1. Unit 5: Elections
US and VA Government

2. Nominating Candidates
Topic 1

3. Direct Primary
The winner is named the party’s nominee for the general election.

4. Closed Primary
Only the members of a political party can vote in selecting the party’s candidates

5. Open Primary
Any registered voter is allowed to participate by voting for a nominee of any party

6. Runoff Primary
Voters choose between the top vote-getters from a previous election

7. Nonpartisan Primary
All candidates appear on the same ballot

8. Candidates nominated in 5 ways:
Self Announcement
____________________________________
Caucus
Convention
Petition
Primary

9. Self Announcement declaration
Individual makes a public __________ that he or she is a candidate
Purpose:
If _______ nomination is unlikely
Does not _______ with party
Example: ___________’92
Complicated procedure to get on the ballot
________ candidates
declaration
party
agree
Ross Perot
Write-In

10. Caucus gathering Party Leaders 1840s Iowa
A _____________ to select a nominee
Originally done on a community-wide basis
Gradually taken over by political parties
_________________ began to abuse them
Fell into disuse by ________
Still used in some states
Most notably ________
Party Leaders
1840s
Iowa

11. Convention Party _____ gathering to nominate candidate
Composed of delegates representing _____
Abused by party leaders
“smoke filled _______”
Passed out of style by _______
state
room
1970s

12. Petition
Individual must get required # of _________ on a petition to be placed on the ballot
Often used by independent & __________ candidates
Democrats & Republicans make the requirements very _____ to discourage competition
signatures
third party
strict

13. Primary Most ______ common
Voters decide on party’s nominee in a primary _________
_______ determine rules
_____ may vote
______ is it held
What _______ may do
Open vs. closed primary
Became more common during _______
Primaries are staggered throughout ___________________ of election year
election
States
Who
When
parties
1970s
Winter and spring

14. Types of primaries
Closed
________: only members of the party may vote in that party’s primary (minority)
_____: any registered voter may vote in either party’s primary (majority)
Virginia is an ______ primary state
Open
open

15. Primary Season fall frontrunner Iowa New Hampshire Tuesday
Candidates begin to campaign the _____ before the election year
It is very important to be successful early so as to win ____________ status
Feb. 1st: ______ Caucus
Feb. 9th: ________________ Primary
Super __________: many large states hold their primaries on the first Tuesday in March
_______________ has been criticized for defeating the purpose of primaries
fall
frontrunner
Iowa
New Hampshire
Tuesday
“Frontloading”

16. Voter Turnout 30% 50% Well-educated ideological
In primary elections, it is typically ____ to ____ of a general election.
Older, _______________, upper-income voters tend to participate.
Those more __________ extreme voters also participate more.
30%
50%
Well-educated
ideological

17. Campaigns and Financing
Topic 2

18. Campaigns in 1900s changed in 3 ways:
_____________________________________
Candidates became more visible
The role of the media is more important
Polling has become a key tool

19. Candidate Visibility candidates William Jennings Bryan promotions
During 1700s and early 1800s, ___________ were expected to maintain proper form during their campaigns by basically not even talking about it.
In the late 1800s things begin to change; ______________________ went through a nationwide tour promoting his campaign for president.
In early 1900s, candidates started appearing in ____________, touring the country (Truman’s _____________ campaign).
Campaigning today consists of a ________, nonstop schedule of shaking hands, speaking, and constant travel.
William Jennings Bryan
promotions
Whistle-stop
grueling

20. Media Involvement Woodrow Wilson Dwight Eisenhower media social media
_______________ used news reels and recordings when he ran for president in 1912.
TV advertising started in 1952 when __________________ ran 30 and 60 second ads, similar to car and household goods commercials.
Today most campaigns are conducted through the _______ simply because it is an easier method to connect with millions of people than in person.
Many campaigns have taken advantage of _____________ to reach out to younger voters.
Dwight Eisenhower
media
social media

21. Polling
Campaigns pay special attention to ____________ to better direct their responsiveness.
Many major campaigns have access to _______ polls, which are not generally released to the public.
Public Opinion
internal

22. How Campaigns are financed
Party Assistance
_________________: Candidate’s political party can donate funds and resources to help (usually prioritized).
__________________________: gives funds to a campaign in the hopes that the candidate will help further that PAC’s agenda.
________________: People can contribute through “hard money” legally up to $2,700.
________________: Government can provide limited public funds from tax dollars. Most higher level candidates waive this option.
____________________: Many candidates are wealthy enough to fund their own campaign.
Political Action Committee
Private Donors
Public Funding
Personal Financing

23. Campaign Financing Reform
Financial Disclosure
____________________: Campaigns have to submit reports explaining how much money they’ve received and how they are spending the money.
____________________: Private donors and PACs have limits to how much they can contribute and to who. Contributions to 527 groups are unlimited.
__________________: Campaigns who accept public funds have set spending limits. This only applies to public funds!
___________________: Donations from corporations and labor unions have been ruled legal by the Supreme Court in Donations from a foreign source are still illegal.
Contribution Limits
Spending Limits
Donor Restrictions

24. Elections and Voting
Topic 3

25. Single-Member District
Electoral districts in which only one candidate can win election to a particular office.

26. Secret Ballot
Allows voters to choose candidates in private.

27. Absentee Ballot
A ballot requested by a voter prior to Election Day.

28. Suffrage
Right to vote.

29. Types of Elections General Election Special Election
_________________: are usually single member voting districts, chosen from the slate of candidates. Candidate wins by plurality vote.
_________________: Are sometimes called at the state or local level to make a decision by popular vote.
Examples: Fill vacancy, recall official, tax increase, constitutional amendment
Special Election

30. When Elections are held
U.S. congressional elections are held on ______________ years on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November.
States set dates for state/local elections, usually coinciding with federal elections.
Some states, like _______ set elections in odd-numbered years.
even-numbered
Virginia

31. How Elections are conducted
Citizens go to their _______ polling site to vote.
Usually overseen by election inspectors, several clerks, and volunteers.
They verify information of voters and give them a ballot or show them to a voting _______.
precinct
machine

32. Origins of the Ballot System
verbally
Citizens used to voice their vote _______ at a public meeting.
Then political parties printed their own ballots (which led to __________).
Secret ballot started in _____.
Absentee ballot: originally set up for military personnel.
Mail Vote: A few states, like Oregon, receive ballots in the mail.
corruption
1888

33. Sometimes, results have been challenged, ordering a ________. recount
Contested Elections
Sometimes, results have been challenged, ordering a ________.
2000 Florida
2016 Trump’s claims the system is “rigged”
recount

34. Voting Requirements
When constitution was ratified, a person had to own _______ and pay a poll tax in order to vote…which pretty much limited voting to few than 25% of all adult white males.
Property requirements were dropped by _____.
property
1843

35. Voting Requirements 15th Amendment “Jim Crow” Laws
________________: Passed in 1870, made it possible for adult black males could vote.
________________: Kept blacks from voting in the South up through the 1960s(!)
“Jim Crow” Laws

36. Voting Requirements
Women’s Suffrage
________________: Movement gained momentum after the Civil War.
_______________: Made it possible for women to vote.
19th Amendment

37. Voting Requirements Today
Age
____: 26th Amendment set the voting age at 18.
_________: Non-citizens are not allowed to vote. Some states outlaws voting by convicted felons and mentally ill. Many states have imposed new laws saying you must have proper or photo identification.
___________: Must reside in voting district for at least 30 days.
__________: Citizens fill out eligibility requirements. Some states require re-registering every few years. For most its when you move.
Citizenship
Residence
Registration

38. Voting Behavior Party Identification Issues Candidate’s Record/Image
_________________: Many will vote for “their party” regardless. Sometimes voter disregard.
Reagan Democrats
Republicans for Hillary
______: Certain “hot-topic” issues outweigh others (environment, health care, abortion, etc.)
________________________: Trust issues, past performance, personality, character.
___________: Voter’s political socialization.
Issues
Candidate’s Record/Image
Registration

39. Campaigns and the Public Good
Topic 4

40. Criticisms of Election Campaigns
Advertising in Media
____________________: How much in-depth coverage can you possibly get from a 30 second sound-byte?!
______________________: Goes back to the time of Jefferson and Adams…is nothing new. No one admits to like it, but research shows it works.
“Never on the job”
Embarrassing information
Contradictions on voting record
Both of these have shown to lead to…
_____________
Negative Campaigning
NONVOTING

41. Other causes of Nonvoting
Voter Alienation
_________________: People feel powerless to change the system because of influence from interest groups and wealthy donations
_____________________________: Some requirements may discourage people from voting.
ID Requirements: Can affect disproportionately poor and elderly
________________________: Statistics show, the weaker the party, the weaker the turnout.
Registration Requirements
Weak Political Parties

42. Benefits of Campaigns
Encouraging Debate
__________________: People are more likely to discuss issues when some time is given to consider their side, opponents point of view…
__________________: Candidates, their backgrounds, voting records, etc. Sometimes opposition research brings information a candidate may not want out.
Providing Information