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Nomination
- Endorsement of a candidate by a party
- Requires momentum, money, and media attention
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Campaign strategy
Game plan candidates use for their campaign
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National party convention
- Supreme power within each party
- Meets every 4 years to nominate president and vice-president and write the party platform
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Caucus
Meeting of all state party leaders to select delegates to natl party convention
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Presidential primaries
- Voters in a state vote for a candidate
- How delegates to convention are chosen
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McGovern-Fraser Commission
- Formed at 1968 democratic convention
- Make conversions more representative for minorities
- Caused delegate system
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Superdelegates
Natl party leaders that automatically get a delegate slot
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Frontloading
Hold primaries early to capitalize on media attention
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National primary
- Would replace current methods
- Nationwide primary held early in the election year
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Regional primaries
- Would replace current methods
- Series of primaries held in each geographic region
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Party platform
- Statement of party goals for the next 4 years
- Drafted before party convention
- Best formal statement of a party's beliefs
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Direct mail
- High-tech method of raising money
- Send requests for money on lists of people who have previously supported similar views or candidates
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Federal Election Campaign Act
- 1974 reformed campaign finances
- Provided public financing for primaries and general elections, limited spending, required disclosure and attempted to limit campaign contributions
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Federal Election Commission
- 6 member bipartisan agency
- Administers and enforces campaign finance laws
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Presidential Election Campaign Fund
- Income tax money goes into this fund
- Distributed to qualified candidates to help their presidential campaigns
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Matching funds
Contributions of up to $250 are matched by the PECF to nominees who qualify and meet various conditions
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Soft money
- Political contributions to the general party
- Less limited than candidate contributions
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527 groups
- Seek to influence politics
- Not subject to contribution restrictions
- Independent groups
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Political action committees (PACs)
- A corporation, union or interest group can create a PAC to help find campaigns
- Must register and are monitored strictly
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Selective perception
People pay more attention to things they already agree with
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