Campaigns and Elections

A series of flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture on Campaigns and Elections, including amendments, voting rights, voter turnout, and campaign strategies.

Suffrage

The right to vote, which has expanded throughout American history.

Fifteenth Amendment

Granted the right to vote to African American men.

Nineteenth Amendment

Granted women the right to vote nationwide in 1920.

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

Expanded the right to vote to individuals aged 18 to 21.

Voter Turnout

The percentage of eligible individuals who actually vote.

Expected Utility

The utility of outcomes weighted by the probability of each outcome occurring.

Civic Duty

The obligation of citizens to participate in their governance.

Midterm Elections

Congressional elections that do not coincide with a presidential election.

Primary Election

Elections held to select a party’s candidate for the general election.

Electoral College

A body of electors established by the Constitution to elect the president and vice president.

Fundraising

The process of gathering financial support for campaigns.

Grassroots Campaigns

Political campaigns that operate at the local level to generate interest and support.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

A private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns.

527 Committees

Nonprofit independent political action committees that may raise unlimited sums of money but cannot coordinate directly with candidates.

501c(4) Committees

Politically active nonprofit organizations that can spend unlimited amounts on campaigns without disclosing their donors.