Unit 3 - Part 1

Question 1

Absentee Ballot

Answer 1

Mailing a completed ballot instead of going to the polls

Question 2

Amicus Curiae Brief

Answer 2

“Friend of the court” brief filed by an interest group to influence a Supreme Court decision

Question 3

Balancing the ticket

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

Answer 4

Banned soft money contributions to the national parties, and increased the limit on hard money donations from individuals, PACs, and from the national parties

Question 5

Buckley v Valeo

Answer 5

Tried to argue the FEC law unconstitutionally limited free speech. Congress upheld the individual and PAC donation limit but could not limit a candidates donations to their own campaign or spending their own money

Question 6

Caucus

Answer 6

Local party meeting

Question 7

Closed Primary

Answer 7

Party election to choose candidates that is closed to independents. Voters may not cross party lines

Question 8

Coattail Effect

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Dark Money

Answer 9

Groups that do not have to disclose donors but cannot spend money as freely

Question 10

Dealignment Argument

Answer 10

Contention that parties are less meaningful to voters, who have abandoned the parties in greater numbers to become independents

Question 11

Electoral College

Answer 11

Group of people who cote on the same day for president

Question 12

Electorate

Answer 12

Americans who go to the polls and cast a vote for the president and some lower offices

Question 13

Federal Communications Commission

Answer 13

Regulates electronic media and has the authority over the content of radio, television, wire, and satellite broadcasts

Question 14

Federal Election Campaign Act

Answer 14

Tightened reporting requirements and limited candidates’ expenditures

Question 15

Federal Election Commission

Answer 15

Created to monitor and enforce regulations of the Federal Election Campaign Act

Question 16

Feeding Frenzy

Answer 16

The media “attack” when they sense wrongdoing or scandal in government

Question 17

Fifteenth Amendment

Answer 17

Gave former slaves and free blacks the right to vote

Question 18

Franchise

Answer 18

The right to vote

Question 19

Free Rider Problem

Answer 19

The problem faced by interest groups when citizens can reap the benefits of interest group action without actually joining, participating in, or contributing money to such groups

Question 20

Freedom of Information Act

Answer 20

Allows the public to gain access to no classified federal documents

Question 21

Front loading

Answer 21

scheduling presidential primary elections early (e.g., February or March) in an election year.

Question 22

Gatekeeper

Answer 22

Editorial boards determine what is newsworthy and therefor decide what information the public will receive.

Question 23

Gender gap

Answer 23

difference in voting patterns for men and women, particularly in the greater tendency of the latter to vote for Democratic presidential candidates.

Question 24

General election

Answer 24

election in which the officeholders are chosen. Contrast with a primary election, in which only the candidates are chosen.

Question 25

Grassroots Lobbying

Answer 25

Takes place when an interest groups tries to inform, persuade, and mobilize large numbers of people

Question 26

Hard Money

Answer 26

campaign contributions donated directly to candidates.

Question 27

Horse race coverage

Answer 27

the tendency of the media to report on an election campaign as if it were a horse race, i.e., who is ahead, who is behind, who is gaining ground.

Question 28

Incumbent

Answer 28

an officeholder who is seeking reelection.

Question 29

Independent

Answer 29

one is not registered with a political party.

Question 30

Independent Leaners

Answer 30

tend to vote for candidates of one particular party

Question 31

Pure Independents

Answer 31

have no consistent pattern of party voting

Question 32

Independent Expenditures

Answer 32

Money used for advertising to support or disparage any candidate as long as the Super PAC or party did not formally coordinate the ad with the candidate.

Question 33

Iron triangle

Answer 33

an informal association of federal agency, congressional committee, and interest group that is said to have heavy influence over policy making.

Question 34

Issue Networks

Answer 34

Collectives with similar goals, but they have come together to support a specific issue and usually do not have long term relationships.

Question 35

Issue advocacy ads

Answer 35

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

Question 36

Linkage Institution

Answer 36

Political parties, interest groups, and the media

Question 37

Litigation

Answer 37

the act or process of carrying out a lawsuit.

Question 38

Lobbying

Answer 38

attempting to influence policy makers; generally performed by lobbyists who are hired by interest groups

Question 39

Mainstream Media

Answer 39

Collection of traditional news organizations