Term
| what are the factors included in the calculus of voting |
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Definition
Vote = (B*P) - C + D
B = Benefit of having your candidate win
P = probability of your vote making a difference
C = Cost
D = CIvic Duty |
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Term
| What factor in the calculus of voting tends to discourage people from showing up to the polls? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is a recent trend in voter turnout? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the different ways of calculating voter turnout? Why do the differences matter? |
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Definition
VAP: voting age population, all residents who are age 18 or older.
VEP: voting eligible population, excludes non-citizens, felons, and includes eligible overseas voters.
Can draw different conclusions based on each calculation
VEP is generally considered the accepted calculation of voter turnout |
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Term
| Compared to other western democracies, is the United States ranked at the top of the list in terms of voter turnout rates? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Ballots that indicate no choice for an office, whether because the voter abstained or because the voter’s intention could not be determined |
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Term
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Definition
| when you vote for more than one candidate |
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Term
| How do the laws surrounding voter registration play into voters’ decision to show up to the polls? How do they differ from other developed countries? |
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Definition
the "cost" is high, Other countries use the number of registered voters in their turnout calculations, but it comprises every citizen born in the country. Some countries attach costs to nonvoting
Compulsory in some countries
Australia– fine nonvoters
Several countries in Central and South America (e.g., Chile, Argentina, Uruguay)
Compulsion raises turnout by about 15 % more than in democracies without it |
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Term
What are some other potential reforms to elections that may encourage people to show up to the polls?
• • •
Involve when elections are held
Frequency of elections
Restrictions on where one can vote |
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Definition
Elections traditionally held on Tuesdays
Other countries hold them on Sundays or make the election day a holiday
Voter turnout in countries with non-compulsory law and non-work election days is 24% higher than in the United States.
American vote more during the year than other countries.
Must vote at a particular polling station. |
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Term
| What part do parties play in increasing voter turnout? |
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Definition
American parties have declined as mobilizing agents
Overall, weaker mobilization efforts depress turnout by about 10 to 15 percent
Individuals receive less support for voting than do citizens in other countries |
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Term
| Which groups in society are more inclined to vote? |
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Definition
Highly-educated people are more likely to vote than those without formal education
Turnout increases with age |
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Term
| What are some explanations for why we have seen a reduction in voter turnout over time? |
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Definition
people are content with their govQuality of electoral decisions is higher
because nonvoters are less informed than voters. |
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Term
| What is the most popular method of selecting party nominees for president (State-by-state)? |
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Definition
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Term
| What were some of the reforms in nomination rules in the Democratic party? What impact did they have? |
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Definition
New rules opened up the process to regular party voters
Results
Increase in number of presidential primaries
Use of proportional delegate selection
Effort to make delegates more diverse
Superdelegates
severe decline in number of Democratic elected officials and party leaders who became delegates
Can use influence in tight races |
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Term
| What are some potential criticisms of the primary system for electing presidents? |
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Definition
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Term
| How does the electoral college shape how candidates run their campaigns? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are some of the considerations voters make to choose between candidates? |
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Definition
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Term
| Recently, there was a major reform in the amount of money individuals could contribute to party committees? What was it? What was this sort of money called? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is most campaign money spent on? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| A pledged delegate is elected or chosen on the state or local level with the understanding that they will support a particular candidate at the convention. However, pledged delegates are not actually bound to vote for the candidate. Consequently, candidates are allowed on a state-by-state basis to review the lists of delegates who have pledged their support and can delete anyone whose support they consider unreliable. |
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Term
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Definition
| elites who are not required to vote for particular candidate |
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Term
| How do the Democratic and Republican parties differ in how they distribute delegates among party candidates? |
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Definition
| Democrat: Proportional Allocation Democrat: Winner take all |
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Term
| What are electors? What do they do? |
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Definition
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Term
| How can you calculate the number of electors for each state? |
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Definition
| # of members in the house + 2 senators = number or electoral votes |
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Term
| What element of the electoral college and its place in presidential elections have gained a considerable amount of criticism? |
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Definition
| how a candidate can win the popular vote but lose the general election |
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Term
| In most states, if a presidential candidate in the general election wins a majority of the votes, how many electoral votes does he/she receive? |
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Definition
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Term
| Are members of Congress spending more or less time in their seats than in the past? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is reapportionment? How is it determined? |
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Definition
| determines districts, determined by census |
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Term
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Definition
| Drawing new boundaries of congressional districts, usually after the decennial census |
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Term
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Definition
| drawing lines of congressional districts in order to confer an advantage on some partisan or political interest |
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Term
| What is an open seat? What impact might it have on congressional elections? |
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Definition
| A House or Senate race with no incumbent, because of death or retirement |
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Term
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Definition
| a congressional district certain to vote for the candidate of one party |
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Term
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Definition
| previous office holder, running for office again |
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Term
| What are some factors that contribute to the incumbency advantage? |
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Definition
| the electoral advantage a candidate enjoys by virtue of being an incumbent, over and above his or her personal and political characteristics |
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Term
| How do incumbents go about trying to secure their reelection in an upcoming election? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is their franking privilege? Why is it important? |
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Definition
| Use of the frank (free use of the U.S. mail) |
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Term
| On average, do House or Senate elections tend to be more expensive? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which members of Congress have the highest reelection rates, the House or Senate? Why might they differ in their ability to get reelected? 4 major differences. |
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Definition
Senate elections differ from House elections in:
Party competition
Uncontrolled information
Better challengers
The high ambitions of senators |
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Term
| Are national forces a stronger or weaker influence on congressional elections than they have been in the past? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Positive electoral effect of a popular presidential candidate on congressional candidates of the party |
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Term
| Why might national forces have grown in congressional elections? |
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Definition
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