AP gov unit 4 terms

Agenda

The list of issues or topics that are prioritized and discussed by government officials or political leaders.

Census

A survey conducted to count and gather information about a population.

Civil Disobedience

The act of peacefully protesting or disobeying laws considered unjust.

Conservative

A political belief emphasizing tradition, limited government, and less change in society.

Demography

The study of populations, including factors like age, race, and income.

Exit Poll

A survey of voters taken after they vote in an election to predict the outcome.

Gender Gap

The difference in voting patterns between men and women.

Liberal

A political belief in progress, social equality, and government intervention.

Libertarian

A political ideology advocating for minimal government intervention.

Melting Pot

A term describing the blending of various cultures into one cohesive society.

Minority Majority

When a group that was once a minority becomes the majority in a population.

Political Culture

The shared beliefs and values about government and politics within a society.

Political Ideology

A set of beliefs about how government should work and what policies are best.

Political Participation

The ways people get involved in politics, like voting or protesting.

Political Polarization

The growing divide in attitudes between political parties.

Political Socialization

The process by which people develop their political beliefs.

Polling

A method used to gather opinions from people about political issues.

Progressive

A belief in making changes in society to promote fairness and social justice.

Populist

A person or political movement that claims to represent common people.

Protest

A public demonstration showing disagreement with policies or laws.

Public Opinion

The general views or beliefs of people about political issues.

Random Digit Dialing

A method of selecting samples for polls by randomly calling phone numbers.

Reapportionment

The process of adjusting congressional representation based on population changes.

Sample

A small group selected to represent a larger population.

Sampling Error

The difference between sample results and actual population results.

Buckley v. Valeo

A Supreme Court case ruling campaign spending as free speech.

Campaign Strategy

The plan a candidate uses to win an election.

Caucus

A meeting of party members to choose candidates or decide on policies.

Citizens United v. FEC

A Supreme Court case allowing unlimited corporate political spending.

Dark Money

Political spending by organizations without disclosing funding sources.

Direct Donations

Money given directly to a political candidate or campaign.

Direct Mail

Political advertisements sent through the mail to potential voters.

Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)

A law regulating how money can be raised and spent in federal elections.

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

The agency enforcing campaign finance laws.

Frontloading

The practice of scheduling primaries earlier for more influence.

Hard Money

Contributions to political candidates regulated by law.

Matching Funds

Government funds matching candidate donations.

McCain-Feingold Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA)

A law regulating campaign finance to limit money's influence.

McGovern-Fraser Commission

A commission that reformed the Democratic Party's candidate selection process.

National Party Convention

A meeting where a political party nominates its presidential candidate.

National Primary

A proposal for all states to hold primaries on the same day.

Nomination

The official selection of a candidate for political office.

Party Platform

A set of statements outlining a party's policies and goals.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An organization that raises money to elect political candidates.

Presidential Election Campaign Fund

A fund providing public funding for presidential campaigns.

Presidential Primaries

Elections where party members vote to choose their party's presidential candidate.

Regional Primaries

States grouped by region to hold their primaries together.

Selective Perception

The idea that people filter information to match their beliefs.

Soft Money

Funds given to political parties for activities not directly tied to a candidate.

Superdelegates

High-ranking party members with special votes at conventions.

SuperPACs

Political committees that can raise unlimited money for campaigns.

527 Groups

Organizations raising unlimited money for political activities without endorsing candidates.

Civic Duty

The responsibility of citizens to participate in government and politics.

Electoral College

A system for electing the president via state electors.

Initiative Petition

A process allowing citizens to propose laws by gathering signatures.

Legitimacy

The belief that a government or election process is fair.

Mandate Theory of Elections

The idea that winning an election gives a candidate authority to act on promises.

Motor Voter Act

A law making voter registration easier at the DMV.

Party-Line Voting

When voters choose candidates from the same political party.

Policy Voting

When voters decide based on candidates' positions on issues.

Political Efficacy

The belief that one's vote can influence government decisions.

Prospective Voting

Voting based on future promises of candidates.

Rational Choice Voting

Voting based on which candidate's policies a voter believes best benefit them.

Referendum

A direct vote by the people on a specific issue.

Retrospective Voting

Voting based on a candidate's past performance.

Suffrage

The right to vote in elections.

Voter Registration

The process of signing up to vote in elections.