usgov ch 7+8+9

critical election

an election that represents a sudden, clear, and long-term shift in voter allegiances

divided government

a condition in which one or more houses of the legislature is controlled by the party in opposition to the executive

first-past-the-post

a system in which the winner of an election is the candidate who wins the greatest number of votes cast, also known as plurality voting

gerrymandering

the manipulation of legislative districts in an attempt to favor a particular candidate

majoritarian voting

a type of election in which the winning candidate must receive at least 50 percent of the votes, even if a run-off election is required

majority party

the legislative party with over half the seats in a legislative body, and thus significant power to control the agenda

minority party

the legislative party with less than half the seats in a legislative body

moderate

an individual who falls in the middle of the ideological spectrum

party identifiers

individuals who represent themselves in public as being part of a party

party organization

the formal structure of the political party and the active members responsible for coordinating party behavior and supporting party candidates

party platform

the collection of a party's positions on issues it considers politically important

party polarization

the shift of party positions from moderate towards ideological extremes

party realignment

a shifting of party alliances within the electorate

party in government

party identifiers who have been elected to office and are responsible for fulfilling the party's promises

party in the electorate

members of the voting public who consider themselves part of a political party or who consistently prefer the candidates of one party over the other

personal politics

a political style that focuses on building direct relationships with voters rather than on promoting specific issues

plurality voting

the election rule by which the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of vote share

politcal machine

an organization that secures votes for a party's candidates or supports the party in other ways, usually in exchange for political favors such as a job in government

political parties

organizations made up of groups of people with similar interests that try to directly influence public policy through their members who seek and hold public office

precinct

the lowest level of party organization, usually organized around neighborhoods

proportional representation

a party-based election rule in which the number of seats a party receives is a function of the share of votes it receives in an election

reapportionment

the reallocation of house seats between the states to account for population changes

redistricting

the redrawing of electoral maps

safe seat

a district drawn so members of a party can be assured of winning by a comfortable margin

sorting

the process in which voters change party allegiances in response to shifts in party position

third parties

political parties formed as an alternative to the republican and democratic parties, also known as minor parties

two party system

a system in which two major parties win all or almost all elections

agenda setting

the media's ability to choose which issues or topics get attention

beat

the coverage area assigned to journalists for news or stories

citizen journalism

video and print news posted to the internet or social media by citizens rather than the news media

cultivation theory

the idea that media affect a citizen's worldview through the information posted

digital paywall

the need for a paid subscription to access published online material

equal time rule

an FCC policy that all candidates running for office must be given the same radio and television airtime opportunities

fairness doctrine

a 1949 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policy, now defunct, that required holders of broadcast licenses to cover controversial issues in a balanced manner

framing

the process of giving a news story a specific context or background

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

a federal statute that requires public agencies to provide certain types of information requested by citizens

hypodermic theory

the idea that information is placed in a citizen's brain and accepted

indecency regulations

laws that limit indecent and obscene material on public airwaves

libel

printed information about a person or organization that is not true and harms the reputation of the person or organization

mass media

the collection of all media forms that communicate information to the general public

minimal effects theory

the idea that the media have little effect on citizens

muckraking

news coverage focusing on exposing corrupt business and government practices

party press era

period during the 1780s in which newspaper content was biased by political partisanship

priming

the process of predisposing readers or viewers to think a particular way

prior restraint

a government action that stops someone from doing something before they are able to do it (e.g., forbidding someone to publish a book he or she plans to release)

public relations

biased communication intended to improve the image of people, companies, or organizations

reporter's privilege

the right of a journalist to keep a source confidential

slander

spoken information about a person or organization that is not true and harms the reputation of the person or organization

soft news

news presented in an entertaining style

sunshine laws

laws that require government documents and proceedings to be made public

yellow journalism

sensationalized coverage of scandals and human interest stories

ballot fatigue

the result when a voter stops voting for offices and initiatives at the bottom of a long ballot

caucus

a form of candidate nomination that occurs in a town-hall style format rather than a day-long election; usually reserved for presidential elections

chronic minority

voters who belong to political parties that tend not to be competitive in national elections because they are too small to become a majority or because of the Electoral College system distribution in their state

closed primary

an election in which only voters registered with a party may vote for that party's candidates

coattail effect

the result when a popular presidential candidate helps candidates from his or her party win their own elections

delegates

party members who are chosen to represent a particular candidate at the party's state- or national-level nominating convention

district system

the means by which electoral votes are divided between candidates based on who wins districts and/or the state

early voting

an accommodation that allows voting up to two weeks before election day

electoral college

the constitutionally created group of individuals, chosen by the states, with the responsibility of formally selecting the next U.S. president

incumbent

the current holder of a political office

initiative

law or constitutional amendment proposed and passed by the voters and subject to review by the state courts; also called a proposition

midterm elections

the congressional elections that occur in the even-numbered years between presidential election years, in the middle of the president's term

open primary

an election in which any registered voter may vote in any party's primary or caucus

platform

the set of issues important to the political party and the party delegates

recall

the removal of a politician or government official by the voters

referendum

a yes or no vote by citizens on a law or candidate proposed by the state government

residency requirement

the stipulation that citizen must live in a state for a determined period of time before a citizen can register to vote as a resident of that state

shadow campaign

a campaign run by political action committees and other organizations without the coordination of the candidate

straight ticket voting

the practice of voting only for candidates from the same party

super PACs

officially known as Independent Expenditure-Only Committees; organizations that can fundraise and spend as they please to support or attack a candidate but not contribute directly to a candidate or strategize with a candidate's campaign

top two primary

a primary election in which the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, become the nominees for the general election

voter fatigue

the result when voters grow tired of voting and stay home from the polls

voting age population

the number of citizens over eighteen

voting eligible population

the number of citizens eligible to vote

winner take all system

all electoral votes for a state are given to the candidate who wins the most votes in that state

ad-hoc committees

committee designed to address one specific issue in the legislative process. its function is temporary and is disbanded when the function is complete

cacus

a meeting of supporters or members of a specific political party or movement

incumbency advantage

the advantage that the incumbent (individual currently holding office) candidate has over the challenger candidate

PACs

a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns

bipartisanship

involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually oppose each other's policies