Government Unit 2 Vocab

Front 1

Political Party

Back 1

A group of individuals with vroad common interests who organize to nominate candidates for office, win elections, conduct government

Front 2

Ideologies

Back 2

A set of basic beliefs about life, culture, government, and soceity

Front 3

Third Party

Back 3

Any political party other than one of the two major parties

Front 4

Single-issue Party

Back 4

A political part that focuses on one major social, economic, or moral issue

Front 5

Ideological Party

Back 5

A political party that focuses on overall changes in society rather than on an issue

Front 6

Splinter Party

Back 6

A political party that splits away from a major party because of some disagreement

Front 7

Single-member Districts

Back 7

Electoral district in which only one candidate is elected for office

Front 8

Proportional Representation

Back 8

A system in which several officials are elected to represent the same area in proportion to the votes each party's candidate receives

Front 9

Independent

Back 9

A voter who does not support any particular party

Front 10

Precint

Back 10

A voting district

Front 11

Ward

Back 11

A large district comprised of several adjorning precints

Front 12

Party County Chairsperson

Back 12

A person selected to handle the county partys affairs

Front 13

State Central Committee

Back 13

Composed of representatives from each county

Front 14

National Convention

Back 14

A gathering to choose president and vice president

Front 15

National Committee

Back 15

Representatives of the 50 states

Front 16

Party National Chairsperson

Back 16

The president

Front 17

Partronage

Back 17

The practice of granting favors to reward party and loyalty

Front 18

Caucuses

Back 18

A private meeting of party leaders to choose candidates for office

Front 19

Nominating Convention

Back 19

An offical public meeting of a party to choose cadidates for office

Front 20

Direct Primary

Back 20

An election in which partt members select people to run in the general election

Front 21

Closed Primary

Back 21

An election in which only members of a political party can vote

Front 22

Open Primary

Back 22

An election in which all voters can participate

Front 23

Plurality

Back 23

The largest number of voters in an election

Front 24

Ticket

Back 24

The candidates for vice president and president

Front 25

Convention Delegates

Back 25

Someone choosen by the people to vote on their behalf

Front 26

Mass Media

Back 26

Means of communication that influence large audiences

Front 27

News Release

Back 27

A ready-made story government officals prepare for members of the press

Front 28

News Briefing

Back 28

A meeting during which a goverment offical makes an announcment or explains a political decision or action

Front 29

Leak Media Event

Back 29

The release of secret information by anonymous government officals to the media

Front 30

Front- Runner

Back 30

The early leader in the election

Front 31

Spot Advertising

Back 31

The brief, frequent, positive descriptions of a candidate or a candidiate's major themes broadcast on television or radio

Front 32

Propganda

Back 32

The use of ideas, information, or rumors to influence opinions

Front 33

Campaign Manager

Back 33

The person responsible for the overall strategy and planning of a campain

Front 34

Federal Election Commission

Back 34

An independent agency in the executive branch to administer federal election laws

Front 35

Political Action Committtee

Back 35

An organization formed to collect money and provide financial support for political candidates

Front 36

Issue Advocacy Adevrtising

Back 36

Paid for by interest groups, urges voters to support a particular position on issues

Front 37

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

Back 37

This act adjusts limits in the amount of money candidates may receive from individual donors and the manner in which political parties may spend funds during the election

Front 38

Soft-Money

Back 38

Money raised by a political party for general purposes, not designated for a candidate

Front 39

Sufferage

Back 39

The right to vote

Front 40

Grandfather Clause

Back 40

An exemption in a law for a certain group based on previous conditions

Front 41

Poll Tax

Back 41

Money paid in order to vote

Front 42

Voting Rights Act 1965

Back 42

One of the most effective sufferage laws ever passed in this country

Front 43

Cross-Pressured Voter

Back 43

One who is caught between conflicting elements in his or her own life

Front 44

Straight Party Ticket

Back 44

One where a voter has selected candidates of his or her party only

Front 45

Public Opinion

Back 45

The ideas and attitudes a significant number of Americans hold about issues

Front 46

Political Socialization

Back 46

Process by which individuals learn their political beliefs and attitudes through personal background and life experiences

Front 47

Peer Groups

Back 47

An individual's close friends, religious group, clubs, or work groups

Front 48

Political Culture

Back 48

A set of shared values and beliefs about a nation and its government

Front 49

Liberal

Back 49

One who believes the national government should be active on promoting health, education, justice, and equal opportunity

Front 50

Conservative

Back 50

One who believes government should be limited,except in supporting traditional values and promoting freedom of opportunity

Front 51

Moderate

Back 51

One whose beliefs fall somewhere between liberal and conservative views

Front 52

Straw Poll

Back 52

An unsientific attempt to measure public opinion

Front 53

Biased Sample

Back 53

In polling, a group that dies not accurately represent the larger population

Front 54

Representaive Sample

Back 54

A small group of people, typical of the universe, that a pollster questions

Front 55

Random Sampling

Back 55

A polling technique in which everyone in the "universe" has an equal chance of being selected