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 party.
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.
Reapportionment
The assigning by Congress of congressional seats after each census.
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 (PAC)
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
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.
