Voting Behavior
This demographic group has had the highest voter turnout in recent elections.
What are senior citizens?
This term describes when voters consistently choose candidates from one political party.
What is straight-ticket voting?
In this type of election, voters decide who will represent a political party in the general election.
What is a primary election?
A group that seeks to influence policy without seeking election to office is known as this.
What is an interest group?
This agency is responsible for enforcing federal campaign finance laws.
What is the Federal Election Commission (FEC)?
This term refers to when voters vote for candidates from multiple political parties in the same election.
What is split-ticket voting?
When a large group of voters no longer identifies with either major party, it’s called this.
What is dealignment?
The number of electors each state receives in the Electoral College is based on this.
What is the total number of its Senators and Representatives?
Lobbyists provide lawmakers with this in exchange for access and influence.
What is information or expertise?
The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act aimed to eliminate this type of unregulated campaign donation.
What is soft money?
This amendment gave 18-year-olds the right to vote.
What is the Twenty-Sixth Amendment?
This type of election signals a long-term shift in party allegiance by the electorate.
What is a realigning or critical election?
In most states, a presidential candidate receiving 48% of the vote would still win all the electoral votes because of this principle.
What is winner-take-all?
Interest groups often file these to influence court decisions.
What are amicus curiae briefs or lawsuits?
These independent organizations can raise unlimited funds but cannot coordinate directly with candidates.
What are Super PACs?
This voting model involves judging candidates based on past performance.
What is retrospective voting?
What is zero?
This body selects the president if no candidate wins a majority in the electoral college.
What is the House of Representatives?
An interest group forms an “iron triangle” with these two entities.
What are congressional committees and executive agencies?
This 2010 Supreme Court case struck down limits on independent campaign expenditures by corporations.
What is Citizens United v. FEC?
According to the rational choice model, voters cast ballots based on this.
What is their own self-interest?
This system makes it difficult for third parties to gain traction in U.S. elections.
What is the winner-take-all electoral system?
Most campaign events in presidential elections are focused on these types of states.
What are swing states or battleground states?
Interest groups often create these organizations to raise and spend money for political purposes.
What are Political Action Committees (PACs)?
This Founding document warned against the dangers of factions, which were debated in Citizens United.
What is Federalist No. 10?