AP Gov Chapter 14

incumbency advantage phenomenon

The electoral advantage a candidate enjoys by virtue of being an incumbent, over and above his or her other personal and political characteristics.

open primary

Primary election in which any voter, regardless of party, may vote.

closed primary

A primary in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote

Caucus

A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.

party convention

A meeting of party delegates to vote on matters of policy and in some cases to select party candidates for public office.

Third Party Candidate

someone who represents a political party that is neither Democrat nor Republican

Congressional Elections

held every two years on the first Tuesday in November to elect candidates for senate and house.

state elections

elections to select state officers (first Tuesday after the first Monday in November on odd years)

Electoral College

A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president

Swing State

a state that does not consistently vote either Democratic or Republican in presidential elections

Alterations to the electoral system

Pushing for advancement and change to the constitutional and way that representatives are elected. (Electoral reform)

winner-take-all

a system in which the candidate with the most district votes in a state gets all of the delegate votes from that state

presidential election

an election held every four years on even-numbered years to decide president and vice president

midterm election

Elections held midway between presidential elections for representatives and other sub national office holders.

coattail effect

the influence of a popular presidential candidate on the election of congressional candidates of the same party

Political Action Committee

committee formed by a special-interest group to raise money for their favorite political candidates

Super PACs

Independent expenditure-only PACs are known as Super PACs because they may accept donations of any size and can endorse candidates. Their contributions and expenditures must be periodically reported to the FEC.

soft money

Campaign contributions unregulated by federal or state law, usually given to parties and party committees to help fund general party activities.

hard money

Political contributions given to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amount and fully disclosed.

issue ads

ads that focus on issues and do not explicitly encourage citizens to vote for a certain candidate

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002

banned soft money contributions to national political parties from corporations and unions; independent expenditures by corporations, labor unions, trade associations, and nonprofit organizations are sharply restricted

Citizens United v. FEC

A 2010 decision by the United States Supreme Court holding that independent expenditures are free speech protected by the 1st Amendment and so cannot be limited by federal law. Leads to creation of SuperPACs.