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85 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back

Political Party

Political groups seeking to control government putting their candidates in public offices

Major Parties

The main groups in American politics. The two- party system includes the Republican and Democratic parties

Partisanship

A government official's strongly basing decision-making off of allegiance to a political party

Party in Power

The party controlling the Executive Branch in the White House

Minor Party

A smaller political party lacking wide support

Two-party System

A nation in which only the two main parties have substantial likelihood of winning national elections

Single-member District

A winner-take-all system in which only one candidate is elected to each office for the district

Plurality

What a candidate is granted when they receive the most votes for the office

Bipartisan

Working together and striving to find a common ground between the two parties

Pluralistic Society

A society that is made up of various distinct groups, ethnicities, cultures, etc.

Consensus

An overall agreement

Multiparty

A political system composed of several or many groups seriously running for public office

Coalition

Several groups coming together temporarily, working to form a majority that will control government

One-party system

A nation where only the party of the ruling clique is allowed

Incumbent

The holder of an office at the time

Faction

Groups that conflict and oppose each other

Electorate

The general group of eligible voters

Sectionalism

The concept of focusing attention on the interests of a specific region

Ideological Parties

A party based on a comprehensive set of social, economic, and political beliefs

Single-issue Parties

Parties that have on primary public-policy concern

Economic Protest Parties

Parties that express economic discontent and despise the major political parties

Splinter Parties

Minor parties that originally split away from the major parties

Ward

A division of a city for city council elections

Precinct

The smallest unit of divisions for elections

Split-ticket Voting

Candidates of different parties for different offices are voted for at the same election

Suffrage

The right of the people to vote

Franchise

Also the right to vote

Electorate

The population with the potential to vote

Transient

Those who live in a state for a temporary time

Registration

The identification of voters to prevent voter fraud

Purge

The reviewing of registered voters in order to remove those no longer eligable

Poll Book

A list of registered voters for a precinct

Literacy

Ability to read

Poll Tax

An old voter requirement in which people were taxed in order to vote

Gerrymandering

The arranging of electoral district lines to limit a group or party

Injunction

A court order that forces or limits an act by an individual or official

Preclearance

Given approval by the Department of Justice

Off-year Election

Congressional elections held between presidential elections

Political Efficacy

A sense of one's own effectiveness in politics

Political Socialization

The process by which a person is politically influenced

Gender Gap

The difference between the partisan choices of the genders

Party Identification

The loyalty of people to a party

Straight- ticket Voting

Voting for candidates of a single party in an election

Independents

People of no party affiliation

Nomination

Naming those who will represent the people and seek election into office

General Election

Voters make the final selection of officeholders at regularly held elections

Caucus

A group of people meet to select the candidate they will nominate to run for election

Direct Primary

An election within a party to choose candidates for general election

Closed Primary

A primary in which only members of that party can vote

Open Primary

A primary in which any qualified voter can vote

Blanket Primary

Each voter receives the same ballot that lists all contenders regardless of party

Runoff Primary

A primary between the top two contenders when no majority was reached

Nonpartisan Elections

An election in which party labels do not identify candidates

Absentee Voting

Voting by those unable to get to their election location

Coattail Effect

A strong candidate at the top of the ballot helps attract voters' attention to the other candidates

Precinct

An election district

Polling Place

A place where voters of a precinct come to vote

Ballot

The device by which the voter manifest their election choice

Political Action Committee (PAC)

The arms of special-interest groups that greatly influence public policy

Subsidy

A monetary grant from the government

Soft Money

Contributions to party organizations for "party-building activities" that do not require reporting

Hard Money

Campaign money subject to FEC regulation

Public Affairs

Events and issues of large national concern

Public Opinion

Governmental and political attitudes held by a significant part of the nation

Mass Media

Mass communication platforms that can simultaneously reach wide dispersions of people

Peer Group

A person's regular sphere of association

Opinion Leaders

People who wield a strong influence on public views

Mandate

Instructions given to an elected officials by their constituency

Interest Groups

Private organizations that work to shape public policy according to their views

Public Opinion Polls

Devices to collect information from the general public

Straw Vote

Polls that ask the same question of a large group of people to attempt to understand the general public's mind

Sample

A representative slice of an entire population

Random Sample

Polling randomly selected people in randomly selected places

Quota Sample

A sample specially constructed to represent major characteristics of a population

Medium

A means of transmitting some kind of information

Public Agenda

Societal issues that leaders and the people agree need political attention

Sound Bite

Quick report aired in 30 or 45 seconds

Public Policy

The goals and courses of actions set and acted upon by the government

Trade Association

Interest groups for segments of the business community

Labor Union

An organization for a specific industry that presses for government policies that will benefit that interest group

Public Interest Group

A broad interest group that presses for public policies to benefit the majority

Propaganda

A technique of influencing people's behaviors

Single-interest Groups

PACs that focus on a single issue

Lobbying

Activities in which groups pressure legislators for their interests

Grass Roots

On the level of the average voters