AP Gov Unit 5 All Vocab

Political participation

The ways in which citizens engage in, influence, or express opinions about political processes, government policies, and candidates. Includes voting, joining interest groups, protesting, etc.

Social movement

An organized effort by a group of people to promote or resist social, political, or economic change.

Franchise/suffrage

Qualifications for voting/the right to vote

Poll tax

A few required to vote; banned by the 24th amendment because it discriminated against Black and impoverished voters

Demographic characteristics

Statistical data about population subsets, such as age, race, gender, etc. that are used to analyze political behavior.

Socioeconomic status (SES)

A person’s position in society based on income, education, and occupation.

Political mobilization

The process of encouraging and enabling citizens to become involved in the political process, such as posting campaign ads.

Registration requirements

The legal criteria that individuals must meet to register to vote in elections; can vary by state

Absentee ballot

A type of voting where voters cannot make it to polls, so they mail a completed ballot instead.

Electoral college

The system where the people vote for electors in each state, who then vote for president (as opposed to Congress electing or a direct popular vote).

Battleground state

A state where the outcome of a presidential election is unpredictable and can be one party or another; candidates concentrate their campaign resources here.

Get out the vote (GOTV)

A collection of specific last-minute strategies and efforts aimed at increasing voter turnout during elections.

Party coalition

A temporary alliance formed when different political parties cooperate to govern, because no single party has a majority.

Realignment

A significant, long lasting shift in the partisan makeup of the electorate, triggered often by critical elections.

Critical election

A presidential election resulting in a significant and lasting change in party coalitions, leading to major political party realignment.

Party era

Historical periods where one political party consistently dominated national government control and public opinion.

Era of Divided Government

The period around 1968 where the United States most frequently experienced a divided government in that the executive branch and legislative branch were controlled by different parties.

Nomination

The process by which a party selects its candidate that runs in the presidential election, typically through primaries and caucuses.

Delegate

A person selected in primaries and caucuses to attend a national party convention and vote for their party’s presidential nominee.

Caucus

A meeting of party members to choose a party’s presidential nominee. More democratic, involve lots of discussion and debate. Results influence the selection of delegates.

Superdelegate

An unelected and unpledged delegate at a party’s national convention; they join because they are a party leader or representative.

Front-loading

When states move the date of primaries and caucuses earlier in the election year to have a greater influence on choosing the party’s nominee.

National Convention

A national meeting of party delegates to select the party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates for the election. Serves as formal event for party unity and fundraising.

Candidate-centered campaign

Electoral strategies that focus on the individual candidate rather than the political party as a whole. Allow candidates to be more independent from parties.

Two party system

A political system where two major political parties dominate elections and government.

Third party

Any political party other than the two major political parties; have influence on politics by bringing attention to issues neither major party talks about.

Interest groups

An organized group of people who share a common goal and work to influence public policy without running candidates for office.

Hard money

Funds given directly to a political candidate or campaign, subject to strict federal regulations and limits.

Soft money

A type of unregulated, unlimited political contribution made to political parties for purposes other than supporting a specific candidate or campaign, such as “party building activities” (but is often used to influence federal elections indirectly).

Civil society

The group of voluntary NGOs and associations formed by citizens to advance shared goals or interests. Included professional associations, free press, and interest groups.

Policy agenda

The set of issues that government officials and policymakers are considering and trying to address. Represents government’s priorities, driven by public opinion, media coverage, and the concerns of interest groups.

Collective action

The efforts of a group to achieve a common goal or address shared concerns.

Collective good

A benefit and service that is shared to all members of society, regardless of individual contributions; non-excludable.

Free riders

When individuals benefit from a public good or service without contributing to its cost or provision. Can be inefficient and a problem for interest groups.

Selective benefits

Special incentives or rewards provided to individuals or groups who participate or contribute to a collective action or public good; combats free rider problem.

Economic interest groups

An organization of people sharing a common financial interest and seeking to influence government policy to benefit their members economically. Represent labor unions, businesses, professional associations, etc.

Government interest groups

A government institution that lobbies higher (usually federal) government to protect their institutional and constituency interests.

Revolving door

The movement of individuals between government positions and jobs in the private sector, particularly in industries they previously regulated. Raises ethical concerns because former officials may use insider knowledge to benefit private companies.

Amicus Curiae Brief

A document submitted to court by a persons or group who is not party to a case but wishes to influence its outcome. Provides additional legal info or arguments.

Protest

A public demonstration where people gather to express opposition or support for a particular cause, often pressuring political or social change.

Civil disobedience

When citizens publicly, actively, and nonviolently decide to disobey laws that they consider unjust, often to promote social or political change.

Citizens United v. FEC

Ruled that corporations and unions can spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns, as long as it is independent of a candidate’s campaign. Established that spending money in elections is a form of protected speech.

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

Passed 1971; lowered voting age to 18

Twenty-fourth amendment

Abolished poll taxes as a requirement to vote

Voter turnout

The percentage of eligible voters that actually take part in an election and cast a vote

Political efficacy

The sense that someone’s vote makes a difference—low in those who supported losing candidates or did not experience the change promised

Rational choice voting

Examining an issue or candidate evaluating campaign promises, and consciously deciding to vote in the way that seems to most benefit the voter

Retrospective voting

Looking backward to consider candidates’ or party’s track record; what they did while in office

Prospective voting

Citizens anticipating the future and considering how candidates proposed ballot initiatives might affect their lives or the operation of the government

Party-line voting

Citizens who affiliate with a political party or hold a strong party loyalty will likely vote with that party at most opportunities

Linkage institutions

Channels that connect people with the government and keep people informed or try to channel public opinion and policy into policy making e.g. political parties or interest group

Political party

An organized group of people with similar political aims and ideologies seeking to advance their ideas into law or policy by electing officials into government

Split ticket voting

When a voter votes for candidates of different political parties when multiple offices are being decided by a single election.

Party platform

A written list of the beliefs and political goals of a political party; normally takes into account the views of millions of voters.

Primary election

Organized elections held to determine which candidates will run in an upcoming general election (voting for representatives).

Open primary

A primary election where people of any political affiliation can vote.

Closed primary

A primary election where only voters registered with a given party can vote in that party’s primary.

Proportional representation

An electoral system where political party representation in the government is proportional to how many people vote for that party instead of it being first past the post.

Single Member Districts

Districts for office where the candidate who wins the most votes wins office as opposed to many representatives voted in proportionally

Ideological Groups

Interest groups consisting of people with the same political ideology, e.x. NAACP, National Taxpayers Union

Public Interest Groups

Interest groups that are geared to improve life or government for the masses (instead of just the interest of their members)

Single Issue Groups

Interest groups formed to address a narrow area of concern, like just one topic; e.g. NRA

Professional Associations

Trade unions that represent white-collar workers and are focused on advancing the interests and field of a specific profession

Lobbying

People (typically interest groups) applying pressure to influence government (in state and national capital cities)

Iron triangle

The interdependent relationship between a congressional committee, an interest group, and a federal agency

Issue Network

A group of different people temporarily coming together united by one specific issue (break up once the issue is solved).

Grassroots lobbying

When an interest group tries to inform, persuade, and mobilize large numbers of people for their cause with the end goal of influencing government legislation.

Political action committee (PAC)

Formal groups that form around a similar interest who donate to candidates for election, especially incumbents.

Winner-Take-All System

A candidate who wins the plurality of the popular vote (even if not the majority) in a given state will receive all of the state’s electoral votes.

Swing State

A state with an unpredictable election outcome because they can turn out one party or another. Candidates concentrate resources into these states.

Super PACs

An independent expenditure-only committee that raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections, as long as they do not coordinate directly with parties or candidates (from SCOTUS case).

Free Press

Media not influenced by the government; an uninhibited institution that places a check on the honestly and ethics of government.

Horse-race journalism

When reporters overly discuss who is leading and falling behind in public opinion poll results during or before an election; leads the people to focus on the score instead of candidates’ policies and proposals.

Gatekeeper

When the news media chooses what to report and what to hide, influencing the issues people regard as important and what the people think or know.