Elections (Chapter 8)

Investigating the background, statements, voting records, or personal lives of political opponents to find potentially damaging information. It’s a common campaign strategy used to raise doubts or cast opponents in a negative light.

Opposition Research

What happens if no presidential candidate receives a majority of the Electoral College votes?

The House of Representatives decides who wins

Occurs when voters choose candidates from different political parties for different offices on the same ballot. (Members of Congress may try to build strong personal relationships with constituents to encourage them to vote for them regardless of party, especially if the party's presidential candidate is unpopular).

Split Ticket Voting

Who are permanent campaigns ran by?

Incumbents

Refers to political contributions that are given directly to a candidate’s campaign and are regulated by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). (A student decides to donate $27 to the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign)

Hard Money

The unchangeable factors in an election (state of the economy, partisan makeup of the electorate, incumbency status, and demographic trends).

Fundamentals

When a popular candidate at the top of the ticket (such as a presidential nominee) helps boost the chances of other candidates from the same party in down-ballot races, like congressional or local elections

Coattails

The number of electors from each state is determined by…

The number of House seats and Senators for the state.

Campaign's effort to get out the vote on Election Day

Ground Game

The period after a representative is elected, until the next election in two years.

Election Cycle

Which of the following groups is most likely to run positive campaign advertisements?

Candidates (Promote themselves)

Who is in charge of administering federal election laws?

The Federal Election Commission (FEC)

A voting system where the candidate with the most votes wins, even if they do not receive a majority (more than 50%) of the votes.

Plurality

Why are swing states so important to a campaign strategy?

They can potentially be won by either major-party candidate.

Turnout among registered voters in presidential elections is generally around?

60%

A state has nine elected officials in the U.S. House, how many electoral votes does it have in a presidential elections?

11

Involves a Senate candidate reaching out to voters directly

Retail Politics

involves a Senate candidate contacting voters indirectly through the mass media.

Wholesale politics

To win a congressional seat, a candidate must make it first through her party’s ________ and then win the ________.

Primary; General Election

What is likely to lead a wave election?

A weak economy

The main way that American candidates reach the electorate is through…

Campaign Ads