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GOVT- Chapter 09
Campaigns and Voting Behavior
26
Political Studies
Undergraduate 1
02/09/2009

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Term
nomination
Definition
The official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party. Generally, success in the nomination game requires momentum, money, and media attention.
Term
campaign strategy
Definition
The master game plan candidates lay out to guide their electoral campaign
Term
caucus
Definition
a meeting of all state party leaders for selecting delegates to the national party convention. These are usually organized as a pyramid
Term
national party convention
Definition
The supreme power within each of the parties. This meets every four years to nominate that party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates and to write the party's platform
Term
presidential primaries
Definition
elections in which voters in a state vote for a candidate (or delegates pledged to him or her). Most delegates to the national party conventions are chosen this way.
Term
McGovern-Fraser Commission
Definition
a commission formed at the 1968 Democratic convention in response to demands for reform by minority groups and others who sought better representation
Term
superdelegates
Definition
national party leaders who automatically get a delegate slot at the Democratic national party convention
Term
frontloading
Definition
the recent tendency of states to hold primaries early in the calendar in order to capitalize on media attention
Term
national primary
Definition
a proposal by critics of the caucuses and presidential primaries systems would replace these electoral methods with a nationwide primary held early in the election year
Term
regional primaries
Definition
a proposal by critics of the caucuses and presidential primaries to replace these electoral methods with a series of primaries held in each geographic region
Term
Federal Election Campaign Act
Definition
a law passed in 1974 for reforming campaign finances. The act created the Federal Election Commission, provided public financing for presidential primaries and general elections, limited presidential campaign spending, required disclosure, and attempted to limit contributions
Term
Federal Election Commission
Definition
a six-member bipartisan agency created by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974. The Federal Election Commission administers and enforces campaign finance laws
Term
Presidential Election Campaign Fund
Definition
Funded by the $3 check-off on IRS tax forms, this fund provides a source of money for matching funds in the primaries and complete financing of Democratic and Republican presidential nominee in the general election
Term
matching funds
Definition
contributions of up to $250 from individuals are matched for qualified presidential candidates in the primaries
Term
soft money
Definition
Political contributions earmarked for party-building expenses at the grass-roots level or for generic party advertising. For a time, such contributions were unlimited, until they were banned by the McCain-Feingold Act
Term
527 Groups
Definition
Independent groups that seek to influence the political process but are not subject to contribution restrictions because they do not directly seek the election of particular candidates. Their name comes from the federal tax code, under which they are governed
Term
political action committees
Definition
funding vehicles created by the 1974 campaign finance reforms. A corporation, union, or some other interest group can create a political action committee (PAC) and register it with the Federal Election Commission, which will meticulously monitor the PAC's expenditures
Term
selective perception
Definition
The phenomenon that people often pay the most attention to things they already agree with and interpret them according to their own predisposistions
Term
suffrage
Definition
the legal right to vote
Term
political efficacy
Definition
the belief that one's political participation really matter-- that one's vote can actually make a difference
Term
civic duty
Definition
the belief that in order to support democratic government, a citizen should always vote
Term
voter registration
Definition
a system adopted by the states that requires voters to register well in advance of Election Day.Although a few states permit Election Day registration for presidential elections, advance registration dampens voter turnout
Term
Motor Voter Act
Definition
Passed in 1993, this act went into effect for the 1996 election. It requires states to permit people to register to vote at the same time they apply for a driver's license
Term
mandate theory of elections
Definition
the idea that the winning candidate has a mandate from the people to carry out his or her platforms and politics. Politicians like the theory better than political scientists do
Term
policy voting
Definition
electoral choices that are made on the basis of the voters' policy preferences and on the basis of where the candidates stand on the policy issues
Term
electoral college
Definition
a unique American institution created by the Constitution, providing for the selection of the president by electors chosen by the state parties. Although this usually reflects a popular majority, the winner-take-all rule gives clout to big states
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