Unit 2 Vocab

Question 1

Attentive Public

Answer 1

Those who follow politics and public affairs carefully

Question 2

Australian Ballot

Answer 2

Secret ballot printed at the expense of the state

Question 3

Balancing the Ticket

Answer 3

Occurs when a presidential nominee chooses a vice presidential running mate who has different qualities in order to attract more votes for the ticket

Question 4

Blanket Primary

Answer 4

Election to choose candidates that is open to independents, and that allows voters to choose candidates from all the parties.

Question 5

Caucus

Answer 5

A local party meeting

Question 6

Closed Primary

Answer 6

Party election to choose candidates that is closed to independents. Voters may not cross party lines

Question 7

Coattail Effect

Answer 7

The influence of a popular presidential candidate on the election of congressional candidates of the same party

Question 8

Demographics

Answer 8

Characteristics of populations, e.g., race, sex, income

Question 9

Direct Election

Answer 9

Election of an official directly by the people rather than by an intermediary group such as the Electoral College

Question 10

Direct Primary

Answer 10

Election in which the people choose candidates for office

Question 11

Fixed Terms

Answer 11

Terms of office that have a definite length of time, e.g., two years for a member of the House

Question 12

Front Loading

Answer 12

Scheduling presidential primary elections early (e.g., February or March) in an election year

Question 13

Gender Gap

Answer 13

Difference in voting patterns for men and women, particularly in the greater tendency of the latter to vote for Democratic presidential candidates

Question 14

General Election

Answer 14

Election in which the officeholders are chosen. Contrast with a primary election, in which only the candidates are chosen

Question 15

Hard Money

Answer 15

Campaign contributions donated directly to candidates

Question 16

Ideology

Answer 16

Set of beliefs about political values and the role of government

Question 17

Incumbent

Answer 17

An officeholder who is seeking reelection

Question 18

Independent

Answer 18

One who is not registered with a political party. Independent leaners tend to vote for candidates of one particular party, whereas pure independents have no consistent pattern of party voting.

Question 19

Issue Advocacy Ads

Answer 19

Ads that focus on issues and do not explicitly encourage citizens to vote for a certain candidate

Question 20

Open Primary

Answer 20

Election to choose candidates that is open to independents, and in which voters may choose candidates from any one party

Question 21

Party Identification

Answer 21

A sense of affiliation that a person has with a particular political party (did you just assume my political party)

Question 22

Party Platform

Answer 22

A list of positions and programs that the party adopts at the national convention. Each position is called a plank

Question 23

Political Culture

Answer 23

The widely shared beliefs, values, and norms that citizens share about their government

Question 24

Plurality

Answer 24

More votes than anyone else, but less than half, e.g., Clinton won a plurality (43%) of popular votes in 1992, but not a majority. Plurality elections such as those for Congress are won by the person with the most votes, regardless if he/she has a majority.

Question 25

Political Efficacy

Answer 25

Capacity to understand and influence political events

Question 26

Political Socialization

Answer 26

Process in which one acquires his/her political beliefs

Question 27

Realigning (“Critical”) Election

Answer 27

An election in which there is a long term change in party alignment, e.g., 1932

Question 28

Safe Seat

Answer 28

An office that is extremely likely to be won by a particular candidate or political party

Question 29

Single Member District System

Answer 29

System in which the people elect one representative per district. With a winner-take-all rule, this system strengthens the two major parties and weakens minor parties

Question 30

Soft Money

Answer 30

Campaign contributions that are not donated directly to candidates, but are instead donated to parties

Question 31

Solid South

Answer 31

Historically, the South voted solidly Democratic. However, the South is now strongly Republican: Bush carried every Southern state in 2000

Question 32

Split Ticket Voting

Answer 32

Casting votes for candidates of one’s own party and for candidates of opposing parties, e.g., voting for a Republican presidential candidate and a Democratic congressional candidate

Question 33

Straight Ticket Voting

Answer 33

Casting votes only for candidates of one’s party

Question 34

Suffrage

Answer 34

The right to vote

Question 35

Superdelegate

Answer 35

A delegate to the Democratic national convention who is there by virtue of holding an office

Question 36

Super Tuesday

Answer 36

A Tuesday in early March in which many presidential primaries, particularly in the South, are held

Question 37

Swing State

Answer 37

A state that does not consistently vote either Democratic or Republican in presidential elections