Chapter 5 & 6 - Political Parties / Voting

political party

A group seeking election to control the govt. by holding public office

coalition

a union of many people with diverse interests

plurality

person with the most votes in an election, without needing a majority.

electorate

people who are eligible to vote

ideological party

based on beliefs (usually religious)

single issue party

focus on one public policy (get rid of pennies, no immigrants)

economic protest party

formed during bad economic times (get on the gold standard, etc.)

splinter party

breay away from a major party (bullmoose party, etc.)

federal and state party organization

convention, committee, and chairperson

ward

a division of a city to elect city council members

precinct

a division of neighborhoods of a ward

local organization

ward and precinct

split-ticket voting

voting different parties for different offices

straight-ticket voting

voting one party for all offices

pac (potential action committee)

group that raises money to support candidates, parties, and issues

suffrage

the right to vote

qualification 1

citizenship of the U.S.

qualification 2

residence in the state where you live

qualification 3

18 years old or older (can be 17 in primaries if you turn 18 by the fall federal election)

qualification 4

registration with the board of elections

disqualified voters

mental institutes, convicted felons, or found legally to be mentally incompetent

gerrymandering

redrawing district lines to benefit your political party (illegal)

cannot voters

people who are disqualified or the sick

actual nonvoters

people who choose not to vote

differences between d & r 1

tendencies, not absolutes

differences between d & r 2

most people agree with parts of each part or else lean toward the center politically

conservative

republican

cut social programs

republican

elephant

republican

pro capital punishment

republican

pro-life

republican

less govt., let people help themselves

republican

NRA

republican

tax cuts for big business

republican

increase military spending

republican

protestant

republican

upper/upper-middle class

republican

less taxes, increase money to fix economy

republican

liberal

democrat

increase social programs spending

democrat

donkey

democrat

no capital punishment

democrat

pro-choice

democrat

more govt. to help people

democrat

pro gun control

democrat

big business should pay more taxes

democrat

cut military spending

democrat

catholic

democrat

lower-middle class

democrat

increase taxes to fix economy

democrat