Why We Vote
This term describes the belief in a moral obligation to participate in elections, providing psychological benefits even if one's vote likely won't change the outcome.
What is civic duty?
This is the first official step an individual takes to begin their run for office.
What is declaring candidacy?
This is the core primary function of political parties in the United States.
What is mobilizing voters and organizing parties?
This party is generally associated with more conservative policy goals.
What is the Republican party?
This is the total number of electors currently in the Electoral College.
What is 538?
A primary motivation for voting is the anticipation of this—the benefit gained when a preferred candidate wins.
What is personal benefit (b)?
This is the name for the official election where voters choose their party's final candidate for the general race.
What is a primary election?
This official document outlines a political party's core beliefs and specific policy goals.
What is a party platform?
This party generally aligns with more liberal policy goals.
What is the Democratic party?
The Electoral College was established in the Constitution as a compromise between Congress electing the President and this other method.
What is popular vote?
Statistically, voter participation rates are typically higher during these specific types of election years.
What are Presidential election years?
Known as the "testing waters" phase, this period occurs before the official primary and is vital for securing support from key party figures.
What is the invisible primary?
This term describes the U.S. political landscape where only two major parties dominate.
What is a Two-Party system?
This term describes the increasing ideological distance between the two major political parties.
What is political polarization?
Most states use this method, where the winner of the state's popular vote receives all of that state's electors.
What is winner-take-all?
Individuals are generally less likely to participate in an election if they feel their vote has this.
What is little/no impact?
In the Electoral College, a candidate must secure at least this many electors to win the presidency.
What is 270?
These parties represent specific interests outside the two dominant groups but historically fail to win a majority of national votes.
What are third parties?
Unlike ideological distance, this specific type of polarization refers to the increasing emotional division between parties.
What is affective polarization?
If no candidate wins the required 270 electoral votes, this body selects the President.
What is the House of Representatives?
A fundamental reason for participating in an election is to express this.
What are political preferences?
This type of election occurs when a large-scale shift in voter preference results in a significant number of seats changing party control.
What is a wave election?
What is the principle that states that electoral systems with winner-take-all systems creates two party systems?
What is Duverger's Law?
Polarization involves increasing this, which often makes reaching a consensus difficult.
What is ideological distance?
This state is a notable exception to the winner-takes-all system, instead utilizing a proportional distribution of its electoral votes.
What is Maine/Nebraska?