Chapter 7 - Political Parties and Elections Flashcards
Caucus
face-to-face meetings of voters enrolled in a party who meet to choose a nominee
Closed Primary
a primary election in which only registered members of a political party may vote
Divided Government
the condition in American government wherein the presidency is controlled by one party while the opposing party controls one or both houses of Congress
Electoral College
the presidential electors from each state who meet after the popular election toc ast ballots for president and vice president
Electoral Realignment
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
527 committee
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
incumbent
a candidate running for a position he or she already holds
majority party
the party that holds the majority of legislative seats in either the house of the senate
minority party
the party that holds a minority of legislative seats in either the house or the senate
multiple-member district
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
nomination
the process through which political parties select their candidates for election to public office
open primary
a primary election in which registered votes decided on the day of the primary in which party’s primary they will participate
party identification
an individual voter’s psychological ties to one party or another
plurality system
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
political action committee (PAC)
a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns
political parties
organized groups that attempt to influence the government by electing their own members to important government offices
primary elections
elections used to select a party’s candidate for the general election
proportional representation
a multiple-member district sytem that allows for each political party representation in proportion to its percentage of the total vote
recall
removal of a public official by popular vote
referendum
the practice of referring a measure proposed or passed by a legislature to the vote of the electorate for approval or rejection
single-member district
an electorate that is allowed tos elect only one representative from each district; the normal method of representation in the United States
suffrage
the right to vote; also called franchise
third parties
parties that organize to compete against the two major American political parties
turnout
the percentage of eligible individuals who actually vote
two-party system
a political system in which only two parties have a realistic opportunity to compete effectively for control of the government
electorate
the people eligible to vote
civic duty
the responsibilities of a citiezen
vote registration requirements
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
motor voter law
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.
personal characteristics which affect turnout
age, education, income
