Chapter 8 Ap Us Government Vocabulary

Front 1

BLANKET PRIMARIES

Back 1

voters get a list of all candidates and can vote for one name for each office, regardless of party label

Front 2

CLOSED PRIMARIES

Back 2

voters must be registered with their party in advance and can only vote for that party

Front 3

COALITION

Back 3

A group of individuals with a common interest upon which every political party depends.

Front 4

COALITION GOVERNMENT

Back 4

Two or more parties join to run government

Front 5

CRITICAL ELECTION

Back 5

An electoral “earthquake” where new issues and new coalitions emerge

Front 6

LINKAGE INSTITUTIONS

Back 6

The channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the government’s policy agenda.

Front 7

NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON

Back 7

Responsible for day-to-day activities of the party.

Front 8

NATIONAL COMMITTEE

Back 8

One of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions

Front 9

NATIONAL CONVENTION

Back 9

The meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and the party’s platform

Front 10

NEW DEAL COALITION

Back 10

A coalition forged by the Democrats, who dominated American politics from the 1930s to the 1960s. Its basic elements were the urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals.

Front 11

OPEN PRIMARIES

Back 11

voters decide on election day which party to participate in, and then only that party

Front 12

PATRONAGE

Back 12

A job, promotion or contract given for political reasons rather than merit. Used by party machines

Front 13

PARTY COMPETITION

Back 13

The battle of the parties for control of public offices. Ups and downs of the two major parties are one of the most important elements in American politics.

Front 14

PARTY DEALIGNMENT

Back 14

disengagement of people from parties

Front 15

PARTY ERAS

Back 15

Historical periods in which a majority of votes cling to the party in power.

Front 16

PARTY IDENTIFICATION

Back 16

A citizen’s self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other.

Front 17

PARTY IMAGE

Back 17

The voter’s perception of what the Republican or Democrats stand for, such as conservatism or liberalism

Front 18

PARTY MACHINES

Back 18

A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements to win votes and to govern.

Front 19

PARTY NEUTRALITY

Back 19

people are indifferent towards the two parties

Front 20

PARTY REALIGNMENT

Back 20

The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election

Front 21

POLITICAL PARTY

Back 21

A “team of men [and women] seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election.”

Front 22

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

Back 22

Legislative seats awarded based on votes received by the party - more votes, more seats

Front 23

RATIONAL-CHOICE THEORY

Back 23

Assumes that individuals act in their own best interest, weighing the costs & benefits.

Front 24

RESPONSIBLE PARTY MODEL

Back 24

A view favored by some political scientist about how parties should work. Parties should offer clear choices to the voters, who can then use those choices as cues to their own preferences of candidates. Once in office, parties would carry out their campaign promises.

Front 25

THIRD PARTY

Back 25

Electoral contenders other than the two major parties. American third parties are not unusual, but they rarely win elections

Front 26

TICKET-SPLITTING

Back 26

Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices

Front 27

WINNER-TAKE-ALL SYSTEM

Back 27

Legislative seats awarded only to first place finishers