Political Party in the U.S.A.
A party meeting held in the presidential election year for the purpose of nominating a presidential and vice-presidential ticket and adopting a platform
National Convention
An independent regulatory agency founded in 1975 by Congress to regulate campaign finance legislation
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
Amendment to the Constitution that established the direct election of Senators in every state rather than being appointed by the state legislature
17th Amendment
The difference between a closed and open primary
In a closed primary, only a party's registered voters are eligible to cast a ballot, while in an open primary anyone can cast a ballot regardless of party affiliation
A non-profit, non-political Advocacy group exempt from taxes is filed under this tax code
501c
Voting for only one party for every election across the ballot
Party-line voting
The primary law that regulates political campaign spending and fundraising.
Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), 1971
The constitutional amendment that gave African American men the right to vote
15th Amendment
The number of the electoral college's electorates and where that number comes from
538- 435 from the number of seats in the House, 100 from the number of seats in the Senate, plus 3 for DC
this word describes when a candidate wins more votes than any other candidate, but not a majority
plurality
The presence of increasingly conflicting and divided viewpoints between the Democratic and Republican Parties
Political Polarization
Passed in 2002, this Act amended the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) with several provisions designed to end the use of nonfederal, or "soft money" for activity affecting federal elections. Also limited when and how ads could be released close to an election.
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) aka McCain-Feingold Act
The constitutional amendment that gave women the right to vote
19th Amendment
Incumbent; the "war chest" or list of prior donors to their campaign, name recognition, they have already run a campaign
A non-profit, political advocacy group with tax exemptions is filed under this tax code
527
The gradual rearrangement of party coalitions based more on demographic shifts than on shocks to the political system
secular realignment
Supreme Court Case that ruled that political spending by corporations, associations, and labor unions is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
The constitutional amendment that prohibited the poll tax
24th Amendment
This term describes when successful presidential candidates carry into office congressional candidates of the same party in the year of their election
presidential coattails
A delegate to the Democratic party's national convention that is reserved for a party official and whose vote at the convention is unpledged to a candidate
superdelegate
Some reasons why third party candidates are at a disadvantage in America
the winner-takes-all system, the incorporation of third party agendas into major political parties
Super PAC
The constitutional amendment that prohibited denying adults over 18 the right to vote based on age
26th Amendment
An advertisement that attempts to counteract an anticipated attack from the opposition before the attack is launched
Inoculation ad
A voting system that apportions legislative seats according to the percentage of the vote won by a particular party, and the kinds of elections it is utilized in
proportional representation; primary elections (democratic primaries always use proportional representation)