VOCAB

Question 1

Cause lobbyist

Answer 1

A person who works for an organization that tracks and promotes an issue

Question 2

Closed primary

Answer 2

A nominating election in which only voters belonging to that party may participate.

Question 3

Contract lobbyists

Answer 3

Contract lobbyists
Lobbyists who work for different causes for different clients

Question 4

Crossover voting

Answer 4

Voting by a member of one party in another party’s primary. This process is not allowed in all states.

Question 5

Factional splits or factions

Answer 5

Groups that struggle to control the message within a party; for example, a party may split into competing regional factions

Question 6

General elections

Answer 6

Decisive elections in which all registered voters cast ballots for their preferred candidates for a political office.

Question 7

Nonpartisan ballots

Answer 7

Ballots that do not list candidates by political party; still often used in local elections

Question 8

Open primary

Answer 8

A nominating election that is open to all registered voters regardless of their party affiliation.

Question 9

Party conventions

Answer 9

Meeting of party delegates called to nominate candidates for office and establish party agendas.

Question 10

Political or party machines

Answer 10

Political organizations controlled by a small number of people and run for partisan ends. In the 19th and 20th centuries, these groups controlled party nominations for public office and rewarded supporters with government jobs and contracts.

Question 11

Runoff primary

Answer 11

An election held if no candidate receives a majority of the vote during the regular primary. The top two finishers face off again in a runoff to determine the nominee for the general election.

Question 12

Super PACs

Answer 12

Political Action Committees that can spend unlimited funds on behalf of political candidates but cannot directly coordinate their plans with those candidates

Question 13

Apportionment

Answer 13

The allotting of districts according to population shifts

Question 14

Caucus

Answer 14

All the members of the party within a legislative chamber, also refers to meetings of members of a political party in a chamber

Question 15

Coalition building

Answer 15

The assembly of an alliance of groups to pursue a common goal or interest

Question 16

Committees

Answer 16

A group of legislators who have the formal task of considering and writing bills in a particular issue area

Question 17

Constituent Service

Answer 17

The work done by legislators to help residents in their voting districts

Question 18

Districts

Answer 18

The geographical areas represented by members of a legislature.

Question 19

Filibuster

Answer 19

A debate that under U.S. Senate rules can drag on, blocking final action on the bill under consideration and preventing other bills from being debated.

Question 20

Gerrymanders

Answer 20

Districts drawn with the intent of pressing partisan advantage

Question 21

Logrolling

Answer 21

A practice in which a legislator gives a colleague a vote on a bill in return for that colleagues vote on another bill

Question 22

Majority-minority districts

Answer 22

District in which members of a minority group make up a majority of the population or electorate

Question 23

Malapportionment

Answer 23

A situation in which the principle of equal representation is violated

Question 24

Override

Answer 24

The process by which legislative chambers vote to challenge a gubernatorial veto; often requires a supermajority of ⅔

Question 25

Oversight

Answer 25

The legislatures role in making sure that the governor and executive agencies are properly implementing the laws

Question 26

Professionalized legislatures

Answer 26

The process of providing legislators with the resources they need to make politics their main career, such as making positions full-time or providing them with full-time staff

Question 27

Rank-and-file members

Answer 27

Legislators who do not hold leadership positions or senior committee posts

Question 28

Riders

Answer 28

Amendments to a bill that are not central to the bills intent

Question 29

Veto

Answer 29

A governor’s rejection of legislation passed by the legislature

Question 30

Appointment powers

Answer 30

A governor ability to pick individuals to run state government, such as cabinet secretaries.