AP Comparative Government 2025 - Unit 4: Electoral Systems and Citizen Organizations

Vocabulary flashcards for key concepts in Electoral Systems and Citizen Organizations.

Gender quotas

Regulations that require a certain percentage of candidates in elections to be women.

Threshold

The minimum level of votes that a party needs to obtain representation in the legislature.

Proportional representation election system

An electoral system in which parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes they receive.

Multiparty system

A political system in which multiple parties have the capacity to gain control of government offices.

Single member district plurality system

An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes in a district wins.

Second round, runoff election system

A two-step voting process where a second election is held if no candidate achieves a majority in the first round.

Majoritarian rules

Voting rules that ensure the majority's preference dominates the outcome.

Executive election plurality system

An election system where the winner only needs to receive more votes than any other candidate, not a majority.

Dominant party system

A political system where one party consistently wins most elections and governs without serious competition.

One party system

A political system where only one political party is allowed to exist or dominate the political process.

El dedazo

A practice where a political leader selects a successor, typically without a formal election.

Patronage

The practice of giving jobs and political favors to supporters in exchange for loyalty.

Two party system

A political system predominantly dominated by two major parties.

Catch-all political parties

Parties that seek to attract voters from across the political spectrum.

Social movements

Collective efforts by groups of people to bring about social change.

Grassroots social movements

Movements that begin at a local level, involving ordinary citizens advocating for change.

Single peak associations (SPAs)

Organizations that represent a single interest or sector, providing a unified voice.

Corporatist system

A political system where interest groups are organized into recognized associations that are often state-supported.

Pluralist system

A political system that allows multiple groups to influence policy and decision-making.