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Questions and Answers
What are the two types of primaries?
What are the two types of primaries?
What is the key factor that led to the creation of the Electoral College?
What is the key factor that led to the creation of the Electoral College?
Which of the following is NOT a weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
Which of the following is NOT a weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
What are the two main types of campaign-centered politics?
What are the two main types of campaign-centered politics?
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The McGovern-Fraser Commission aimed to increase elite control within the Democratic Party.
The McGovern-Fraser Commission aimed to increase elite control within the Democratic Party.
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Debates are a relatively new feature in American politics, first becoming popular in the early 2000s.
Debates are a relatively new feature in American politics, first becoming popular in the early 2000s.
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What is the primary purpose of the Electoral College?
What is the primary purpose of the Electoral College?
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What are the four techniques used in stereotyping during elections?
What are the four techniques used in stereotyping during elections?
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Which of the following is NOT a barrier to women's representation in Congress?
Which of the following is NOT a barrier to women's representation in Congress?
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Negative partisanship leads to increased focus on policy.
Negative partisanship leads to increased focus on policy.
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Which of the following is NOT an example of an information shortcut used in voting?
Which of the following is NOT an example of an information shortcut used in voting?
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What does the abbreviation "RAS" stand for in the RAS Model?
What does the abbreviation "RAS" stand for in the RAS Model?
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The RAS Model suggests that voters can only access information through their cognitive processes; they cannot recall or utilize information they've previously learned.
The RAS Model suggests that voters can only access information through their cognitive processes; they cannot recall or utilize information they've previously learned.
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The "online bucket" analogy represents how individuals form opinions by actively engaging and evaluating all available information.
The "online bucket" analogy represents how individuals form opinions by actively engaging and evaluating all available information.
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What are the four key roles the media plays in elections?
What are the four key roles the media plays in elections?
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Which of the following is NOT a media incentive in elections?
Which of the following is NOT a media incentive in elections?
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Informativeness within media involves delivering new and relevant information.
Informativeness within media involves delivering new and relevant information.
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Which of the following is NOT a type of bias that can be present in media coverage?
Which of the following is NOT a type of bias that can be present in media coverage?
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What are the two ways in which media influences politics?
What are the two ways in which media influences politics?
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Which of the following is NOT a way media access impacts elections?
Which of the following is NOT a way media access impacts elections?
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Polling serves as a tool to gather public opinion only on candidates.
Polling serves as a tool to gather public opinion only on candidates.
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Which type of poll collects demographic data from voters on Election Day?
Which type of poll collects demographic data from voters on Election Day?
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Likely-Voter Models are designed to predict voter preferences, but these models cannot be used to predict voter turnout.
Likely-Voter Models are designed to predict voter preferences, but these models cannot be used to predict voter turnout.
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What are the three major historical events that shaped campaign finance regulations in the US?
What are the three major historical events that shaped campaign finance regulations in the US?
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The Supreme Court ruling in Buckley v. Valeo struck down all limits on campaign expenditures, paving the way for unlimited spending in elections.
The Supreme Court ruling in Buckley v. Valeo struck down all limits on campaign expenditures, paving the way for unlimited spending in elections.
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The Citizens United decision allowed corporations and unions to make unlimited independent expenditures in elections.
The Citizens United decision allowed corporations and unions to make unlimited independent expenditures in elections.
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Which of the following is NOT a benefit of campaign finance regulations?
Which of the following is NOT a benefit of campaign finance regulations?
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What does the term "Bundling" refer to in campaign finance?
What does the term "Bundling" refer to in campaign finance?
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The concept of incumbency suggests that individuals holding office are at a disadvantage when seeking reelection.
The concept of incumbency suggests that individuals holding office are at a disadvantage when seeking reelection.
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The Electoral Connection theory suggests that Congress members prioritize reelection over all other political goals.
The Electoral Connection theory suggests that Congress members prioritize reelection over all other political goals.
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What are the two key strategies that incumbents use to increase their chances of reelection?
What are the two key strategies that incumbents use to increase their chances of reelection?
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What is the difference between redistricting and gerrymandering?
What is the difference between redistricting and gerrymandering?
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What is the term used to describe the tactic of concentrating opposition voters in a few districts?
What is the term used to describe the tactic of concentrating opposition voters in a few districts?
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What is the role of Tom Hoffler in the context of redistricting and gerrymandering?
What is the role of Tom Hoffler in the context of redistricting and gerrymandering?
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Study Notes
U.S. Electoral Rules
- House members are elected every two years.
- Senators are elected every six years, with staggered terms in three classes.
- States establish election rules unless Congress intervenes.
- The President and Vice President serve four-year terms. Electors are determined by the number of senators and representatives each state has.
Primaries
- Primaries are preliminary state elections used to select party candidates.
- Open Primaries: Any voter can participate, regardless of party affiliation.
- Closed Primaries: Only registered party members can vote.
Early Primary System
- From 1789 to 1824, the transition involved shifting away from unorganized idealism to organized party systems.
- The 1800 election between Jefferson and Burr led to the 12th Amendment, separating the presidential and vice-presidential voting processes.
Why U.S. Electoral Institutions?
- Key factors influencing the establishment of U.S. electoral institutions include historical context, concerns about tyranny, compromises between different factions, principles of federalism, and traditional practices.
Articles of Confederation
- Weaknesses: The Articles of Confederation lacked a president, a comprehensive taxation power, a strong military, and a unified judicial system.
- Strengths: Individual states held significant power in taxation, treaties, and budgeting.
- Result: The shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation led to the Constitutional Convention which created the US Constitution in 1787.
Representative Democracy Benefits
- Benefits include expertise of elected officials, efficiency in governance, and protection of minority rights.
- Elections: Allow for replacement of poor-performing officials and encourage responsiveness from elected officials between elections.
Invisible Primary
- This pre-primary phase involves securing endorsements, funds, and support to build candidate viability before formal primaries.
Party vs. Candidate-Centered Politics
- Party-Centered: Candidates gain support primarily from party insiders.
- Candidate-Centered: Candidates rely on fundraising and independent strategies, leading to a more competitive environment and potentially overriding party affiliation.
McGovern-Fraser Commission (1969)
- Reformed the Democratic Party delegate process to reduce elite control over nominations.
Debates
- Debates have become a staple feature of modern campaigns since 1988.
- Their impact can influence voter perceptions and shift public opinion polls.
Campaign Goals
- Campaigns focus on mobilizing voters who are likely to support the candidate, using accurate targeting and messaging.
- Negative political advertising can influence voters early in the campaign cycle, but is not always effective.
Electoral College
- The Electoral College balances power between highly populous states and smaller states.
Stereotyping in Elections
- Techniques: Employing association, demonization, codewords, and visual cues (images, music, colors) to create and reinforce stereotypes.
Candidate Types
- Professionals: Experienced and strategic.
- True Amateurs: Inexperienced and uncertain.
- Fake Amateurs: Famous individuals lacking formal political experience.
Underrepresentation of Women in Congress
- Barriers include societal gender bias, fundraising challenges, and party resistance.
Negative Partisanship
- Voters often vote against parties they dislike rather than in favor of parties they prefer, intensifying political polarization.
- The effect is a lack of focus on policy issues and an emphasis on partisan divides.
Information Shortcuts
- Utilizing shortcuts such as party affiliation, name recognition, endorsements, and single-issue voting, are prevalent in voter decision-making.
Rational Voter Model
- A model of voter decision making based on cost-benefit analysis; does a voter benefit more than cost from voting?
RAS Model
- Voters absorb campaign information through cognitive processing stages (receive, accept, sample).
- Political engagement influences the extent to which people receive, understand, and process political information.
Role of Media in Elections
- The media acts as a watchdog, a source of information and opinion, and a channel of communication between politicians and citizens.
- Elections frequently drive media profit, career success, and prestige goals.
- Media's accuracy and reliability are essential for a functioning democracy and informative elections.
Types of Media Bias
- Profit-driven motives
- Use of official sources
- Partisan and ideological biases
- Medium-driven distortions.
- Agenda-setting, as well as priming and framing, are crucial functions.
Polling in American Elections
- Polling is a form of public opinion research and forecasting to understand how people are likely to vote.
- Types of polls include pre-election polls, exit polls, tracking polls, and specific issue-focused polls; polls are a core constituent of campaigns and elections.
Campaign Finance and Elections
- Historical regulations such as the Pendleton Act (prohibiting federal employee political contributions), the Tillman Act (prohibiting corporate funding), and the Federal Corrupt Practices Act (setting spending limits), are notable aspects of a complex system.
- Supreme Court rulings like Buckley v. Valeo established further contours of campaign finance laws.
- Citizens United v FEC expanded independent expenditures; notable contributions of corporations and labor unions, etc..
Effects of Campaign Finance Regulations
- Campaign finance regulations limit the influence of large sums of money and encourage broader participation from smaller donors.
- However, these regulations present challenges in terms of complexity and compliance.
- Types of political contributions are regulated.
Incumbency and Electoral Connection
- Incumbents (individuals already holding office) often retain an advantage due to name recognition, established experience, and fundraising networks.
- Electoral connection emphasizes the importance of reelection as a driving force behind political strategies.
- Incumbents employ strategies such as advertising, credit claiming (highlighting accomplishments), and focusing on local concerns to secure re-election.
Redistricting and Gerrymandering
- Redistricting involves redrawing congressional districts every ten years.
- Gerrymandering is the practice of strategically drawing district boundaries to favor a particular political party.
- Gerrymandering practices include packing and cracking.
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Description
Explore the fundamentals of U.S. electoral rules, including the election cycles for House members and Senators, as well as the primary system used to select party candidates. Learn about open and closed primaries, and the historical evolution of the U.S. electoral institutions. This quiz will test your knowledge on the structure and functioning of the electoral system.
