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Campaigns and Elections: Democracy in Action. Chapter 12. Core Questions. What are the main features of the electoral college system? How do the house and senate election campaigns compare? What is the process for running for the presidency?.
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Campaigns and Elections:Democracy in Action Chapter 12
Core Questions • What are the main features of the electoral college system? • How do the house and senate election campaigns compare? • What is the process for running for the presidency?
4. How does the current presidential election process work (primaries, nomination & electoral college)? 5. What are the main reform proposals related to presidential elections? 6. Why is campaign finance reform a major controversial issue? And what is its current status?
Chapter 12 Outline • Elections: overview • Running for Congress • Running for president • Money and elections • Improving elections
Running for President • Primaries and caucuses • Nomination convention • Voters • Electoral College
Average Campaign Expenditures of Candidates for the House 1988-2000 General Election
Lame Duck A politician who cannot, or has announced that he or she will not, run again.
Winner-takes-all An election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins.
Single-member District An electoral district in which voters choose one representative or official.
Proportional Representation An election system in which each party receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.
Electoral College The electoral system used in electing the president and vice-president, in which voters vote for electors pledged to cast their ballots for a particular party’s candidates.
Safe Seat An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other.
Coattail Effect The boost candidates of the president’s party receive in an election because of the president’s popularity.
Caucus A meeting of local party members to choose party officials and/or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.
National Party Convention The national meeting of delegates elected in primaries, caucuses, or state conventions who assemble once every four years to nominate candidates for president and vice-president, ratify the party platform, elect officers, and adopt rules.
Interested Money Contributions by individuals or groups in hopes of influencing the outcome of an election and subsequently influencing policy.
Soft Money Money contributed to a state or local party for party-building purposes that does not have to be disclosed under federal law.
Issue Advertising Commercial advertising on radio and television advocating a particular position on an issue, paid for by interest groups and designed to influence voters’ choices on election day.
Independent Expenditures Money spent by individuals or groups not associated with candidates to elect or defeat candidates for office.