Political Parties And Elections & Campaigns Flashcards
Direct Primary
A preliminary election in which a party’s candidates for public office are nominated by direct vote of the people.
National Convention
Meeting of party delegates elected in state primaries, caucuses, or conventions that is held every four years. Its primary purpose is to nominate presidential and vice-presidential candidates and to ratify a campaign platform.
National Committee
A committee of delegates from each state and territory that runs party affairs between national conventions.
Congressional Campaign Committee
Party committee in Congress that provides funds to members who are running for reelection or to would-be members running for an open seat or challenging a candidate from the opposition party.
National Chairman
A paid, full-time manager of a party’s day-to-day work who eventual by the national committee.
Super Delegate
Party leaders and elected officials who become delegates to the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses. Party rules determine the percentage of delegates seats reserved for party officials.
Political Machines
A party organization that recruits its members by dispensing patronage-tangible incentives such as money, political jobs, or an opportunity to get favors from government-and that is characterized by a high degree of leadership control over member activity.
Patronage
The support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another.
Solidary Groups
Parties organized around sociability, rather than tangible rewards or ideology.
Sponsored Party
Local or state political party that is largely staffed and funded by another organization with established networks in the community. One example is the Democratic party in and around Detroit, which has been developed, led, and to a degree financed by the political-action arm of the United Auto Workers.
Plurality System
Electoral system, used in almost all American elections, in which the winner is the person who gets the most votes, even if he or she does not receive a majority of the votes.
Caucus
An association of members of Congress created to advocated a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest.
Loyal Opposition
Term applied collectively to the opposition parties in the legislature to indicate that the non-governing parties may oppose the actions of the sitting cabinet while remaining loyal to the source of the government’s power.
Party Realignment
When the balance of power between a country’s political parties changes greatly.
New Deal Coalition
Coalition forged by the Democrats who dominated American politics from the 1930’s to the 1960’s. It’s basic elements were the urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals.
Civil Service
Proponents denounced the distribution of office by the winners of elections to their supporters as corrupt and inefficient. They demanded nonpartisan scientific methods and credential be used to select civil servants.
Party Dealignment
Process whereby a large portion of the electorate abandons its previous partisan affiliation, without developing a new one to replace it.
Personal Following
The political support provided to a candidate on the basis of personal popularity and network.
Proportional representation
A concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. It means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received.
Coalition
An alliance among different interest groups or parties to achieve some political goal.
