Final answer:
The electoral benefit derived from having been voted into office once is referred to as the incumbency advantage, which includes name recognition, access to resources, and more likelihood of receiving donations, all contributing to higher reelection rates for sitting politicians.
Step-by-step explanation:
What is the electoral benefit derived from already having been voted into a particular office once? The concept in question here is known as the incumbency advantage, which refers to the various benefits sitting politicians have when seeking re-election. These benefits greatly enhance their chances of maintaining office. Incumbents enjoy several advantages:
- Resource control: Access to resources for constituent communication.
- Name recognition: Increased familiarity among voters due to prior exposure.
- Funding advantages: Higher likelihood of receiving donations from political action committees and interest groups.
- Legislative specialization: Ability to focus on specific policy areas, catering to local interests.
- Constituency service: Competence in addressing local issues and providing support.
- Media coverage: More frequent interviews due to incumbency status.
- Gerrymandering: District lines sometimes drawn to favor incumbents.
Together, these factors contribute to the high reelection rates for incumbent members of Congress, providing them with significant electoral dividends.