AP Government- Political Participation

Rational Choice Voting

Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen's individual interest

Retrospective Voting

Voting for a candidate because you like his or her past actions in office.

Prospective Voting

Voting for a candidate because you favor his or her ideas for handling issues.

clothespin voting

he vote cast by a person who does not like either candidate so cotes for the less objectionable of the two, putting a clothespin over his or her nose to keep out the unpleasant stench.

Political efficacy

belief that ordinary citizens can influence the government

Instutuional barriers

Barriers that prevent people from voting, registration, ballot complexity, two-party system, and elections are all considered institutional barriers - they all make voting difficult and can hinder some from voting

State Vote registration laws

the requirement that a person otherwise eligible to vote register (or enroll) on an electoral roll before they will be entitled or permitted to vote. Such enrollment may be automatic or may require application being made by the eligible voter.

Midterm Election

The congressional election that occurs midway through the president's term of office

Candidate Centered Campaigns

focus is on the candidate, not necessarily the issues or party stance

Coalitions

Individuals and/or groups that have common interests and perspectives to influence a target

Interest Groups

An organized group that tries to influence the government to adopt certain policies or measures.

Political Action Commitees (PAC)

A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations.

Disseminate

To scatter or spread widely

Third Party

A political party organized in opposition to the major parties in a two-party system

linkage Institutions

structures within a society that connects the people to the government. These institutions include: elections, political parties, interest groups, & the media.

Iron Triangle

A close relationship between an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group

"Free rider" problem

The problem faced by unions and other groups when people do not join because they can benefit from the groups' activities without officially joining. The bigger the group, the more serious the problem.

Single Issue groups

Groups that have a narrow interest tend to dislike compromise, and often draw membership from people new to politics. These features distinguish them from traditional interest groups.

Movements

Groups of individuals that share a common point of view and believe they cannot work through government

Social Movements

group of diffusely organized people or organizations striving toward a common goal relating to human society or social change, or the organized activities of such a group: EX: civil rights

Protest Movements

citizen protest against something that is happening - it is generally non-violent, although sometimes emotions run high and it can turn nasty & violent

Professional Oganizations

usually a nonprofit organization seeking to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession and the public interest they can back certain candidates.

Federal Budget Process

framework used by Congress and the President of the United States to formulate and create the United States federal budget.

Incumbent

Holding a political office for which one is running

Open primaries

A primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place.

Closed primaries

A primary election in which voting is limited to already registered party members.

Caucuss

A meeting of people, often in an auditorium or church basement, where they vote on who they would like their party's nominee to be.

Party Conventions

Meeting of delegates at the state or national level. Used for business and maybe nominations.

Electoral College

A unique American institution providing for the selection of the president by electors chosen by the state parties

Winner take all allocation

An electoral system in which the winner of the popular vote in a state receives all the electoral votes of that state

Bipartisan

Supported by two parties

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act 2002 (BCRA)

an amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act - banning the spending of soft money and to reduce attack ads-"Stand by your ad"- The candidate approves this message.

15th Amendment

States cannot deny any person the right to vote because of race.

17th Amendment

Established the direct election of senators (instead of being chosen by state legislatures)

19th Amendment

Women's right to vote

24th Amendment

Abolishes poll taxes

26th Amendment

Can vote at age 18

Media bias

occurs when the media in the United States systematically emphasizes one particular point of view in a way that contravenes the standards of professional journalism.

1. liberal bias

2. conservative bias

3. mainstream bias

4. corporate bias

Primary election

An election held to choose candidates for office.

Blanket primary

A primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties.

General Election

AN election held to choose which candidate will hold office.

Runoff primary

A second primary election held when no candidate wins a majority of the votes in the first primary.

Soft money

Funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party activities, such as get-out-the-vote drives, but not on behalf of a specific candidate.

Super PACs

a type of independent political action committee which may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but is not permitted to contribute to or coordinate directly with parties or candidates

527 Organizations

Organizations that, under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, raise and spend money to advance political causes.

Independent expenditures

Spending by political action committees, corporations, or labor unions that is done to help a party or candidate but is done independently of them.

Campaign Reform movements

political effort in the United States to change the involvement of money in politics, primarily in political campaigns.

Position issue

An issue about which the public is divided and rival candidates or political parties adopt different policy positions.

Valence issue

An issue about which the public is united and rival candidates or political parties adopt similar positions in hopes that each will be thought to best represent those widely shared beliefs.

Sophomore surge

An increase in the votes congressional candidates usually get when they first run for reelection.

Coattails

The alleged tendency of candidates to win more votes in an election because of the presence at the top of the ticket of a better known candidate, such as the president.

Party Platform

A political party's statement of its goals and policies for the next four years

Hard money

Money that can be traced through the finance disclosures of the FEC

Issue Ads

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

Independent expenditures

Off year election

Help in odd numbered years. Used for state and local offices

Front loading

trend for states to move in their nominating events earlier in the calendar

Front end strategy

Presidential political campaign strategy in which a candidate focuses on winning early primaries to build momentum

Big State Strategy

Presidential political campaign strategy in which a candidate focuses on winning primaries in large states because of their high delegate counts

Lobbying

Providing information to policymakers with the hope of influencing their decisions

Grass-roots lobbying

Stating a position on a specific legislative proposal to the public, then asking the public to urge their legislator to support that stated position.

Party registration

The act of declaring party affiliation; required by some states when one registers to vote.

Party Identification

A citizens self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other

Realignment

Parties change every 20ish years because voting blocs shift party loyalty

Dealignment

voting blocs are eroding over time as voter loyalty deteriorates. (People are not voting as much)

voter turn out

The number of eligible voters who actually vote in an election.

Psychological barriers

People giving avoidance answers on why they did not vote

Citizens United V. Federal Election Commission

corporations have 1st amendment right to support political candidates

horse race journalism

Election coverage by the mass media that focuses on which candidate is ahead rather than on national issues.

"Stand-by-your-ad" disclaimer

requires candidates in the United States for federal political office, as well as interest groups and political parties supporting or opposing a candidate, to include in political advertisements on television and radio "a statement by the candidate that identifies the candidate and states that the candidate has approved the communication.

Media as Gatekeeper

This traditional function of news media (being undermined by the internet) comes from its control over what stories are reported in the news and therefore its ability to influence the national policy agenda.