Campaigns and Elections

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary and concepts related to campaigns and elections as discussed in the lecture.

Electoral College

A body of electors established by the United States Constitution that formally elects the President and Vice President of the United States.

Voter Turnout

The percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election.

Deep Blue States

States that typically have a strong majority of voters supporting Democratic candidates.

Super PACs

Political action committees that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money, primarily for independent political advertising.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaign for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation.

Majority Rule

A fundamental principle of democracy that mandates that decisions are made based on the majority of votes.

Federalism

A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units, such as states.

Campaign Finance

The regulation of the fundraising and spending of money in political campaigns.

Ecological Inference

The process of inferring individual behavior from aggregate data, which can lead to misleading conclusions.

Democratic Competency

The idea that average voters may not possess sufficient knowledge about governance and political officials.