AP GOV Unit 5A (5.8-5.10)

Incumbent

The person already holding office who is seeking reelection.

Primary election

An election where voters cast votes for delegates who will attend the party's national convention.

Caucus

A meeting of party members where they discuss candidates and then cast votes. Less convenient and more public than primaries.

Open primary

Voters can declare party affiliation on election day and receive that party's ballot.

Closed primary

Voters must declare their party affiliation in advance, typically when registering to vote.

Blanket primary

Allows voters to cast votes for candidates in multiple parties

Front loading

States scheduling their primaries and caucuses earlier to boost political clout and tourism.

Super Tuesday

A Tuesday in early March in which many presidential primaries, particularly in the South, are held.

National party convention

Where parties officially nominate their candidate; less suspenseful now because nominees are determined beforehand

Party platform

The list of principles and plans a party hopes to enact, approved at the party's national convention every four years.

Balancing the ticket

The practice of selecting a vice presidential candidate who brings diversity (geographic, ideological, demographic) to attract more voters.

Superdelegates

Unelected delegates who can support any candidate; used by Democrats.

General election

The election after party nominations, kicking into high gear after Labor Day, where the two major party candidates compete.

Swing (battleground) state

States where victories swing from one party to another in different elections; candidates focus campaign resources here.

Electoral College

A system where electors from each state cast votes for president; each state gets electors equal to its members of Congress.

Electors

People appointed by state parties who cast electoral votes for president.

23rd Amendment

Gave Washington, DC, three electoral votes.

Winner-take-all

The candidate who wins the plurality of popular vote in a state receives all that state's electoral votes.

(except Maine and Nebraska)

Plurality

Winning the most votes, even if not a majority.

Bush v. Gore (200)

Supreme Court case that stopped the Florida recount, effectively deciding the presidential election.

Midterm election

Federal elections that take place halfway through a president's term.

• All House seats are up

• 1/3rd of Senate seats are up

Political Action Committees (PACs)

Formal groups around a similar interest that donate heavily to incumbents.

Coattail effect

When a popular presidential candidate attracts votes for down-ballot congressional candidates of the same party.

Direct primary

An election where voters choose candidates to represent their party in the general election.

Single member district

An electoral district with one representative elected to office.

Safe seat

A district where one party wins by a large margin; incumbents rarely lose.

Gerrymandering

Drawing congressional district lines to maximize party control and create one-party dominant districts.

Nomination

The process of selecting a party's candidate for the general election.

Campaign strategy

The plan for targeting voters, shaping ad campaigns, defining the opponent, and winning the election.

Campaign manager

The professional who runs day-to-day campaign operations and strategy.

Communications director

Handles media relations and messaging.

Press secretary

Handles press inquiries and official statements.

Get Out the Vote (GOTV)

Efforts to mobilize supporters to actually vote on Election Day.

Federal Election Campaign Act

Public money

Federal Election Commission

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (2002) [McCain-Feingold]

Stand by Your Aid

Hard money

Individual donations of money or PAC contributions as limited by federal laws.

Soft money

Funds obtain by political parties that were spent on party activites, but no behalf of a specific candidate.

Citizens United v. FEC

Super PACs

527s