Political Parties

Question 1

Political Party

Answer 1

a group of people with broad common interests who organize to win elections, control government and thereby influence government policies

Question 2

Theocracy

Answer 2

a government dominated by religion

Question 3

Ideologies

Answer 3

basic beliefs about government

Question 4

Coalition Government

Answer 4

combination of political parties to obtain majority

Question 5

Third Party

Answer 5

any party other than one of the two majority parties

Question 6

Single-Member Party

Answer 6

no matter how many candidates compete in a district, only one will win

Question 7

Proportional Representation

Answer 7

several officials are elected to represent voters in an area

Question 8

Independent

Answer 8

not supporting any particular party

Question 9

Precinct

Answer 9

voting district ranging in size from just a few voters to more than 1,000 voters, all of whom cast their ballots at the same polling place

Question 10

Precinct Captain

Answer 10

a volunteer who organizes party workers to distribute information about the party and its candidates and to attract voters to the polls

Question 11

Ward

Answer 11

several adjoining precincts comprise a larger district

Question 12

State Central Committee

Answer 12

most important part of a party, usually composed largely of representatives from the party’s county organizations

Question 13

National Convention

Answer 13

gathering of party members and local and state party officials

Question 14

National Committee

Answer 14

a large group composed mainly of representatives from the 50 state party organizations

Question 15

Patronage

Answer 15

favors given to reward party loyalty

Question 16

Caucus

Answer 16

private meetings of party leaders

Question 17

Nominating Convention

Answer 17

an official public meeting of a party to choose candidates for offices

Question 18

Boss

Answer 18

powerful party leaders

Question 19

Direct Primary

Answer 19

an election in which party members select people to run in the general election

Question 20

Closed Primary

Answer 20

only members of a political party can vote

Question 21

Open Primary

Answer 21

all voters may participate, even if they don’t belong to the party, but they can vote in only one party’s primary

Question 22

Plurality

Answer 22

more votes than any other candidate

Question 23

Runoff Primary

Answer 23

second primary election between the two candidates who received the most votes in the first primary

Question 24

Ticket

Answer 24

candidates for president and vice president

Question 25

Platform

Answer 25

a statement of a party’s principles, beliefs, and positions on vital issues

Question 26

Planks

Answer 26

individual parts of the platform

Question 27

Campaign Manager

Answer 27

person responsible for overall strategy and planning

Question 28

Image

Answer 28

mental picture voters have of a candidate

Question 29

Political Action Committee

Answer 29

organizations established by interest groups to collect money and provide financial support to favored candidates or political parties

Question 30

Soft-money

Answer 30

donations were contributions given directly to a political party

Question 31

Suffrage

Answer 31

the right to vote

Question 32

Grandfather Clause

Answer 32

only voters whose grandfathers had voted before 1867 were eligible to vote without paying a poll tax or passing a literacy test

Question 33

Poll Tax

Answer 33

an amount of money that a citizen had to pay before he or she could vote

Question 34

Cross Pressured Voter

Answer 34

one who is caught between conflicting elements in his or her own life such as religion, income level, and peer group

Question 35

Straight Party Ticket

Answer 35

selecting candidates of one’s own party only

Question 36

Propaganda

Answer 36

involves using ideas, information, or rumors to influence opinion