Topic 19: Elections (Political Parties, Candidates, & the Media)

A collection of vocabulary terms based on the lecture regarding political parties, the election cycle, the road to the White House, and the media as a linkage institution.

Democracy

A government in which the real power of government is in the hands of its citizens.

Representative democracy

A system where citizens elect representatives as their government leaders who make decisions based on the will of the people.

Popular sovereignty

The principle that power flows from the people to their leaders; the consent of the people.

Political Ideology

A set of ideas and principles that a certain group uses to explain how society should work.

Conservative

A political ideology favoring little government intervention in the economy.

Liberal

A political ideology suggesting the government should interfere in the economy to provide social programs.

Platform

A set of beliefs held by a political party.

Plank

Each separate topic within a political party's platform.

Coattail Effects

Also known as the down-ballot effect, it is the tendency for a popular political party leader to attract votes for other candidates of the same party.

Split-Tickets

When a voter in an election votes for candidates from different political parties when multiple offices are being decided.

Gerrymandering

Manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency so as to favor one party.

Voter Roll/Poll book

A list of registered voters in a state or precinct.

Wards

Political divisions within a city.

Precincts

Political divisions of Wards by neighborhoods.

Initiative

A petition by the people to place a law on the ballot.

Referendum

A law that already exists where the people make a choice whether to keep or reject it.

Recall

A process where people vote whether or not to kick someone out of office (not used in Ohio).

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

An independent regulatory agency created in $1974$ whose purpose is to enforce campaign finance law in United States federal elections.

Invisible Primaries

The time prior to a candidate declaring their intention to run for office, used to help candidates deal with incumbents.

Incumbent

The current holder of a political office.

Bully Pulpit

One of the built-in advantages of an incumbent president used to command national attention.

Political Primaries

Elections that political parties use to select candidates for a general election.

Closed Primary

A primary where a person must vote according to the party identified on their registration.

Open Primary

A primary where a person may vote as either a Republican or Democratic candidate; this is the system Ohio uses.

Blanket Primary

An election where all candidates from all parties are on one ballot and the top two are chosen to run in November regardless of party affiliation.

Frontloading

States moving their primary to an earlier calendar date to influence the party’s candidate choice.

Super Tuesday

A day on which several states hold primary elections.

Caucus

Local gatherings of voters who vote at the end of the meeting for a particular candidate.

Horse Race Journalism

When news outlets only focus on candidates that are in first place in the polls.

Electoral College

The system used to elect the President; a candidate must win a majority of $270$ votes out of a total of $538$.

12th Amendment

The constitutional amendment that mandates if no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes, the House of Representatives decides the election.

Swing State

States where support for each candidate is about equal, such as Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Linkage institution

A structure within a society that connects the people to the government, including elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

Narrowcasting

Media broadcasting focused on a topic and aimed at a specific audience.

Fairness Doctrine

A policy introduced in $1949$ that required broadcast licenses to present controversial issues fairly; it no longer exists.

Credibility Gap

When Americans do not believe what they are told by government officials.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to search for political information that supports the beliefs one already holds.

SoundBites

A short phrase, ten seconds or less, that can resonate with listeners.

Bandwagon Effect

Supporting a candidate because they are in first place.

Watchdog Function

The role of the media in supplying citizens with information to prevent abuse of power by a party or individual.

Press Conferences

Media events where newsmakers invite journalists to hear them speak and ask questions.