Elections And Campaigns

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coattails

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The idea that a popular president can generate additional support
for candidates affi liated with his party. Coattails are weak or
nonexistent in most American elections.

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Political Action Committee- PAC

Back 2

committee set up by and made to represent a corporation, labor unioin, special interest group- can get candidate up to $5,000

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Caucus

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A meeting of people, often in an auditorium or church basement, where they vote on who they would like their party's nominee to be.

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Clothespin vote

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The vote cast by a person who does not like either candidate so cotes for the less objectionable of the two, putting a clothespin over his or her nose to keep out the unpleasant stench.

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Position issue

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An issue about which the public is divided and rival candidates or political parties adopt different policy positions.

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Valence issue

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An issue about which the public is united and rical candidates or political parties adopt similar positions in hopes that each will be thought to best represent those widely shared beliefs.

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General election

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AN election held to choose which candidate will hold office.

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Primary election

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An election held to choose candidates for office.

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Closed primary

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A primary election in which voting is limited to already registered party members.

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Open primary

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A primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place.

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Blanket primary

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A primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties.

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Runoff primary

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A second primary election held when no candidate wins a majority of the votes in the first primary.

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Soft money

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Funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party activities, such as get-out-the-vote drives, but not on behalf of a specific candidate.

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527 Organizations

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Organizations that, under section 527 of the INternal Revenue Code, raise and spend money to advance political causes.

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Prospective voting

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Voting for a candidate because you favor his or her ideas for handling issues.

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Retrospective voting

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Voting for a candidate because you like his or her past actions in office.

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Hard Money

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Funds that are raised subject to federal campaign contribution and expenditure limitations

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Primary Election

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Election held to determine a party's nominee for the general election ballot

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Split Ticket Ballot

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Voters casting their ballots for the candidates of two or more political parties

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Straight ticket Ballot

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voters selecting the entire slate of candidates of one party only

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Smith v. Allwright (1944)

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an important decision of the United States Supreme Court with regard to voting rights and, by extension, racial desegregation. It overturned the Democratic Party's use of all-white primaries in Texas, and other states where the party used the rule.

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White Primaries

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A legal device once employed by some Southern states to prevent African Americans from exercising their right to vote in a meaningful way.

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whistlestop tour

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a style of political campaigning where the politician makes a series of brief appearances or speeches at a number of small towns over a short period of time. ...

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front-loaded campaign

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The practice of states moving their presidential primaries or
caucuses to take place earlier in the nomination process, often in the
hopes of exerting more infl uence over the outcome.

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Federal Election Campaign Act

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This is the federal law that governs the way that money is raised and spent in connection with federal elections and thus regulates how unions raise, handle and spend money in connection with federal elections. It is often referred to by its acronym "FECA."

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Federal Election Commission

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The Federal Election Commission is the federal agency which is responsible for enforcing the Federal Election Campaign Act which governs the way that money is raised and spent in connection with federal elections. It is often referred to by its acronym "FEC."

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Buckley v. Valeo

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sets limits on campaign contributions

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bipartisan campaign reform act

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replaced the federal election campaign act; outlawed soft money; tried to impose limits on issue advocacy and independent expenditures before elections

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Super Tuesday

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day when several states hold their presidential primaries (usually the second tuesday in march)

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Bush v. Gore

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stopped recount because the recounts violated the equal protection clause as all voters in the state were not being treated the same way.

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opposition research

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practice of searching for events in the political histories of the candidates or their personal lives that can be used to attack during elections

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mcconnell v. FEC

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the supreme court upheld all major elements of the bipartisan campaign reform act of 2002, including those permitted regulation of soft money and issue ads