AP Gov 5

political party

An organized group of party leaders, officeholders, and voters who work together to
elect candidates to political office

party identification

The degree to which a voter is connected to and influenced by a particular political
party

straight ticket voting

Voting for all of the candidates on the ballot from one political party

split ticket voting

Voting for candidates from different parties in the same election

party platform

A set of positions and policy objectives that members of a political party agree to

party coalition

Groups of voters who support a political party over time

Realignment

When the groups of people who support a political party shift their allegiance to a
different political party

Dealignment

When the groups of people who support a political party leave a political party and do
not support a different political party

critical election

A major national election that signals a change in the balance of power between the
two parties

divided government

A trend since 1969, in which one party controls one or both houses of congress
and the president is from the opposing party

candidate

centered campaign

interest groups

Voluntary associations of people who come together with the goal of getting the
policies that they favor enacted

social movements

Diffuse groups that educate the public and put pressure on policymakers in an
effort to bring about societal change

participatory democracy

The belief that citizens impact policymaking through their direct involvement
in civil society

pluralist theory

A theory that political power is distributed among many competing groups, which
means that no single group can grow too powerful

elitist theory

A theory that the wealthy class has a disproportionate amount of economic and political
power

policy agenda

The set of issues to which government officials, voters, and the public are paying
attention

collective action

Political action that occurs when individuals contribute their energy, time, or money
to a larger group goal

collective good

Also called a public good; a public benefit that individuals can enjoy or profit from even
if they do not help achieve it

free riders

Individuals who enjoy collective goods and benefit from the actions of an interest group
without joining

public interest groups

Groups that act on behalf of the collective interests of a broad group of
individuals

single

issue groups

Lobbying

Interacting with government officials in order to advance a group's public policy goals

revolving door

The movement of individuals between positions in government and lobbying positions

amicus curiae brief

A brief filed by someone who is not a party to a case in an attempt to persuade the
Court to agree with the arguments set forth in the brief

iron triangle

The coordinated and mutually beneficial activities of the bureaucracy, Congress, and
interest groups to achieve shared policy goals

issue network

The webs of influence between interest groups, policymakers, and policy advocates

grassroots lobbying

Mobilizing interest group members to pressure their representatives by contacting
them directly through phone calls, email, and social media

Protest

A public demonstration designed to call attention to the need for change

civil disobedience

Intentionally breaking a law to call attention to an injustice

Nomination

The formal process through which parties choose their candidates for political office

Delegate

A person who acts as the voters' representative at a convention to select the party's
nominee

primary election

An election in which a state's voters choose delegates who support a presidential
candidate for nomination or an election by a plurality vote to select a party's nominee for a seat in
Congress

open primary

A primary election in which all eligible voters may vote, regardless of their party
affiliation

closed primary

A primary election in which only those who have registered as a member of a political
party may vote

Caucus

A process through which a state's eligible voters meet to select delegates to represent their
preferences in the nomination process

Superdelegate

Usually a party leader or activist who is not pledged to a candidate based on the
outcome of the state's primary or caucus

The Democrats have these in their primary

front

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national convention

A meeting where delegates officially select their party's nominee for the
presidency

plurality system

An election system for choosing members of the legislature where the winner is the
candidate who receives the most votes, even if the candidate does not receive a majority of the votes

agenda setting

The media's ability to highlight certain issues and bring them to the attention of the
public

mass media

Sources of information designed to reach a wide audience, including newspapers, radio,
television, and internet outlets

investigative journalism

An approach to newsgathering in which reporters dig into stories, often
looking for instances of wrongdoing

partisan bias

The slanting of political news coverage in support of a particular political party or
ideology

horse

race journalism