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Elections and Campaigns Vocab:)

Terms in this set (21)

Incumbent
The person already holding a political 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 (PAC)
A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations.
Malapportionment
Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population.
Gerrymandering
Drawing the boundaries 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
A meeting of people, often in an auditorium or church basement, where they vote on who they would like their party's nominee to be.
Clothespin vote
The vote cast by a person who does not like either candidate so cotes for the less objectionable of the two, putting a clothespin over his or her nose to keep out the unpleasant stench.
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 rical candidates or political parties adopt similar positions in hopes that each will be thought to best represent those widely shared beliefs.
General election
AN election held to choose which candidate will hold office.
Primary election
An election held to choose candidates for office.
Closed primary
A primary election in which 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.
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