CHAPTER 7 QUESTIONS

Question #1 What is the nominating process? The process of candidate selection or the naming of those who will seek office.

Question #2 List and describe the five ways nominations are made in the United States. 1. Self-Announcement: you announce yourself or have someone else announce you (you may not have gotten the party nomination) 2. Caucus: group of like-minded people who meet to select candidates they will support in an upcoming election 3. Convention: party’s members meet in local caucuses to select delegates to represent them at the convention 4. The Direct Primary: intra-party election held by the party to select its candidates 5. Petition: candidates are selected by required number of signatures to a petition

Question #3 What is a primary? Intra-party election (“open” or “closed” )held to select a party’s candidates

Question #4 Explain the difference between an open primary and a closed primary. Only registered party members may vote in a closed primary. In an open primary, all voters may participate, including independents. Virginia has open primaries

Question # 5 Fill in the chart below regarding the features, advantages, and disadvantages of each of the listed voting methods. MethodFeaturesAdvantages/Disadvantages Voice Vote Person present voices opinion.Simple. High Accountability Person must be present No confidentiality Early Paper Ballot People produce their own or parties produce ballots Ballots were colored, revealing who a person was voting for Manufactured by parties Australian Ballot Printed at public expense Lists the names of all candidates in an election It is given out at the polls and only to registered voters Marked in secret Public pays for it Who gets on the ballot? How many candidates will be allowed? Office-Group Ballot Groups together candidates for a particular office Rotate order of names to prevent advantage of having name on the top of the ticket Someone has the advantage of being the top name listed Party-Column Ballot A single vote can cast votes for all of that party’s candidates for the various offices being contended. Discourages “split-ticket” voting Enhances the “coattail effect” Vote by Mail Mail in ballot (Oregon)May be subject to fraud (any more so than any other method?) People may be subject to intimidation in home or any other place not protected by the security and privacy of the voting place Online VotingVoting via Hacking, viruses, authenticity

Question #6 Why do political campaigns cost so much? Media and advertising (television ads are incredibly expensive) Travel Events Staff / Consultants Polling

Question #7 Who are the principal financiers of political campaigns? Small contributors Wealthy individuals (George Soros, Sheldon Anderson, Koch Brothers) Candidates themselves (Meg Whitman, Jon Corzine) Various nonparty groups (PACs, now called Super PACs after Supreme Court Citizens’ United decision)

Question #8 What are PACs? Explain the positives and negatives of PACs. Political arms of special interest groups, (business, labor, professional, cause, and other organizations that try to influence government policies). They allow a multitude of groups to influence the vote. They are subject to limitations to individual campaigns or to parties. They have multiplied exponentially, perhaps carrying too much influence on elections.

Question #9 List the four main duties of the Federal Election Commission. Require the timely disclosure of campaign finance data Place limits on campaign contributions Place limits on campaign expenditures Provide public funding (subsidies) for several parts of the presidential election process

Question #10 Explain the Revenue Act of 1971 and its subsequent expansions. It set up the Presidential Election Campaign Fund (taxpayer can check-off three dollars of his or her tax return to contribute to the fund) Used to finance: (1) Preconvention Campaigns (2) National Conventions (3) Presidential Election Campaigns