Closed primary

a primary nominating election in which only declared party members can vote

Coattail effect

The effect of a strong candidate running for an office at the top of a ballot helping to attract voters to other candidate on the party’s ticket

Electoral coalition

an association of political parties or individuals which exists solely to stand in elections

General election

The regularly scheduled election at which voters make final selection of officeholders

Incumbent

The current holder of a political office

Negative ad

Ad to win an advantage by referring to negative aspects of an opponent or of a policy rather than emphasizing one's own positive attributes or preferred policies

Office-bloc ballot

A ballot listing all candidates for a given office under the name of that office; also called a “Massachusetts” ballot

Open primary

A party nominating election in which any qualified voter can take part

Party-column ballot

A ballot listing all candidates of a given party together under the name of that party; also called an “Indiana” ballot

Political action committee

The political extension of special interest groups which have a major stake in public policy

Position issue

An issue dividing the electorate on which rival parties adopt different policy positions to attract voters

Presidential primary

An election in which a party’s voters –1. Choose State party organization’s delegates to their party’s national convention and/or –2. Express a preference for their party’s presidential nomination

Primary election

An election prior to the general election in which voters select candidates who will run on each party’s ticket

Prospective voting

Voting for a candidate because one favors his or her ideas for addressing issues after the election

Public finance law

Realigning or critical periods

Periods during which a sharp, lasting shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties. The issues that separate the two parties change, and so the kinds of voters supporting each party change.

Realignment

The shift in popular coalition supporting one or both parties. Two kinds of realignment –When a major is so badly defeated that it disappears and a new party emerges –When both party continues but voters shift their support from one party to the other

Retrospective voting

Voting for or against the candidate or party in office because one likes or dislikes how things have gone in the recent past

Runoff primary

A primary in which the top two vote-getters in the first direct primary face one another

Split ticket voting

Voting for candidates of different political parties for different offices at the same election

Spots

Short television ads

Straight-ticket voting

The practice of voting for candidates of only one political party at an election

Theme

The theme of a campaign of presidential candidates A simple, appealing that can be repeated over and over again Ex: –Jimmy Carter (1976) – trust –Ronald Regan (1980) – competence –George Bush (1988) – stay on course –Bill Clinton (1992) – we need to change

Tone

The tone of a campaign of presidential candidates, can be either: –Positive (build-me-up) –Negative (attack-the-opponent)

Valence issue

An issue on which voters distinguish rival parties by the degree to which they associate each party or candidate with conditions, goals or symbols the electorate universally approves or disapproves of

Visual

A campaign activity that appears on news broadcast