1135 Definitions Flashcards
System of government by a group of officials
Bureaucracy
To bring before a court of law to answer an indictment
Arraign
Law enacted by a legislative body
Statute
Person who examines and checks business accounts
Auditor
An official
Functionary
Having to do with a governor
Gubernatorial
A keeper of public records or historical documents
Archivist
Process of submitting to a direct vote of the citizens
Referendum
To put something aside and ignore it
Pigeonhole
Process of proposing legislation by petition
Initiative
presiding officer in a state lower house
speaker of the house
presiding officer in a state senate
lieutenant governor
administers funds; makes payments for the state
treasurer
oldest executive office in the U.S.
governor
successor to the governor if he dies of leaves office
lieutenant governor
records official acts; is the state archivist
secretary of state
approves money paid by the state; examines financial records
auditor/controller
chief state executive; appoints state officials; signs or vetoes bills
governor
doctor who examines bodies to determine cause of death
county coroner
oversees building and maintenance of county roads
county surveyor/engineer
secretary to commissioners court; records legal documents
county clerk
chief law officer of the county
county sheriff
chief county executive
county judge
handles lowest level cases
justice of the peace court
considers whether to hold a person for trial
grand jury
is a court of appeals
appellate court
hears serious misdemeanor and felony cases
trial court
decides criminal or civil cases
trial, or petit, jury
5 elected commissioners, one of whom serves as mayor
commission plan
elected representative council and an elected mayor
mayor-council plan
city manager appointed by elected council
council-manager plan
a court
tribunal
right to send official mail without cost
franking privilege
occurring every ten years
decennial
powers exercised by Congress during national crisis
emergency powers
person currently holding a political office
incumbent
specific congressional powers listed in the Constitution
enumerated powers
revising of legislative representation by redrawing election districts
reapportionment
drawing political divisions to give one party an unfair advantage
gerrymandering
435 members, at least 25 yrs old, 2 year terms, run for re-election every even numbered year
House of Representatives
100 members, at least 30 yrs old, 6 year terms, 1/3 run for re-election in even numbered years
Senate
elected by state legislatures before 1913, elected at-large and by direct, popular vote
Senate
elected by single-member districts and by direct, popular vote
House of Representatives
presiding officer of the House
Speaker
box on the House clerk’s desk in which bills are placed
hopper
President of the Senate
Vice President
serves as President of the Senate in his absence
president pro tempore
calendar for House revenue or appropriations bills
Union Calendar
closed meeting of the members of a political party
caucus
calendar for public bills
House Calendar
deliberate attempt by Senators to stall further action on a bill
filibuster
rule limiting time on debates in the Senate
cloture
calendar for private bills
Private Calendar
failure of the President to act on a bill within 10 days of Congress’ adjournment
pocket veto
person who works for or speaks for a specific interest group
lobbyist
helps plan strategy, etc., of the majority party
majority leader
helps plan strategy, etc., of the minority party
minority leader
assists party leaders
party whip
calendar for Senate bills
Calendar of Business
reprinted as amended
engrossed
person who secures cooperation between leadership and party members
liasion
several individuals who share one or more common goals and who seek to influence government decisions
specific interest group
permanent committee corresponding to a legislative area
standing
permanent committee of members from both houses that deals with a specific area
joint
committee of party leaders who influence party policy and tactics
steering
temporary committee of members from both houses that reconciles differences between House and Senate versions of a bill
conference
minor change in a constitution
amendment
broad change or complete rewrite of a constitution
revision
having the power to make or change a constitution
constituent
