campaigns and elections Test

Question 1

General Election

Answer 1

contests between opposing candidates of different parties & independents (local, state, nat’l)

Question 2

Recall election

Answer 2

special election to remove an incumbent from office ** rare! **

Question 3

Ballot measures

Answer 3

public gets to directly vote on laws, amendments, etc
direct democracy

Question 4

Initiatives

Answer 4

proposed law/changes from citizens that are voted on by citizens

Question 5

Referendums

Answer 5

proposed by legislators voted on by citizens

Question 6

open primaries

Answer 6

any voter (regardless of party) can participate in the party’s primary election

Question 7

closed primaries

Answer 7

only registered \ pledged party members can vote in their party’s primary

Question 8

cross over voting

Answer 8

voting in primary when you aren’t member
** common **

Question 9

party Raiding

Answer 9

organized effort to crossover by opposing party to pick weakest candidate
rare

Question 10

proportional delegate allocation

Answer 10

award delegates based on proportion of votes received in each state (pledged)

Question 11

superdelegates

Answer 11

party leaders, establishment elites, elected Dems
unpledged (free) delegates can vote for whoever at DNC (not bound to any candidate)

Question 12

hybrid delegate allocation

Answer 12

combination of winner take all and proportional
ex: overall winner gets half to start, then rest are awarded proportionally

Question 13

Caucus

Answer 13

like primary but requires more time, in depth, tailored to party activists, relatively rare
stand around and vote with hands \ body

Question 14

Front-loading

Answer 14

all other states changing their primaries to earlier dates b/c they see the attention that IA and NH get

Question 15

supertuesday

Answer 15

many primaries on one day (including VA); in 2016 it was on March 1st

Question 16

open seat

Answer 16

general election where both candidates don’t currently hold the seat

Question 17

incumbent

Answer 17

current office holder (faces a “challenger” for their seat)

Question 18

incumbents are able to raise ___________________
than challengers (because they are already in office and more likely to win)

Answer 18

more money

Question 19

PACs

Answer 19

political action commities

Question 20

name recognition

Answer 20

incumbents are usually better
known to the voters than are challengers

Question 21

Incumbents get to use __________
tax dollars for transportation costs

Answer 21

Public

Question 22

pork

Answer 22

“bring home the bacon”

Question 23

earmarks

Answer 23

provisions (finding) in laws that designate specific projects or funding in their districts

Question 24

franking

Answer 24

members of
congress get to mail newsletters to constituents at gov’s expense

Question 25

Incumbency continuity encourages close relationships between members and____________

Answer 25

interest groups (they like to work with the same person)

Question 26

single member districts

Answer 26

One person is chosen to represent the entire district

Question 27

process where a majority party in a state legislature redraws congressional districts and state districts to ensure the maximum number of seats for its candidates

Answer 27

gerrymandering

Question 28

Consequences of Gerrymandering

Answer 28

1. benefits incumbents 2. hurts challengers 3. strengthens majority party and weakens minority 4.decreases/increases minority rep

Question 29

representation is close to actual population’s preferences

Answer 29

fair district lines

Question 30

sweetheart district

Answer 30

districts designed to protect incumbents with easy elections

Question 31

cracking

Answer 31

hides minority in majority districts, increase majority party power

Question 32

Packing

Answer 32

puts majority into easy districts, dilutes their power overall

Question 33

wesberry v. sanders

Answer 33

(1964): set force the principle of “1 person, 1 vote” in - drawing congressional districts (gave cities and suburbs greater representation)

Question 34

voting districts must be

Answer 34

equally populated, compact in a normal shape, district lines must have a common boarder and uninterrupted, cannot dilute minority voting, cannot be drawn based on race.

Question 35

media's functions:

Answer 35

entertainment news reporting and creating political forums

Question 36

Yellow journalism

Answer 36

irresponsible, not well researched, sensationalist material (late 1800s)...the original “fake news”

Question 37

nuckracking

Answer 37

focus on exposing gov today: media provides varying amounts of “news”

Question 38

Mass media connects people to their government officials by....

Answer 38

interviewing citizens presenting poll results

Question 38

Mass media connects people to their government officials by....

Answer 38

interviewing citizens presenting poll results

Question 38

Mass media connects people to their government officials by....

Answer 38

interviewing citizens presenting poll results

Question 38

Mass media connects people to their government officials by....

Answer 38

interviewing citizens presenting poll results

Question 38

Mass media connects people to their government officials by....

Answer 38

interviewing citizens presenting poll results

Question 38

Mass media connects people to their government officials by....

Answer 38

interviewing citizens presenting poll results covering protests

Question 38

Mass media connects people to their government officials by....

Answer 38

interviewing citizens presenting poll results

Question 38

Mass media connects people to their government officials by....

Answer 38

interviewing citizens presenting poll results

Question 39

Mass media connects people to their government officials by....

Answer 39

interviewing citizens presenting poll results

Question 40

Agenda Setting

Answer 40

consists of issues that attract serious attention of public officials

Question 41

How is the media a gatekeeper?

Answer 41

If an issue is not shown on the media, no one will care and will not get on policy agendas

Question 42

campaigns are more centered on ___________ than ____________

Answer 42

candidates than issues

Question 43

soundbites

Answer 43

repeat and that the media will air (avg 7.8 seconds in length) has replaced in depth debate or intricate detailed interviews

Question 44

Gaffes

Answer 44

linguistic errors or bizarre behaviors of candidates get tons of media attention

Question 45

horse race journalism

Answer 45

focus on how candidates stand in polls and how the polls have changed vs any coverage of their positions on issues

Question 46

How do you WIN a campaign?

Answer 46

Debates ( appear calm, confidant) talking points/soundbites avoid gaffes use spin (writing off gaffes and using media to their advantage)