6. Political parties Flashcards
political party
An organization that spon- sors candidates for political office under the organiza- tion’s name.
nomination
Designation as an official can- didate of a political party.
electoral college
A body of electors chosen by voters to cast ballots for president and vice president.
caucus
A closed meeting of the members of a political party to decide questions of policy and the selection
of candidates for office.
national convention/nominating convention
A gathering of delegates of a single political party from across the country to choose candidates for president and vice president and to adopt a party platform.
two-party system
A political system in which two major political parties compete for control of the government. Candidates from a third party have little chance of winning office.
party identification
A voter’s sense of psycholog- ical attachment to a party.
Federalist Party
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Anti-federalist Party
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Democratic-Republican Party
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National Republican Party
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Whig Party
A coalition made up of former National Republicans, Anti-Masons, and Jack- son haters formed the Whig Party in 1834. The name referred to the English Whigs, who opposed the powers of the British throne; the implication was that Jackson was governing like a king.
Democratic Party
Democratic Party, founded in 1828 but with roots reaching back to the late 1700s, has a strong claim to being the oldest party in existence.
Republican Party
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third parties
Parties that operate on the periphery of the two-party system. Minor parties form primarily to express some vot- ers’ discontent with choices offered by the major parties and to work for their own objectives within the electoral system.
party discipline
Party discipline is the ability of a parliamentary group of a political party to get its members to support the policies of their party leadership. In liberal democracies, it usually refers to the control that party leaders have over their caucus members in the legislature.
