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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 |
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Major Parties |
The main groups in American politics. The two- party system includes the Republican and Democratic parties |
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Partisanship |
A government official's strongly basing decision-making off of allegiance to a political party |
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Party in Power |
The party controlling the Executive Branch in the White House |
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Minor Party |
A smaller political party lacking wide support |
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Two-party System |
A nation in which only the two main parties have substantial likelihood of winning national elections |
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Single-member District |
A winner-take-all system in which only one candidate is elected to each office for the district |
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Plurality |
What a candidate is granted when they receive the most votes for the office |
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Bipartisan |
Working together and striving to find a common ground between the two parties |
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Pluralistic Society |
A society that is made up of various distinct groups, ethnicities, cultures, etc. |
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Consensus |
An overall agreement |
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Multiparty |
A political system composed of several or many groups seriously running for public office |
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Coalition |
Several groups coming together temporarily, working to form a majority that will control government |
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One-party system |
A nation where only the party of the ruling clique is allowed |
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Incumbent |
The holder of an office at the time |
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Faction |
Groups that conflict and oppose each other |
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Electorate |
The general group of eligible voters |
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Sectionalism |
The concept of focusing attention on the interests of a specific region |
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Ideological Parties |
A party based on a comprehensive set of social, economic, and political beliefs |
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Single-issue Parties |
Parties that have on primary public-policy concern |
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Economic Protest Parties |
Parties that express economic discontent and despise the major political parties |
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Splinter Parties |
Minor parties that originally split away from the major parties |
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Ward |
A division of a city for city council elections |
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Precinct |
The smallest unit of divisions for elections |
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Split-ticket Voting |
Candidates of different parties for different offices are voted for at the same election |
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Suffrage |
The right of the people to vote |
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Franchise |
Also the right to vote |
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Electorate |
The population with the potential to vote |
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Transient |
Those who live in a state for a temporary time |
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Registration |
The identification of voters to prevent voter fraud |
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Purge |
The reviewing of registered voters in order to remove those no longer eligable |
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Poll Book |
A list of registered voters for a precinct |
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Literacy |
Ability to read |
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Poll Tax |
An old voter requirement in which people were taxed in order to vote |
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Gerrymandering |
The arranging of electoral district lines to limit a group or party |
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Injunction |
A court order that forces or limits an act by an individual or official |
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Preclearance |
Given approval by the Department of Justice |
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Off-year Election |
Congressional elections held between presidential elections |
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Political Efficacy |
A sense of one's own effectiveness in politics |
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Political Socialization |
The process by which a person is politically influenced |
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Gender Gap |
The difference between the partisan choices of the genders |
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Party Identification |
The loyalty of people to a party |
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Straight- ticket Voting |
Voting for candidates of a single party in an election |
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Independents |
People of no party affiliation |
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Nomination |
Naming those who will represent the people and seek election into office |
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General Election |
Voters make the final selection of officeholders at regularly held elections |
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Caucus |
A group of people meet to select the candidate they will nominate to run for election |
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Direct Primary |
An election within a party to choose candidates for general election |
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Closed Primary |
A primary in which only members of that party can vote |
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Open Primary |
A primary in which any qualified voter can vote |
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Blanket Primary |
Each voter receives the same ballot that lists all contenders regardless of party |
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Runoff Primary |
A primary between the top two contenders when no majority was reached |
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Nonpartisan Elections |
An election in which party labels do not identify candidates |
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Absentee Voting |
Voting by those unable to get to their election location |
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Coattail Effect |
A strong candidate at the top of the ballot helps attract voters' attention to the other candidates |
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Precinct |
An election district |
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Polling Place |
A place where voters of a precinct come to vote |
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Ballot |
The device by which the voter manifest their election choice |
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Political Action Committee (PAC) |
The arms of special-interest groups that greatly influence public policy |
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Subsidy |
A monetary grant from the government |
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Soft Money |
Contributions to party organizations for "party-building activities" that do not require reporting |
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Hard Money |
Campaign money subject to FEC regulation |
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Public Affairs |
Events and issues of large national concern |
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Public Opinion |
Governmental and political attitudes held by a significant part of the nation |
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Mass Media |
Mass communication platforms that can simultaneously reach wide dispersions of people |
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Peer Group |
A person's regular sphere of association |
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Opinion Leaders |
People who wield a strong influence on public views |
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Mandate |
Instructions given to an elected officials by their constituency |
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Interest Groups |
Private organizations that work to shape public policy according to their views |
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Public Opinion Polls |
Devices to collect information from the general public |
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Straw Vote |
Polls that ask the same question of a large group of people to attempt to understand the general public's mind |
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Sample |
A representative slice of an entire population |
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Random Sample |
Polling randomly selected people in randomly selected places |
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Quota Sample |
A sample specially constructed to represent major characteristics of a population |
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Medium |
A means of transmitting some kind of information |
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Public Agenda |
Societal issues that leaders and the people agree need political attention |
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Sound Bite |
Quick report aired in 30 or 45 seconds |
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Public Policy |
The goals and courses of actions set and acted upon by the government |
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Trade Association |
Interest groups for segments of the business community |
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Labor Union |
An organization for a specific industry that presses for government policies that will benefit that interest group |
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Public Interest Group |
A broad interest group that presses for public policies to benefit the majority |
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Propaganda |
A technique of influencing people's behaviors |
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Single-interest Groups |
PACs that focus on a single issue |
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Lobbying |
Activities in which groups pressure legislators for their interests |
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Grass Roots |
On the level of the average voters |