Campaign Finance and Voting Rights Overview

Hard Money

Regulated contributions to political candidates.

Soft Money

Unregulated funds for party-building activities.

Dark Money

Political spending without disclosure of sources.

Buckley v. Valeo

Struck down limits on independent expenditures.

Independent Expenditure

Spending by individuals/groups not coordinated with campaigns.

Express Advocacy

Directly supports a candidate's election.

Issue Advocacy

Promotes a specific issue without supporting a candidate.

Federal Elections Campaign Act (FECA) 1971

Regulates campaign finance and disclosure requirements.

Disclosure Rule

Mandates transparency in campaign finance contributions.

1st Amendment Protection

Guarantees freedom of speech in political spending.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA)

Banned soft money contributions to national parties.

Primary Elections

Elections to select party nominees for general elections.

Caucus

A meeting of party members to select candidates.

Open Primary

Voters can choose candidates regardless of party affiliation.

Closed Primary

Only registered party members can vote in primaries.

Electoral College

System for electing the U.S. president.

Winner-Take-All-System

Candidate receiving majority wins all electoral votes.

Incumbency Advantage

Incumbents have higher chances of re-election.

Interest Groups

Organizations advocating for specific policy goals.

Media Bias

Slanting news coverage to favor a perspective.

Horse Race Journalism

Focuses on election outcomes rather than issues.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Expanded voting rights and prohibited racial discrimination.

Realigning Election

Significant shift in party loyalty among voters.

Dealigning Election

Voters become less attached to political parties.

Critical Election

An election signaling a major change in political landscape.

Linkage Institution

Connects citizens to government, e.g., parties, media.

Swing States

States where both parties have similar support.

Safe State

State reliably voting for one party.

Front Loading

States scheduling primaries early in the election cycle.

Amicus Curiae Briefs

Documents submitted by non-litigants to influence court cases.

Iron Triangle

Relationship between Congress, bureaucracy, and interest groups.

Free-Rider

Individuals benefiting from resources without contributing.

Federalist #10

Discusses factions and their impact on democracy.

Factions

Groups with shared interests conflicting with the common good.

Positive Effects of Factions

Encourages diverse viewpoints and political engagement.

Negative Effects of Factions

Can lead to polarization and conflict.

Constitution

Establishes the framework for U.S. government.

Voter Expansion

Efforts to increase voter registration and participation.

Voting Rights Amendments

Amendments that expanded suffrage in the U.S.

Citizens United vs. FEC (2010)

Allowed unlimited independent political spending by corporations.