| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Incumbant | the person already holding an elective office |
| coattails | the alleged tendency of candidates to win more votes in an election because of the presence at the top of the ticket of a better-known candidate, such as the president |
| political action committee | a committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations |
| malapportionment | drawing the bounderies of legislative districts so that tey are unequal in population |
| gerrymandering | drawing the bounderies of legislative districts in bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party |
| sophomore surge | an increase in the votes congressional candidates usually get when they first run for reelection |
| caucus | popularity contest, essentially |
| clothespin vote | the vote cast by a person who does not favor any of the candidates |
| position issue | an issue about which the public is divided and rival candidates or political parties adopt different policy positions |
| valence issue | an issue about which the public is united and rival candidates or political parties adopt similar positions in hopes that each will be though to best represent those widely shared beliefs |
| general election | an election held to choose which candidate will hold office |
| primary election | an election help to choose candidates for office |
| closed primary | a primary election in which the voting is limited to already registered party members |
| open primary | a primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place |
| blanket primary | a primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties |
| runoff primary | a scond primary election held when no candidate wins a majority of the votes in the first primary |
| independent expenditures | spending by political action committees, corporations, or labor unions that is done to help a prty or candidate but is done independently of them |
| soft money | funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party activities, such as get-out-the-vote drives, but not on behalf of a specific candidate |
| 527 organizations | organizations that, under section 527 of the internal revenue code, raise and spend money to advance political causes |
| prospectove voting | voting for a candidate because you favor his or her ideas fo handling issues |
| retrospective voting | voting for a candidate because you like his or her past actions in office |
Combine with other sets
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