TERMS Flashcards
Plurality Rule
A type of electoral system in which victory goes to the individual who gets the most votes
Party Identification
An individual’s attachment to a particular political party
Closed Primary
Only registered party members can vote to nominate a candidate
Open Primary
A primary election in which voters can choose on the day of the election which party’s primary to vote in
Majority Party
The party that holds the majority of the seats in a legislative chamber
Interest Group
An organized group of people that attempt to influence governmental policy
Lobbying
An attempt by a group
to influence the policy process through the persuasion of governemnt officials
Selective Benefits
Benefits that do not go to everyone but rather only to those who contribute to the group enterprise
Retrospective Voting
Voting based on the past performance of a candidate or party
Winner Take All
A form of voting in which the candidate with the largest percentage of the vote wins the race
Public Opinion
Citizen’s attitudes about political issue, personalities, and events
Liberal
A person who generally believes that the government should play an active role in supporting social and political change
Party Machine
A local party oganization that controlled local politics through patronage
Sample
A small group selected by researchers to represent the entire population
