Us gov

What is ballot fatigue?

The result when a voter stops voting for offices and initiatives at the bottom of a long ballot.

Define a caucus.

A form of candidate nomination that occurs in a town-hall style format rather than a day-long election.

What are chronic minority voters?

Voters who belong to political parties that tend not to be competitive in national elections.

What is a closed primary?

An election in which only voters registered with a party may vote for that party’s candidates.

What does the coattail effect refer to?

The result when a popular presidential candidate helps candidates from the same party win their own elections.

Who are delegates in a political context?

Party members who are chosen to represent a particular candidate at the party’s state- or national-level nominating convention.

What is the district system in electoral votes?

The means by which electoral votes are divided between candidates based on who wins districts and/or the state.

What is early voting?

An accommodation that allows voting up to two weeks before Election Day.

Explain the Electoral College.

The constitutionally created group of individuals, chosen by the states, responsible for formally selecting the next U.S. president.

What is incumbency advantage?

The advantage held by officeholders that allows them to often win reelection.

Who is an incumbent?

The current holder of a political office.

What is an initiative?

A law or constitutional amendment proposed and passed by the voters and subject to review by the state courts; also called a proposition.

What are midterm elections?

The congressional elections that occur in the even-numbered years between presidential election years, in the middle of the president’s term.

What is an open primary?

An election in which any registered voter may vote in any party’s primary or caucus.

Define a platform.

The set of issues important to the political party and the party delegates.

What are political action committees (PACs)?

Organizations created to raise money for political campaigns and spend money to influence policy and politics.

What does recall mean in a political context?

The removal of a politician or government official by the voters.

What is a referendum?

A yes or no vote by citizens on a law or candidate proposed by the state government.

What is meant by residency requirement?

The stipulation that a citizen must live in a state for a determined period of time before they can register to vote as a resident of that state.

Define shadow campaign.

A campaign run by political action committees and other organizations without the coordination of the candidate.

What is straight-ticket voting?

The practice of voting only for candidates from the same party.

What are super PACs?

Officially known as Independent Expenditure-Only Committees; organizations that can fundraise and spend as they please to support or attack a candidate but not contribute directly to a candidate or strategize with a candidate’s campaign.

What is a top-two primary?

A primary election in which the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, become the nominees for the general election.

What is voter fatigue?

The result when voters grow tired of voting and stay home from the polls.

What is the voting-age population?

The number of citizens over eighteen.

What does voting-eligible population mean?

The number of citizens eligible to vote.

What is a winner-take-all system?

All electoral votes for a state are given to the candidate who wins the most votes in that state.