Political Parties and Elections + Campaigns Vocab

Caucus

A meeting of party members to select delegates backing one or another primary candidate

Coalition

A collection of groups united by a common political goal or outlook

Congressional Campaign Committee

A period when a major, lasting shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties

Critical or Realignment periods

A period when a major, lasting shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties

Ideological party

a party that values principles stands on issues above all else

Mugwumps or progressives

Republican Party faction of the 1890s to the 1910s, composed of reformers who opposed patronage

National chair

day to day manager elected by the national committee

National committee

Delegates who run party affairs between national conventions

National convention

A meeting of party delegates held every 4 years

Office-bloc ballot

a ballot listing all candidates of a given office under the name of that office

Party column ballot

A ballot listing all candidates of a given party together under the name of that party

Personal following

The political support provided to a candidate on the basis of personal popularity and networks

Plurality system

an electoral system in which the winner is the person who get the most votes, even if he or she doesn’t receive a majority; used in almost all American elections

Political machine

A party organization that recruits members by dispensing patronage

Political party

a group that seeks to elect candidates to public office

Solidary incentives

The social rewards (sense of pleasure, status, or companionship) that lead people to join political organizations

Split ticket

voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election

Sponsored party

a local or state political party largely supported by another organization in the community

Straight ticket

voting for candidates of the same party

Superdelegates

Party leaders and elected officials who become delegates to the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses

Two party system

an electoral system with two dominant parties that compete in national elections

527 organizations

organizations under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code that raise and spend money to advance political causes

Blanket primary

A primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties

BRCA of 2002

A joint congressional effort to reduce the influence of money on campaigns and elections

Closed primary

a primary election in which voting is limited to already registered party members

Clothespin Vote

the vote cast by a person who doesn’t like either candidate and so vote for the less objectionable of the two

Coattails

the alleged tendency of candidates to win more votes in an election because of the presence at the top of the ticket of a better-known candidate

General election

an election held to choose which candidate will hold office

Gerrymandering

drawing the boundaries of legislative districts in bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party

Incumbent

the person already holding an elective office

Independent expenditures

spending by political action committees, corporations, or labor unions to help a party or candidate but done independently of them

Malapportionment

drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population

Open primary

a primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place

Party line voting

supporting a party by voting for candidates from one political party for all public offices across the ballot

Political Action committee (PAC)

a committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations

Position issue

an issue about which the public is divided and rival candidates or political parties adopt different policy positions

Primary election

an election held to choose candidates for office

Prospective voting

Voting for a candidates because you favor his or her ideas for handling issues

Rational choice voting

voting based on what is perceived to be in the individual’s best personal interest

Retrospective voting

Voting for a candidate because you like his or her past actions in office

Runoff primary

a second primary election held when no candidate wins a majority of the votes in the first primary

Soft money

Funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party actives but not on behalf of a specific candidate

Sophomore surge

an increase in the votes congressional candidates usually get when they first run for reelection

Stand by you Ad

a provision in the BRCA of 2002 requiring candidates to verbally endorse all official campaign commercials. (hope was “claiming“ ad would reduce negativity)

Valence issue

an issue about which the public is united and rival candidates or political parties adobe similar positions in hopes that each will be though to best represent those widely shared beliefs