Terms Unit 2

Question 1

Australian ballot

Answer 1

Secret ballot printed at the expense of the state

Question 2

Balancing the ticket

Answer 2

Occurs when a presidential nominee chooses a Vice President running mate who has different qualities in order to attract more votes for the ticket

Question 3

Blanket primary

Answer 3

Election to choose candidates that is open to independents, and that allows voters to choose candidates from all parties

Question 4

Caucus

Answer 4

Local party meeting

Question 5

Closed primary

Answer 5

Party election to choose candidates that is closed to independents

Question 6

Coattail effect

Answer 6

The influence of a popular presidential candidate on the election of congressional candidates of the same party

Question 7

Demographics

Answer 7

Characteristics of a population

Question 8

Direct election

Answer 8

Election of an official directly by the people rather than by an intermediary group such as the Electoral College

Question 9

Direct primary

Answer 9

Election in which people choose candidates for office

Question 10

Fixed terms

Answer 10

Terms of office that have a definite length time

Question 11

Front loading

Answer 11

Scheduling presidential primary elections early in an election year

Question 12

Gender gap

Answer 12

Difference in voting patterns for men and women

Question 13

General election

Answer 13

Election in which the officeholders are chosen

Question 14

Hard money

Answer 14

Campaign contributors donated directly to candidates

Question 15

Ideology

Answer 15

Set of beliefs about political values and the role of the government

Question 16

Incumbent

Answer 16

An officeholder that is seeking reelection

Question 17

Independent

Answer 17

One that is not registered with a political party

Question 18

Issue advocacy ads

Answer 18

Ads that focus on issues and do not explicitly encourage citizens to vote for a certain candidate

Question 19

Open primary

Answer 19

Election to choose candidates that is open to independents, in which voters may choose candidates from any one party

Question 20

Party identification

Answer 20

A sense of affiliation that a person has with a particular political party

Question 21

Party platform

Answer 21

A list of positions and programs that a party adopts at the national convention; each position is called a plank

Question 22

Political culture

Answer 22

The widely shared beliefs, valid, and norms that citizens share about their government

Question 23

Plurality

Answer 23

More votes than anyone else, but less than half.

Question 24

Political efficacy

Answer 24

Capacity to understand and influence political events

Question 25

Political socialization

Answer 25

Process in which one acquires his/her belief

Question 26

Realigning ("critical") election

Answer 26

An election in which there is a long term change in party alignment

Question 27

Safe seat

Answer 27

An office that is extremely likely to be won by a particular candidate or political party

Question 28

Single member district system

Answer 28

System in which the people elect one representative per district. Winner-takes-all rule

Question 29

Soft money

Answer 29

Campaign contributions that are not donated directly to the candidates, but to the parties

Question 30

Solid South

Answer 30

Historically, the South vote solidly Democratic. However, the south is now strongly Republican. Bush, 2000.

Question 31

Split ticket voting

Answer 31

Casting votes for candidates of ones own party and for candidates of opposing parties

Question 32

Straight ticket voting

Answer 32

Casting votes for candidates of one party

Question 33

Suffrage

Answer 33

The right to vote

Question 34

Super delegate

Answer 34

A delegate to the Democratic national convention who is there by virtue of holding an office

Question 35

Super Tuesday

Answer 35

A Tuesday in early march in which many if the presidential primaries, particularly in the South, are held

Question 36

Swing state

Answer 36

A state does not consistently vote either Democratic or Republican in presidential elections

Question 37

Attentive Public

Answer 37

Those who follow politics and public affairs carefully