Studied by 2 people
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
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