Chapter 10 Elections and Electoral College
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Plurality
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The largest number of votes in an election and may receive fewer than 50% of the votes cast if more than two candidates.
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Winner take all system
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An electoral system that awards offices to the highest vote-getters without ensuring representation for voters in the minority.
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Primary election
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An election in which voters determine their political party's nominee for an elective office.
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General election
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An election in which voters choose among candidates from different parties to fill an elective office.
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Caucus
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Closed meeting of people from one political party who will select candidates or delegates.
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Party base
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Consists of party activists who are more likely vote in primary elections than less-comitted centrists.
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Stump speech
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A candidate's \"standard\" speech, which is repeated throughout his/her campaign.
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Coattail effect
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The influence that a popular politician may have on voters, making them more likely to choose other candidates from his/her party.
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Suffrage
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The right to vote.
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Voter registration
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Requirement in some democracies for citizens and residents to chick in with some central registry specifically for the purpose of being allowed to vote.
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Qualifications to vote
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Must be a US citizen, 18 years old, resident of the state, and a registered voter.
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Voter turnout
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The proportion of the voting-age population that actually votes.
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Highest voter turnout
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Presidential election
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Closed primary
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Limited voting to registered party members
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Open primary
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Allow all voters to vote in primary elections
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Blanket primary
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Voters can pick and choose one candidate for each office from any party's primary list.
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Nonpartisan primary
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Direct primary in which all candidates for the same elected office run against each other at once (school board)
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War chest
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Funds that can be used to move the campaign forward.
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Campaign strategy
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tone, theme, and targeting.
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Retail politics
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Meet-and-greet style of campaigning relies on direct, personal contact with voters (such as parades/dinners)
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Wholesale politics
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Many voters can be reached only by large scale mail or media campaigns.
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Microtargeting
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Campaign approach uses databases to target narrow groups of voters and reach them with carefully crafted messages.
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Candidates on ballot
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Nominated through the primaries and caucus process
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National convention
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Where people announce that they are running for the election.
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Presidential election
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Every four years-even (president, VP, 1/3 senate, all members of house, most state government, some state and local officials)
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Midterm elections
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Even numbered years between presidential elections (1/3 senate, all members of house, most state government, some state and local officials)
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Off-year elections
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Occurs in odd numbered years (county supervisors, city mayors, city councils, most boards of special districts)
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Term limits
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Two terms; each one four years
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Polling place
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A building like a school where you can vote.
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Absentee ballot
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A way to vote through mail if unable to show up to a polling place.
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Poll watchers
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Volunteers who monitor the voting process.
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Proportional representation
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European country's citizens usually vote for parties rather than for individual candidates.
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Cost of elections
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Prices are high and candidates with low funding or fundraising abilities are limited.
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Campaign donation strategies
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Electoral strategy and access strategy
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Electoral strategy
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Donors use their money to help elect candidates who support their views and to defeat those who do not.
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Access strategy
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Donors give money to the most likely winner in a race and the goal is to gain access to whichever party wins the election.
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Public fund
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Taxpayers who check a 3$ donation box on their income tax forms.
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Campaign money
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Most campaign money comes from private sources and their own assets.
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Soft money
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Unregulated money donated to a political party for such purposes as voter education.
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Swing voters
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A voter who has no allegiance to a political party; target of most political activity during election.
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Incumbent
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Holder of an office.
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Electoral college
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How we vote for President and VP.
