AP Gov Unit 4 - Party and Electoral Systems and Citizen Organizations

Proportional representation

Election system where parties appoint legislative members proportional to election results, promoting multiple party representation.

Gender quotas

Requirements in proportional representation systems for a percentage of candidates or representatives to be women, aiming for gender equity.

Single-member district, plurality system

Election system where one candidate with the most votes in a district wins the sole representative seat, often leading to two-party systems.

Executive election plurality system

Election system where one candidate wins as the sole executive by garnering the most votes, not necessarily a majority.

Second round, runoff election system

Election system where a candidate must win a majority of votes, either in the first or second round, featuring the top two vote earners from the first round.

Majoritarian rules

Requirement in elections for the winning candidate to secure a majority of the vote, at least 50%.

Multi-party system

Political system with more than two parties competing for governing power.

Two-party system

Political system where two major parties compete for governing power.

Dominant party system

Political system allowing multiple parties to run, but one major party consistently wins governing power.

One party system

Political system where only one party controls governing power, even if other parties exist.

Catch-all political parties

Dominant party in a system that garners support from diverse groups with ideologically varied platforms.

El dedazo

Metaphor from Mexico describing the nomination process of a new PRI candidate by the outgoing PRI president during PRI dominance until 2000.

Patronage

System where government officials distribute jobs and services in exchange for voter loyalty, often viewed as corrupt by non-beneficiaries.

Social movements

Large groups advocating for political or social change, such as civil rights, fair elections, and equal treatment of citizens.

Interest groups

Organizations representing and advocating for specific interests or policy issues.

Grassroots social movements

Movements starting at the local level and gaining influence regionally, nationally, or internationally.

Single peak associations (SPAs)

Interest groups representing professional or commercial entities and providing support.

direct democracy

citizens directly participate in the decision-making process through direct voting on proposals or laws.

representative democracy

citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. In a representative democracy

parlimentary democracy

executive branch is accountable to the legislative branch and the head of state is usually a ceremonial figure.

presidential democracyff

executive branch is separate from the legislative branch, and the president is both head of state and head of government

federal democracy

power is divided between a central government and constituent political units such as states or provinces.