Unit 5 IDs? Flashcards
Linkage Institutions
Channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the government’s policy agenda.
Rational-choice theory
Theory that assumes individuals act in their own best interest when voting.
Split-ticket voting
Voting with one party for one office and with another party for another office.
Critical Election
An electoral “earthquake” where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party is often displaced by the minority party
Party Realignment
Displacement of majority party by minority party
Winner-take-all system
Electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded to only the candidates who come in first in their constituencies.
Superdelegates
National party leaders who automatically get a delegate slot at the DNC
Caucus
A system for selective convention delegates used in around a dozen states where voters must attend an open meeting to express presidential preference
Frontloading
Recent tendency of states to hold primaries early to capitalize on media attention.
Political Action Committees
Groups that raise money from individuals and then contribute to candidates they support.
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
Bipartisan agency to administer and enforce campaign finance laws.
Soft Money
Money used for party-building expenses at the grassroots level
Independent Expenditures
Expenses on behalf of political message, uncoordinated with the campaigns.
Super PACs
Independent-expenditure-only PACs that accept donations of any size and endorse specific candidates
Swing/Battleground State
Key states in presidential elections since they can go either way.
Interest Group
Organization of people with a shared policy goal who enter the policy process at one or more points, in one or more policy arenas.
Potential Group
The people who might join an interest group due to shared interest.
Actual Group
The people who actually join an interest group
Free-rider Problem
The fact that some or many potential group members will not join because they can benefit from group activities without joining.
Lobbying
Process by which someone can communicate with policymakers in an attempt to influence policy decisions
Electioneering
Direct group involvement in electoral process
Retrospective Voting
Method of voting based on candidates past political performance
Prospective Voting
Voting behavior where individuals base their votes on what they predict a candidate will do in the future.
Divided Government
When executive and legislative branches are split by two political parties.
Single-member plurality system
When the candidate gets more than any others is the winning candidate.
