AP Gov Elections, Campaigns, and Voting

Forms of political participation

voting, volunteering, running for office

Examples of grassroots organizing

fundraisers, rallies, leafleting, get out the vote drives

order of the election season

primaries/caucuses, then the general election

factors in general election competitiveness

strength of the incumbent, party competition, level of office

voting eligibility in primary elections

varies from state to state

role of the delegate in the party nomination process

popular vote determines delegate vote

1968 convention

democrats would now recognize the outcome of primaries

caucuses

meeting of party members to select delegates

open primaries

any voter can choose which primary they vote in

closed primaries

only voters registered with a party can vote in the corresponding primary

timing of primary elections

states determine it

super tuesday

first tuesday in march

months of most general elections

november

day of the presidential election

first tuesday after first monday

votes needed to win a congressional election

the majority

run off elections

avoided when 50% of the vote goes to one canidate, computerized voting has facilitated instant results

referendum

proposed by state legislators

initiatives

proposed by citizens or interest groups

proposition

a proposed measure placed on the ballot in an initiative election

recall

remove an elected official

characterize balloting in U.S.

australian ballot (secret ballot prepared by the government) and counted by government officials

florida in 2000

their voting system (chads) came under intense scrutiny

different types of ballots and their effects

party column ballot - organized by party, increases the coattail effect and voting on party lines

office-block ballot: organized by office, increases ticket splitting

Oregon

all mail-in voting, no polling places

most accommodating region of the country for voters

west coast/pacific northwest

vote-by-mail criticism

increased likelihood of fraud, voting is less private/secret

motivations to run for office

sense of civic responsibility, personal goals, sense of party loyalty, want to increase name recognition

age limit for president

35+

requirements to be vice president

35+, resident of different state than president, natural born citizen

formal eligibility for elected office

natural born citizen, 35+, resident for 14+ years

informal qualifications for federal office

previously elected, college degree, leadership experience, strong communication skills

roles in a political campaign

campaign consultant, campaign experience, strong communication skills

teapot dome scandal

hardings secretary leased oil fields to win political influence

political activities act (hatch act)

congressional attempt to eliminate political corruption by regulating campaign finance

federal election campaign act (FECA)

limited campaign expenditures and campaign contributions

buckley v. valeo

placing limits on individual candidate spending is a first amendment violation

characterize PACs

political organizations that use contributions from various people and groups to influence the outcome of elections

soft money

money for party building activities

McCain-Feingold Act

banned soft money contributions but increased individual contribution limits

Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life Inc.

advertising 30 to 60 days within the election cannot be limited

2016 individual candidate contributions

2,700

2016 national party candidate contributions

5,000

2016 PAC limits to national party committees

15,000 for multi candidate and 33,400 for non-multi candidate

501(c)4s

nonprofit organizations that operate exclusively for promoting social welfare including lobbying and political campaigning

527s

tax exempt group that raises money for political activities, soft money loophole

citizen united v. federal election commission

corporations and labor unions are entitled to the same first amendment protections as individuals

super PACs

political organizations that use money to influence elections

characterize the electoral college

president needs 270 votes to win

factors in voter participation

education, age, race/ethnicity

age and voting in the united states

as Americans age, they are more likely to vote

voter turnout in the 2012 presidential election

youth vote was key in supporting obama

prospective judgement

a method of evaluating candidates in which voters focus on candidates positions

retrospective judgement

a method of evaluating candidates in which voters focus on candidates past performance

most important factor in how a person will vote

party identification

salient issues

significant/personal issue to a voter

characterize political campaigns in recent years

deeper reliance on staffers, negative campaigning increases, higher costs, social media use

length of presidential campaigns in the united states

more than a year

theories of voting

rational absentee thesis: costs of voting are not worth the effort, the structure, voter fatigue, lack of efficacy