L10_Political Campaigns and Elections

General Election

• An election in which voters choose among candidates from different parties to fill an elective office.

• An election where only one party's candidates are elected.

• A primary election to select party nominees.

• An election held to vote on specific policy issues.

Party Base

• The deliberate shading of information about a person or an event in an attempt to influence how it is reported in the media.

• A group of individuals who share similar political beliefs and support a particular party.

• The process of gathering information to create a public opinion poll.

• A strategy used by political parties to increase voter turnout.

Coattail Effect

• Emphasizing the positive aspects of a candidate's policies; a feature of positive campaigning.

• Emphasizing the negative aspects of an opponent or policy; a feature of negative campaigning.

• A strategy to increase voter turnout by promoting a popular candidate; a feature of electoral politics.

• A method of fundraising that focuses on small donations from a large number of people.

Primary Election

• An election in which voters determine their party’s nominee for an elective office.

• A general election where all voters can participate regardless of party affiliation.

• An election held to select candidates for the presidency only.

• A referendum on a specific policy issue.

Stump Speech

• A type of speech given by politicians during campaigns.

• Real or imagined prejudice that is thought to affect what stories journalists cover and how they report those stories.

• A speech that is delivered in a formal setting without any prior preparation.

• A speech that is intended to entertain rather than inform.

Open Primary

• A primary election where only registered party members can vote.

• A primary election in which voters can choose which party primary they vote in on Election Day, regardless of their party affiliation; also known as a pick-a-party primary.

• A primary election that is held only for presidential candidates.

• A primary election that requires voters to declare their party affiliation before voting.

Winner-take-all System

• An electoral system that ensures representation for all voters regardless of majority.

• An electoral system that awards offices to the highest vote-getters without ensuring representation for voters in the minority.

• A system where all votes are counted equally regardless of the outcome.

• A method of voting that allows for proportional representation based on the total votes received.

Plurality

• The total number of votes cast in an election.

• The largest number of votes in an election; the winner may receive fewer than 50 percent of the votes cast.

• A voting system where the candidate with the majority wins.

• A method of voting where each voter can select multiple candidates.

Voter Turnout

• The percentage of registered voters who participate in elections.

• The proportion of the voting-age population that actually votes.

• The total number of votes cast in an election.

• The number of people eligible to vote in a given area.

Caucus

• A method of private discussion among a small group of people.

• A means of communication that reaches a large audience.

• A formal meeting of members of a political party.

• A type of public debate or forum.