unit 3 vocab Flashcards
Speaker of the House
The presiding officer in the House of Representatives, formally
elected by the House but actually selected by the majority party
filibuster
A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator slows down the
proceedings of the Senate and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.
quorum
The minimum number of members who must be present to permit a
legislative body to take official action (half plus one)
standing committee
A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually
focusing on a policy area.
select committee
A congressional committee created for a specific purpose, sometimes
to conduct an investigation.
casework
the response or services that Members of Congress provide to constituents
who request assistance such as help with bureaucratic paperwork or speeding up
applications
conference committee
Committee appointed by the presiding officers of each
chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in different form.
delegate model
Elected officials are expected to represent the views of his or her
constituents, even when personally holding different views
trustee model
Elected officials are expected to vote independently based on his or her
judgment of the circumstances
proportional representation
An election system in which each party running receives
the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.
Plurality (Winner Take All) system
Election system in which the candidate who wins
the most votes wins the single district seat
duverger’s law
The observation that in political systems with only one winner, two
main parties tend to emerge with minor parties typically losing votes to the most similar
major part
realignment
When a party undergoes a major shift in its electoral base and political
agenda
open primary
Primary election in which any voter, regardless of party, may vote
closed primary
Primary election in which only persons registered in the party holding
the primary may vote.
incumbent
The current holder of the elected office.
safe seat
Elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other, so the success
of the party’s candidate is almost taken for granted
rational choice voting
When a voter supports a candidate who they believe will
benefit their personal interests
retrospective voting
When a voter analyzes the track records of candidates in
determining their vote
prospective voting
Voting decision based on promises made by candidates during the
election cycle; focuses on what the candidates or parties will do if they are elected, rather
than what they have done in the past
party-line voting
Voting for candidates at various levels of government solely based
on their party identification. It is utilized by a large number of voters. Many party-line
voters will engage in straight-ticket voting during general elections
reapportionment
The assigning by Congress of congressional seats after each census.
State legislatures reapportion state legislative districts
redistricting
The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines
following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as
possible in population
gerrymandering
The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party,
group, or incumbent
split ticket voting
Voting for one party for President and another for Congress
lobbyist
A person who is employed by and acts for an organized interest group or
corporation to try to influence policy decisions and positions in the executive and
legislative branches.
soft money
Contributions to a state or local party for party-building purposes, comes
with less restrictions
hard money
Donations made to political candidates, party committees, or groups
which, by law, are limited and must be declared
political action committee
The political arm of an interest group that is legally
entitled to raise funds on a voluntary basis from members, stockholders, or employees to
contribute funds to candidates or political parties
super pacs (political action committee)
independent expenditure-only political committees that may receive
unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, labor unions and other political
action committees; forbidden from cooperating with candidates
