AP Gov - Unit 3

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Access Points

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54 Terms

1

Access Points

Places where citizens and groups are able to connect with elected officials and/or bureaucrats to try to influence public policy

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2

Agenda-setting

Determination of policy priorities

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3

Amicus curiae brief

“friend of the court” brief filed by an interest group to endeavor to influence a Supreme Court decision

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4

Apportionment

Determination of the number of seats each state will receive in the House of Representatives following the census

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5

Balancing the ticket

Occurs when a presidential nominee chooses a vice president running mate who has different qualities in order to attract more votes for the ticket

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6

Bipartisanship

Support from both parties for policy

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7

Blanket primary

Election to choose candidates that is open to independents, and that allows voters to choose candidates from all the parties

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8

Candidate-centered campaigns

Focused on the personal appeal of the individual candidate rather than the positions and philosophies embraced by the party with which the candidate is identified

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9

Caucus

Local party meeting to choose a candidate (an alternative to a primary election) OR a meeting of individuals who share a common characteristic

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10

Coattail effect

The positive influence of a popular presidential candidate on the election of congressional candidates of the same party

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11

Closed primary

Party election to choose candidates that is closed to independents. Voters may not cross party lines

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12

Coalitions

A group of individuals or smaller groups united in support of a common cause (even if they don’t have any other areas of agreement)

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13

Committee leadership system

Theory that congressional committees are the primary drivers of policymaking within Congress

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14

Direct election

Election of an official directly by the people rather than by an intermediary group such as the Electoral College

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15

Direct primary

Election in which the people choose candidates for office

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16

Divided government

Government in which one party controls the presidency while another party controls the Congress (i.e. holds a majority of seats in the House and Senate)

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17

Fixed terms

Terms of office that have a definite length of time, e.g., two years for a member of the House

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18

Free rider problem

The problem faced by interest groups when citizens can reap benefits of interest group action without actually joining, participating in, or contributing money to such groups

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19

Frontloading

Scheduling presidential primary elections early (e.g., February or March) in an election year

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20

General election

Election in which the officeholders are chosen

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21

Gerrymandering

Redrawing district lines to favor one party at the expense of the other

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22

Hard money

Campaign contributions donated directly to candidates

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23

Incumbent

An officeholder who is seeking reelection

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24

Incumbency advantage

The assets available to elected officeholders that facilitate their chances of winning re-election (gerrymandering, franking, donation advantages, name recognition, etc.)

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25

Iron triangle

An informal association of federal agency, congressional committee, and interest group that is said to have heavy influence over policy making

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26

Issue advocacy ads

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

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27

Issue Network

An informal and loosely organized coalition of individuals and groups with a common interest who jointly advocate for and endeavor to implement preferred policy

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28

Linkage institution

Any entity that connects people to policymakers and enables them to communicate their preferences, such as political parties, interest groups, and the mass media

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29

Litigation

The act or process of carrying out a lawsuit

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30

Lobbying

Attempting to influence policy makers

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31

Midterm election

The general elections held halfway through a Presidential term, involving all of the House of Representatives seats and approximately one-third of Senate seats, as well as some state and local races

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32

Mobilization

The process of ensuring your supporters show up and vote on election day or take action to try to influence policy

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33

Nonpartisan elections

Elections in which candidates are not identified by party membership on the ballot - typically local offices i.e. school board, city council, judge

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34

Open primary

Election to choose candidates that is open to independents, and in which voters may choose candidates from any one party

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35

Partisan

Strongly affiliate with a party

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36

Party leadership system

Theory that political parties are the primary drivers of policymaking within Congress

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37

Party platform

A list of positions and programs that the party adopts at the national convention. Each position is called a plank

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38

Photo opportunity

A staged campaign event that attracts favorable visual media coverage, e.g., a candidate reading to a group of school children

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39

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An interest group that raises funds and donates to election campaigns

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40

Patronage

Appointing loyal party members to government positions

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41

Plurality

More votes than anyone else, but less than half

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42

Realigning (“critical”) election

An election in which there is a long term change in party alignment

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43

Reapportionment/Apportionment

Reallocations of House seats to the states on the basis of changes in state populations, as determined by the census

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44

Redistricting

Redrawing of congressional district boundaries by the party in power of the state legislature

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45

Revolving door

The cycle in which a person alternatively works for the public sector and private sector, thus blurring the individual's sense of loyalty

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46

Safe seat

An office that is extremely likely to be won by a particular candidate or political party

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47

Single member district system/Winner-Take-All voting district

System in which the people elect one representative per district. This system strengthens the two major parties and weakens minor parties

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48

Soft money

Campaign contributions that are not donated directly to candidates, but are instead donated to parties

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49

Structural barriers to voting

Official laws and/or policies that diminish participation in elections, such as registration requirements, voter identification laws, and voting procedures and locations

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50

Superdelegate

A delegate to the Democratic national convention who is there by virtue of holding an office and is not bound to state results

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51

Super Tuesday

A Tuesday in early March in which many presidential primaries, particularly in the South, are held

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52

Swing state

A state that does not consistently vote either Democratic or Republican in presidential primaries

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53

Turnout

Information about the quantity and/or demography of voters who participated in a given election

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54

Unit rule

A rule used for most states at the Republican Party’s national convention wherein the candidate with the most delegates from a state is awarded all of the state’s convention votes

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