Unit 4: Party and Electoral Systems and Citizen Organizations

Vocabulary terms and definitions covering party systems, electoral rules, and citizen organizations as discussed in Unit 4 of AP Comparative Government and Politics.

Proportional representation

An election system in which the party appoints legislative members proportional to the election results, often promoting multiple parties and featuring multimember districts.

Gender quotas

Requirements in proportional representation systems that a certain percentage of candidates or representatives be women to promote gender equity.

Single-member district, plurality system

An election system where one candidate with the most votes wins the sole representative seat, tending to promote two-party systems and providing strong constituency service and geographic representation.

Executive election plurality system

An election system in which a single candidate wins the executive office by receiving the most votes, which is not necessarily a majority of $50\% + \text{at least 1 vote}$.

Second round, runoff election system

An election system where a candidate must win a majority of the vote ($50\% + \text{at least 1 vote}$), either in the first round or in a second round featuring the top two vote earners.

Majoritarian rules

The requirement that a winning candidate must win a majority of the vote, defined as $50\% + \text{at least 1 vote}$.

Multi-party system

A political environment where elections feature more than two parties competing for governing power.

Two-party system

A political environment where elections feature two major parties competing for governing power.

Dominant party system

A system where multiple parties are allowed to run in elections, but one major party inevitably wins governing power.

One party system

A system where only one party is allowed to control governing power, even if other parties exist.

Catch-all political parties

Parties, often dominant ones, that earn support from groups with different characteristics by using ideologically diverse platforms.

El dedazo

A metaphor from Mexico meaning ‘the point,’ describing the process where the outgoing PRI president would nominate the new PRI candidate.

Patronage

Also known as clientelism or a patron-client relationship, where officials distribute government jobs and services in exchange for voter loyalty, creating a quid pro quo relationship.

Social movements

Large groups of people pushing collectively for significant political or social change, such as civil rights, fair elections, or redistributing revenues.

Interest groups

Groups organized to represent and advocate for a specific interest or policy issue.

Grassroots social movements

Movements that exert power from the local level up to the regional, national, or international level.

Single peak associations (SPAs)

A type of interest group representing professional or commercial groups that helps establish standards for that industry or profession.