12/18 test Flashcards
Political culture
The dominate set of beliefs, customs traditions and values that defines the relationship between citizens and government
political ideology
an individual coherent set of belief about government and politics
Political Socialization
The experiences and factors that shape an individual’s political values, attitudes, and behaviors
Exit Poll
A survey conducted outside a polling place in which individuals are asked who or what they voted for and why
Public opinion
The sum of individuals attitudes about government, policies and issues
Representative sample
a sample that reflects the demographics of the population
Sampling error
a margin of error in a poll, which is usually calculated to plus or minus 3 percentage points
Party identification
an individual attachment to a political party
Political ideology
a set of beliefs about the desired goals and outcomes of a process of governance
Closed primary
a primary election in which only those who have registered as a member of a political party may vote
caucus
a process through which a state’s eligible voters meet at a convention to select delegates to represent their preference in the nomination process
Open primary
a primary election in which all eligible voters may vote, regardless of their party affiliation
Party platform
a set of position and policy objectives that members of a political party agree to
political party
an organize group of party leaders, officeholders and voters who work together to elect candidates to political office
political action committee
an organization that raises money to elect and defeat candidates and may donate money directly to a candidate’s campaign, subject to limits
proportional representation
an election system for a legislature in which citizens vote for parties, rather than individuals and parties are represented in the legislature according to the percentage of the votes they receive
realignment
when the group of people who support a political party shift their allegiance to a different political party
Single member plurality system
an election system for choosing members of the legislature where the winner is the candidate who receives the most votes, even if the candidate does not receive a majority of the votes
Straight ticket voting
voting for all of the candidates on the ballot from one political party
superdelegates
usually a party leader or activist who is not pledged to a candidate based on the outcome of the state’s primary caucus
Third party
a minor party in competition with the two major parties
Electorate
a body of people allowed to vote in a election
Incumbent
an official who holds an office
Office-bloc ballot
a ballot on which all candidates are listed under the office for which they are running
party column ballot
a ballot that encourages party-line voting by listing all of the party’s candidates in a column under the party name
precinct
One district into which a city or town is divided for voting
splinter party
a political party formed by members of an existing one whose views or policies differ from those of the majority
Ward
A unit of precincts into which cites are often divided for the election of city council members
