: Linkage Institutions: Chapter 9 – Campaigns and Elections

Political Parties,
Campaigns and Elections,
Name: _____________________________
Interest Groups, and Mass
Media Date: ________________________________________ Period: __________

Questions/Main Ideas Responses/Notes

1. Why is running for The long arduous campaigns.
President is so
difficult?

2. Define nomination, The official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party.
and campaign The master game plan candidates lay out to guide their campaigns.
strategy.
You win the favor of a parties supporters making it easier to win the primaries
How does running for
a nomination deter
potential good
candidates?

3. What happens at the The supreme power within each of the parties. The convention meets every
national party four years to nominate the party's presidential and vice-presidential
convention? candidates and to write the party's platform.

4. What were the The anti war demonstrators fought the police and the commission made it
problems at the 1968 more representative and open to the public. the system might fall victim to
Democratic gridlock and things would get done slower.
Convention? How did
McGovern Fraser
Commission make the
convention process
more democratic?
What are some of the
drawbacks you see in
this new process?

5. What is last aspect still superdelegates: National party leaders who automatically get a delegate slot
in existence of the old at the Democratic national party convention
system? Explain what
it is.

Summary:
 : Linkage Institutions Chapter 9– Campaigns and Elections

Questions/Main Ideas Responses/Notes

6. What is the difference Caucus Primary
between a caucus and a A meeting of all state party leaders national primary early in the election
primary? What is the for selecting delegates to the year
primary purpose? national party convention.

Purpose ________________________________________________________
select delegates

7. How does They are spread by media organizations making them seen by others out of
frontloading make a state. The problems are that the judgments are rushed before the public learn
state’s primary or about the candidates.
caucus more relevant?
What problems with
frontloading?

8. List 5 criticisms of the

primary and caucus Disproportio Prominent money pays participation the system
system. Which do you nate politicians too big a role in primaries gives to
think is biggest attention find it in the and caucuses much power
problem? Why?
goes to the difficult to caucuses and us low and to the media
early take time out primaries unrepresent
caucuses and from their ative
primaries duties to run

Summary:
 Linkage Institutions Chapter 9 – Campaigns and Elections

Questions/Main Ideas Responses/Notes

9. Describe the events candidates give speaches and they elect a candidate for presidency
that happen at a
national convention.

10. How are campaigns They use social media applications and their own apps to spread information
considered hi-tech? about their party. how candidates use their advertising budget and the free
What are the 2 most attention they get as news makers
important goals in of
any media campaign?

11. What does a candidate Get a campaign manager. Campaign contributions and independent
need if they are going expenditures.
to be successful?
Explain the 2 ways to
contribute to a
campaign?

12. Explain goals of the To limit the amount of money candidates get during a campaign. To enforce
Federal Election these laws.
Campaign of Act?
What is the role of
the Federal Election
Commission?

13. Why do candidates They reject federal funding to get rid of the spending limit that they get.
reject public money?
Look at chart Why did
Barak Obama reject
public funding in
2008?
14. What is a political PAC’s that raise money for candidates from individuals.
action committee? They can donate to themselves. people on the grass roots level didnt have a
What are the 2 donation cap when donating to a campaign.
loopholes in the
campaign finance Political Contributions earmarked for party-building expenses at the grass
law? Define soft roots level or for generic party advertising. Unlike money that goes to the
money. campaign of a particular candidate, such party donations are not subject to
contribution limits.
Summary:
 Linkage Institutions Chapter 9 – Campaigns and Elections

Questions/Main Ideas Responses/Notes

15. Why are there no they dont directly seek the elections of specific candidates.
restrictions on
campaign contribution
from 527 groups? ruled that individuales, corporations and unions could donate unlimited
What was the amounts of money.
significance of Citizen
United case?

16. What is a Super PAC? independent expenditure only PAC that can accept donations of any size.
Table 9.1 What can older more educated and government workes are most likely to vote
conclusions can you
draw from looking at
this chart?

17. Define political the belief that ones own political participation really matters. The strong belief
efficacy. What is civic that in order to support government one should vote No because it is their
duty? Do you think choice
people should be
required to vote by
law?

18. What is voter A system adopted by the states that requires voters to register prior to voting.
registration? How It decreases voter turnout because it requires more time to vote. It requires
does it effect voter people to pre register when getting a drivers liscense and that means that
turnout? How does they might as well do it as they are there
the Motor Voter Act
make it easier for
people to register?

19. Read America in

Perspective. Answer
questions 1 & 2.

Summary: