Politics Vocab

Question 1

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

Answer 1

political party

Question 2

a system of gov’t in which two parties compete for power

Answer 2

two party system

Question 3

a party that challenges the two major parties

Answer 3

third party

Question 4

a series of statements expressing the party’s principles, beliefs, and positions on election issues

Answer 4

platform

Question 5

helps raise funds for presidential elections and organizes the party’s national convention

Answer 5

national committee

Question 6

a meeting of political party members to conduct party business

Answer 6

caucus

Question 7

a geographic area that contains a specific number of voter

Answer 7

precinct

Question 8

a strong party organization that can control political appts and deliver notes

Answer 8

political machine

Question 9

an election in which voters choose candidates to represent each party are allowed to vote for that party’s nominees

Answer 9

closed primary

Question 10

an election in which voters need not declare their party preference to vote for the party’s nominees

Answer 10

open primary

Question 11

the most votes among all those running for a political office

Answer 11

plurality

Question 12

an election in which voters choose candidates to represent each party in a general election

Answer 12

direct primary

Question 13

one that allows a person to vote without going to the polls on Election Day

Answer 13

absentee ballot

Question 14

all the people who are eligible to vote

Answer 14

electorate

Question 15

group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and VP

Answer 15

electoral college

Question 16

procedure by which citizens can propose new laws or stat e Constitutional amendments

Answer 16

initiative

Question 17

a petition asking for a new law

Answer 17

proposition

Question 18

a way for citizens to vote on state or local laws

Answer 18

referendum

Question 19

a special election in which citizens can vote to remove a public official from office

Answer 19

recall

Question 20

candidate who wins the popular vote in a state usually receives all the state’s electoral votes

Answer 20

winner-take-all system

Question 21

political organization established by a corporation, labor union, or other special interest group designed to support candidates by contributing money

Answer 21

political action committee

Question 22

donations given to political parties and not designated for a particular candidate’s election campaign

Answer 22

soft money

Question 23

a politician who has already been elected to office

Answer 23

incumbent

Question 24

ideas and attitudes that most people hold about elected officials, candidates, gov’t, and political issues

Answer 24

public opinion

Question 25

mechanisms of mass communication, including TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, recordings movies and books

Answer 25

mass media

Question 26

a group of people who share a point of view about an issue and unite to promote their beliefs

Answer 26

interest group

Question 27

a specialist whose job is to conduct polls regularly

Answer 27

pollster

Question 28

issues considered most significant by gov’t officials

Answer 28

public agenda

Question 29

gov’t censorship of material before it is published

Answer 29

prior restraint

Question 30

written untruths that are harmful to someone’s reputation

Answer 30

libel

Question 31

evil intent

Answer 31

malice

Question 32

free from party ties or bias

Answer 32

nonpartisan

Question 33

representative of an interest group who contacts lawmakers or other gov’t officials directly to influence their policy making

Answer 33

lobbyist