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Incumbent
The person already holding an elective office.
Coattails
The alleged tendency of candidates to win more votes in an election because of the presence of a better known candidate at the top of the ticket.
Political Action Committee (PAC)
A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations.
Malapportionment
Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population.
Gerrymandering
Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts in bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party.
Position Issue
An issue about which the public is divided and rival candidates adopt different policy positions.
Valence Issue
An issue about which the public is united and rival candidates adopt similar positions.
General Election
A regular election where all registered voters may vote for candidates for political office.
Open Primary
Voting process to elect candidates by allowing voters of any party affiliation to vote in one party’s primary election.
Closed Primary
Voting process to elect candidates where only voters registered in a given party can vote in their party’s primary election.
Soft Money
Funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party activities, but not on behalf of a specific candidate.
Independent Expenditures
Spending by political action committees, corporations, or labor unions to help a party or candidate but done independently of them.
527 Organization
Organizations that raise and spend money to advance political causes.
Proportional System
A type of electoral system in which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionally in a legislative body.
Winner-Take-All System
A structural barrier to third-party and independent candidate success; winner-take-all voting advantages the two-party system.
Incumbency Advantage
Benefits current officeholders possess over challengers.
Electoral College
States can choose how they allocate their electors; most states use a winner-take-all system.
Popular Vote
An election where the candidate with a majority or plurality of all votes in the nation wins.
Presidential Election
Involves incumbency advantage, open and closed primaries, caucuses, party conventions, general elections, and the Electoral College.
Congressional Election
The process and outcomes that are affected by incumbency advantage, open and closed primaries, caucuses, and general elections.
Modern Campaign
Benefits and drawbacks of modern campaigns include dependence on professional consultants, rising costs, long election cycles, and reliance on social media.
Campaign Finance
Includes financial contributions from individuals, political action committees, and political parties.
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002
An effort to ban soft money and reduce attack ads with the provision 'Stand by Your Ad'.
