Political Parties
These are the two major political parties in the U.S.
What are the Democrats and Republicans?
These elections determine party nominees.
What are primaries?
This is money given directly to candidates that is regulated.
What is hard money?
This type of voting is based on what benefits the voter personally.
What is rational choice voting?
This institution nominates candidates and organizes government.
What is parties?
This president warned against political parties in his farewell address.
Who is Washington?
This type of primary allows voters to choose any party’s ballot.
What is an open primary?
This organization regulates campaign finance.
What is the Federal Election Commission (FEC)?
This type of voting is based on past performance.
What is retrospective voting?
This institution informs the public and spreads political information.
What is media?
This is the set of beliefs that helps determine which party someone supports.
What is ideology?
This event officially nominates a party’s candidate.
What is a national party convention?
This is money spent on party activities with fewer restrictions.
What is soft money?
This type of voting is based on future expectations.
What is prospective voting?
This institution organizes people to influence policy and lobby government.
What is interest groups?
This is one reason minor parties struggle to win elections.
What is the winner-take-all system?
(lack of funding, not in debates)
This is when the general election is held.
What is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November?
This type of group raises money to support candidates and elections.
What is a PAC (Political Action Committee)?
This amendment lowered the voting age to 18.
What is 26th?
This is how interest groups influence policy.
What is lobbying?
This early political group supported a strong national government and helped start party divisions.
What are Federalists?
These states receive the most campaign attention because they could go either way.
What are swing states?
This Supreme Court case allowed unlimited independent political spending.
What is Citizens United v. FEC?
This advantage helps current officeholders win re-election.
What is incumbency advantage?
This institution allows citizens to directly choose leaders.
What is elections?