AP GOV: Chapter 9 Flashcards

Absentee Voting

The casting of a ballot in advance by mail in situations where illness, travel, or other circumstances prevent voters from voting in their precincts.

Austrialian Ballot

A secret ballot prepared by the government, distributed to all eligible voters, and, when balloting is completed, counted by government officials in an unbiased fashion, without corruption or regard to individual preferences.

* Bucklet v. Valeo

Supreme Court case that allowed the formation of PACs and removed caps on candidate spending.

Campaign Consultant

A paid professional who specializes in the overall management of political campaigns or an aspect of campaigns.

Campaign Manager

A professional whose duties comprise a variety of strategic and managerial tasks, from fund-raising to staffing a campaign.

Campaign Strategy

The blueprint for the campaign, including a budget and fund-raising plan, advertising strategy, and a staffing plan.

* Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (FEC)

Supreme Court ruling that allowed the creation of Super PACs.

* Caucus

A meeting of party members held to select delegates to the national convention.

* Closed Primary

A type of primary in which voting in a party's primary is limited to members of that party.

* Cottail Effect

The phenomenon by which candidates running for lower-level offices such as city council benefit in an election from the popularity of a top-of-ticket nominee.

501(c)4s

Nonprofit organizations operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare, including lobbying or engaging in political campaigning.

527

A tax-exempt that raises money for political activities, much like those allowed under the soft money loophole.

Fund-raising Consultant

A professional who works with candidates to identify likely contributors to the campaign and arrange events and meetings with donors.

* General Election

An election that determines which candidates win the offices being sought.

GOTV

Get out the vote.

* Grassroots Organizing

Tasks that involve direct contact with potential voters.

* Incumbency

The situation of already holding the office that is up for reelection.

Independent Expenditures

Outlays by PACs and others, typically for advertising for or against a candidate, but not coordinated with a candidate's campaign.

* Initiative

A citizen-sponsored proposal that can result in new or amended legislation or a state constitutional amendment.

Instant Runoff Election

A special runoff election in which the computerized voting machine simulates the elimination of last-place vote-getters.

Media Consultant

A professional who brings the campaign message to voters by creating handouts and all forms of media ads.

Office-block Ballot

A type of ballot that arranges all the candidates for a particular office under the name of that office.

* Open Primary

A type of primary in which both parties' ballots are available in the voting booth, and the voters simply select one on which to register their preferences.

Party-column Ballot

A ballot that organizes the candidates by political party.

* Proposition

A proposed measure placed on the ballot in an initiative election.

Prospective Voting

A method of evaluating candidates in which voters focus on candidates' positions on issues important to them and vote for the candidates who best represent their views.

Rational Choice Theory

The idea that when deciding whether to vote, individuals will consider both how much they care about the outcome of an election and the likelihood that their vote will be important in influencing the outcome.

* Recall

A special election in which voters can remove an officeholder before his or her term is over.

* Referendum

An election in which voters in a state can vote for or against a measure proposed by the state legislature.

Retrospective Voting

A method of evaluating candidates in which voters evaluate incumbent candidates and decide whether to support them based on their past performance.

Runoff Election

A follow-up election that is held when no candidate receives the majority of votes cast in the original election.

Salient

In relation to a voting issue - having resonance, being significant, causing intense interest.

* Super PACs

Political organizations that use contributions from individuals, corporations, and labor unions to spend unlimited sums independent from the campaigns, yet influencing the outcomes of elections.

Super Tuesday

The Tuesday in early March on which the most primary elections are held, many of them in southern states.

* Turnout Rate

The proportion of eligible voters who actually voted.

Voter Fatigue

The condition in which voters grow tired of all candidates by the time Election Day arrives, and may thus be less likely to vote.