the House of Reps decides (as with JQ Adams) |
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Why is the Electoral college important in Presidential politics |
1. it introduces bias into the process 2. winner takes all causes candidates to concentrate on winning states where closest contest instead of spreading out campaign |
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2 tasks elections accomplish |
1. select policymakers 2. shape public policy |
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how elections affect public policy |
when candidates have extremely different policy viewpoints - because voters can see and recognize the differences and do true policy voting |
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retrospective voting |
voters consider what the candidate has done for them lately. If they are not better off than before the candidate took office they will usually vote fo the challenger. |
