Politics Vocab Flashcards
an association of voters with broad common interests who want to influence or control decision making in gov’t by electing the party’s candidates to public office
political party
a system of gov’t in which two parties compete for power
two party system
a party that challenges the two major parties
third party
a series of statements expressing the party’s principles, beliefs, and positions on election issues
platform
helps raise funds for presidential elections and organizes the party’s national convention
national committee
a meeting of political party members to conduct party business
caucus
a geographic area that contains a specific number of voter
precinct
a strong party organization that can control political appts and deliver notes
political machine
an election in which voters choose candidates to represent each party are allowed to vote for that party’s nominees
closed primary
an election in which voters need not declare their party preference to vote for the party’s nominees
open primary
the most votes among all those running for a political office
plurality
an election in which voters choose candidates to represent each party in a general election
direct primary
one that allows a person to vote without going to the polls on Election Day
absentee ballot
all the people who are eligible to vote
electorate
group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and VP
electoral college
procedure by which citizens can propose new laws or stat e Constitutional amendments
initiative
a petition asking for a new law
proposition
a way for citizens to vote on state or local laws
referendum
a special election in which citizens can vote to remove a public official from office
recall
candidate who wins the popular vote in a state usually receives all the state’s electoral votes
winner-take-all system
political organization established by a corporation, labor union, or other special interest group designed to support candidates by contributing money
political action committee
donations given to political parties and not designated for a particular candidate’s election campaign
soft money
a politician who has already been elected to office
incumbent
ideas and attitudes that most people hold about elected officials, candidates, gov’t, and political issues
public opinion
mechanisms of mass communication, including TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, recordings movies and books
mass media
a group of people who share a point of view about an issue and unite to promote their beliefs
interest group
a specialist whose job is to conduct polls regularly
pollster
issues considered most significant by gov’t officials
public agenda
gov’t censorship of material before it is published
prior restraint
written untruths that are harmful to someone’s reputation
libel
evil intent
malice
free from party ties or bias
nonpartisan
representative of an interest group who contacts lawmakers or other gov’t officials directly to influence their policy making
lobbyist
