Chapter 8 -Elections and Campaigns

Question 1

first thing to do in elections

Answer 1

get name on ballot

Question 2

who gets name on ballots for candidates

Answer 2

organizations

Question 3

order of importance in elections

Answer 3

Presidential, Midterm, Primaries

Question 4

Order of how common it is for incumbents to win in these types of elections

Answer 4

House, Senate, President

Question 5

what is the system of the electoral college

Answer 5

winner take all

Question 6

how does the winner take all system work

Answer 6

presidential candidate with the most popular votes in a state get ALL of the states electoral college votes

Question 7

who decides whether the state runs on a winner takes all system

Answer 7

The state legislature

Question 8

why do incumbents always win

Answer 8

they can take government money for local projects which people in their districts

Question 9

Who dies congress blame so that their constituents undermine their mistakes and still vote for them

Answer 9

congress sends the blame to “people in washington”

Question 10

do congressmen and women have to stay within stirct affiliation to their party?

Answer 10

No, congressmen and women are largely independent and don’t have to vote along with their party on every single issue.

Question 11

Steps for running for president

Answer 11

getting mentiones (name recognition)
sponsoring legislation from a large state
money and funding from superpacs and pacs

Question 12

Another name for Super PACS

Answer 12

527

Question 13

what are super pacs

Answer 13

independent groups working on behalf of president but not with president

Question 14

how do candidates approach campaigns

Answer 14

by setting the tone for campaigns, either positive or negative
by developing a theme (hillary telling america to trust her ecxperience)
they target a voter audience, who is their audience

Question 15

Is malapportionment legal? What is it?

Answer 15

No, its not legal, it means to put a different number of people in each district

Question 16

What is political gerrymandering? is it legal?

Answer 16

it IS legal, and it means to make districts based on party and orientation

Question 17

What is sophomore surge

Answer 17

using perks of office, and campaigning for/ against congress

Question 18

what is the size of the house; is this set in the constitution?

Answer 18

the house consists of 435 members; it is not set in the constitution, but when the house reached 435, they decided to stop it there, and just redistribute those seats among all of the districts from there on out

Question 19

What is the size of congress; is this set in the constitution?

Answer 19

100 seats; two per state; it is set in the constitution

Question 20

who do legislators listen to for campaigns

Answer 20

legislators listen to local people for campaigns

Question 21

what is a congressional caucus

Answer 21

a group with congessmen who have something in common

ie: congressional hispanic caucus, congressional black caucus

Question 22

What are Iowa caucuses

Answer 22

theya re during the first primaries where people choose what corner/candiate to go to, and the one with the least people gets eliminated until there is only one candidate left with people having been redistributed to other candidates

Question 23

what does it mean to be indicted

Answer 23

to be put on trial

Question 24

what are the two kinds of campaign issues

Answer 24

1. position issues

2. valence issues

Question 25

what are position issues?

Answer 25

position issues have a distinct position on an issue

Question 26

what are valence issues?

Answer 26

issues everyone agrees on

Question 27

what do candiadtes rely on when making public appearances

Answer 27

stock or stump speeches which they use to make sure that they don’t have a slip of tongue that makes them say the wrong thing and ruin their public image

Question 28

how do candidates spread their words

Answer 28

paid ads (spots)
news broadcasts
debates
computer and internet

Question 29

what could happen if a candidate doesnt stick to his notes and stump speeches

Answer 29

” i did not have sexual relations with that woman” - clinton

or the Quayle and Potatoe incident

Question 30

what did the mccain feingold act do

Answer 30

it put a limit on soft money and unlimited funds for a party which is illegal

Question 31

soft money

Answer 31

illigal and unlimited funds to a party

Question 32

hard money

Answer 32

legal, has limits and is contributed directly to the candidate of a specific political party

Question 33

what are 3 things that presidential elections decided on during times of peace

Answer 33

party affiliation
state of economy
character of the candidates

Question 34

how do incumbents have advantages

Answer 34

a. Easier to raise money- name recognition, donate to winner
b. Can provide services to constituency-Congress
c. Can use Franking privilege –mail stuff for free
d. Can get free publicity through laws, press conferences, etc.

Question 35

who are less wedded to their party and who has a higher voter turn out

Answer 35

Dems are less wedded to their party, and GOP have a higher voter turnout

Question 36

What decides party elections

Answer 36

1. party affiliation
2. issues
3. coalitions (dem & GOP)

Question 37

how does loyalty work within the democratic coallition

Answer 37

blacks are number 1 most loyal
jews loyal aswell
hispanics growing
union members high
catholics and southerners = 50/50

Question 38

How does loyalty work within the republican coalition?

Answer 38

• party of business and professionals
• very loyal
• usually wins poor vote because of retired or socially *conservative midwest and south
• evangelical (religious votes, new to coallition and growing as well)

Question 39

_________ reduce voter turn out

Answer 39

Negative ads

Question 40

Why incumbents always win

Answer 40

Gerrymandering (only in the house) 
Franking
Take credit for bills
Name recognition 
Money
Media

Question 41

Who do debates favor

Answer 41

The challenger

Question 42

Who does a good economy favor, who does a bad one favor

Answer 42

Incumbent, challenger

Question 43

Why do voters switch parties

Answer 43

Because of their own interests

Question 44

Two types of voters

Answer 44

Perspective and retrospective

Question 45

Prospective voters

Answer 45

Vote based on what a person WILL DO once they get to office, requires thinking towards future

Question 46

Retrospective voters

Answer 46

Nonchalant;vote against a candidate based on how good or bad current issues are