Chapter 7 - Political Parties and Elections

Question 1

Caucus

Answer 1

face-to-face meetings of voters enrolled in a party who meet to choose a nominee

Question 2

Closed Primary

Answer 2

a primary election in which only registered members of a political party may vote

Question 3

Divided Government

Answer 3

the condition in American government wherein the presidency is controlled by one party while the opposing party controls one or both houses of Congress

Question 4

Electoral College

Answer 4

the presidential electors from each state who meet after the popular election toc ast ballots for president and vice president

Question 5

Electoral Realignment

Answer 5

the point in history when a new party supplants the ruling party, becoming in turn the dominant political force. In the United States, this has tended to occur roughly every thirty years

Question 6

527 committee

Answer 6

nonprofit independent groups that recevie and disburse funds to influence the nomination, election or defeat of candidates. Named after section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, which defines and provides tax-exempt status for nonprofit advocacy groups

Question 7

incumbent

Answer 7

a candidate running for a position he or she already holds

Question 8

majority party

Answer 8

the party that holds the majority of legislative seats in either the house of the senate

Question 9

minority party

Answer 9

the party that holds a minority of legislative seats in either the house or the senate

Question 10

multiple-member district

Answer 10

an electorate that selects all candidates at large from the whole district; each vote is given the number of votes equivalent to the number of seats to be filled

Question 11

nomination

Answer 11

the process through which political parties select their candidates for election to public office

Question 12

open primary

Answer 12

a primary election in which registered votes decided on the day of the primary in which party’s primary they will participate

Question 13

party identification

Answer 13

an individual voter’s psychological ties to one party or another

Question 14

plurality system

Answer 14

a type of electoral system in which, to win a seat in the parliament or other representaive body, a candidate need only receive the most votes in the election, not necessarily a majority of the votes cast

Question 15

political action committee (PAC)

Answer 15

a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns

Question 16

political parties

Answer 16

organized groups that attempt to influence the government by electing their own members to important government offices

Question 17

primary elections

Answer 17

elections used to select a party’s candidate for the general election

Question 18

proportional representation

Answer 18

a multiple-member district sytem that allows for each political party representation in proportion to its percentage of the total vote

Question 19

recall

Answer 19

removal of a public official by popular vote

Question 20

referendum

Answer 20

the practice of referring a measure proposed or passed by a legislature to the vote of the electorate for approval or rejection

Question 21

single-member district

Answer 21

an electorate that is allowed tos elect only one representative from each district; the normal method of representation in the United States

Question 22

suffrage

Answer 22

the right to vote; also called franchise

Question 23

third parties

Answer 23

parties that organize to compete against the two major American political parties

Question 24

turnout

Answer 24

the percentage of eligible individuals who actually vote

Question 25

two-party system

Answer 25

a political system in which only two parties have a realistic opportunity to compete effectively for control of the government

Question 26

electorate

Answer 26

the people eligible to vote

Question 27

civic duty

Answer 27

the responsibilities of a citiezen

Question 28

vote registration requirements

Answer 28

Be a U.S. citizen
Be 18 years old by December 31 of the year in which you register (you must also be 18 years old by the date of the general, primary, or other election in which you want to vote)
Live at your present address at least 30 days before an election
Not be in jail or on parole for a felony conviction
Not claim the right to vote elsewhere

Question 29

motor voter law

Answer 29

The legislation required state governments to allow for registration when a qualifying voter applied for or renewed their driver’s license or applied for social services.

Question 30

personal characteristics which affect turnout

Answer 30

age, education, income