Voting & Voter Access
In the early U.S., this group made up the entire electorate.
Who were white men over 21?
Typically, these are occasions when multiple principals—the citizens—choose political agents to act on their behalf
What are elections?
This form of voting is based on a candidate’s past performance.
What is retrospective voting?
Created in 1974, this independent agency enforces federal campaign finance laws, monitors donations, and ensures transparency in elections.
What is the Federal Election Commission (FEC)?
The problem that arises with incomplete information (i.e. choosing alternatives without fully knowing fully knowing the details of all available options)
What is adverse selection?
This ratio measures the number of people who vote divided by those eligible to vote.
What is the turnout rate?
This electoral format presents the names of all candidates for any given office on the same ballot.
What is the Australian ballot?
This form of voting is based on predictions about a candidate’s future performance.
What is prospective voting?
These organizations collect and distribute money to support or oppose political candidates, typically representing corporations, unions, or interest groups.
What are Political Action Committees (PACs)?
The problem of not knowing all aspects of actions taken by the agent.
What is moral hazard?
Only in 18 states, this type of election allows voters to remove a public official.
What is a recall?
This type of electoral district elects only one representative, the standard in the U.S.
What is a single-member district?
Voters care about achieving a particular outcome for these issues, but not the specific policy used to achieve it.
What is a valence issue?
In this 1976 Supreme Court case, the Court ruled that candidates can spend unlimited personal funds on their own campaigns, establishing the idea that money is speech.
What is Buckley v. Valeo?
Typically, these are the principals who select agents to act on their behalf during elections.
Who are citizens?
This reform automatically adds eligible citizens’ information from state agencies like the DMV to voter rolls, helping expand participation in elections.
What is Automatic Voter Registration?
Every four years, this constitutional institution allows electors chosen by voters in each state to formally choose the president and vice president of the United States.
What is the Electoral College?
Voters have preferences about which policies should be pursued for these issues.
What are spatial issues?
This 2010 Supreme Court decision expanded the idea that “money is speech” by allowing corporations and unions to spend unlimited funds on elections.
What is Citizens United v. FEC?
A key principle of representative democracy, where agents act on behalf of principals, but information may be incomplete.
What is delegation?
Commonly known as the “motor voter” law, this act signed by President Bill Clinton allows individuals to register to vote when applying for driver’s licenses.
What is the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)?
_____ allows citizens to vote directly on proposed laws or other governmental actions, whereas ____ allows citizens to place a policy proposal directly onto the ballot.
What is referendum and initiative?
Attachment to this is the strongest predictor of how a person will vote.
What is a political party?
Compared to other countries, the U.S. does not regulate these aspects of elections/campaigning (multiple possible answers).
What is the amount of television ads or other advertising, total campaign spending, media coverage, or the activities of groups/parties on behalf of the candidates?
This Supreme Court decision led to a series of decisions in which the court ruled that all federal and state legislative districts must have equal populations: one person, one vote.
What is Baker v. Carr (1962)?