Unit 5 - Political Participation

ballot fatigue

the result when a voter stops voting for offices and initiatives at the bottom of a long ballot

caucus

a form of candidate nomination that occurs in a town-hall style format rather than a day-long election; usually reserved for presidential elections

chronic minority

voters who belong to political parties that tend not to be competitive in national elections because they are too small to become a majority or because of the Electoral College system distribution in their state

closed primary

an election in which only voters registered with a party may vote for that party’s candidates

coattail effect

the result when a popular presidential candidate helps candidates from the same party win their own elections

delegates

party members who are chosen to represent a particular candidate at the party’s state- or national-level nominating convention

district system

the means by which electoral votes are divided between candidates based on who wins districts and/or the state

early voting

an accommodation that allows voting up to two weeks before Election Day

Electoral College

the constitutionally created group of individuals, chosen by the states, with the responsibility of formally selecting the next U.S. president

incumbency advantage

the advantage held by officeholders that allows them to often win reelection

incumbent

the current holder of a political office

initiative

law or constitutional amendment proposed and passed by the voters and subject to review by the state courts; also called a proposition

midterm elections

the congressional elections that occur in the even-numbered years between presidential election years, in the middle of the president’s term

open primary

an election in which any registered voter may vote in any party’s primary or caucus

platform

the set of issues important to the political party and the party delegates

political action committees (PACs)

organizations created to raise money for political campaigns and spend money to influence policy and politics

recall

the removal of a politician or government official by the voters

referendum

a yes or no vote by citizens on a law or candidate proposed by the state government

residency requirement

the stipulation that citizen must live in a state for a determined period of time before a citizen can register to vote as a resident of that state

shadow campaign

a campaign run by political action committees and other organizations without the coordination of the candidate

straight-ticket voting

the practice of voting only for candidates from the same party

super PACs

officially known as Independent Expenditure-Only Committees; organizations that can fundraise and spend as they please to support or attack a candidate but not contribute directly to a candidate or strategize with a candidate’s campaign

top-two primary

a primary election in which the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, become the nominees for the general election

voter fatigue

the result when voters grow tired of voting and stay home from the polls

voting-age population

the number of citizens over eighteen

voting-eligible population

the number of citizens eligible to vote

winner-take-all system

all electoral votes for a state are given to the candidate who wins the most votes in that state

agenda setting

the media’s ability to choose which issues or topics get attention

beat

the coverage area assigned to journalists for news or stories

citizen journalism

video and print news posted to the Internet or social media by citizens rather than the news media

cultivation theory

the idea that media affect a citizen’s worldview through the information presented

digital paywall

the need for a paid subscription to access published online material

equal-time rule

an FCC policy that all candidates running for office must be given the same radio and television airtime opportunities

fairness doctrine

a 1949 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policy, now defunct, that required holders of broadcast licenses to cover controversial issues in a balanced manner

framing

the process of giving a news story a specific context or background

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

a federal statute that requires public agencies to provide certain types of information requested by citizens

hypodermic theory

the idea that information is placed in a citizen’s brain and accepted

indecency regulations

laws that limit indecent and obscene material on public airwaves

libel

printed information about a person or organization that is not true and harms the reputation of the person or organization

mass media

the collection of all media forms that communicate information to the general public

minimal effects theory

the idea that the media have little effect on citizens

muckraking

news coverage focusing on exposing corrupt business and government practices

party press era

period during the 1780s in which newspaper content was biased by political partisanship

priming

the process of predisposing readers or viewers to think a particular way

prior restraint

a government action that stops someone from doing something before they are able to do it

public relations

biased communication intended to improve the image of people, companies, or organizations

reporter’s privilege

the right of a journalist to keep a source confidential

slander

spoken information about a person or organization that is not true and harms the reputation of the person or organization

soft news

news presented in an entertaining style

sunshine laws

laws that require government documents and proceedings to be made public

yellow journalism

sensationalized coverage of scandals and human interest stories

bipartisanship

a process of cooperation through compromise

critical election

an election that represents a sudden, clear, and long-term shift in voter allegiances

divided government

a condition in which one or more houses of the legislature is controlled by the party in opposition to the executive

first-past-the-post

a system in which the winner of an election is the candidate who wins the greatest number of votes cast

gerrymandering

the manipulation of legislative districts in an attempt to favor a particular candidate

majoritarian voting

a type of election in which the winning candidate must receive at least 50 percent of the votes, even if a run-off election is required

majority party

the legislative party with over half the seats in a legislative body

minority party

the legislative party with less than half the seats in a legislative body

moderate

an individual who falls in the middle of the ideological spectrum

party identifiers

individuals who represent themselves in public as being part of a party

party organization

the formal structure of the political party and the active members responsible for coordinating party behavior and supporting party candidates

party platform

the collection of a party’s positions on issues it considers politically important

party polarization

the shift of party positions from moderate towards ideological extremes

party realignment

a shifting of party alliances within the electorate

party-in-government

party identifiers who have been elected to office and are responsible for fulfilling the party’s promises

party-in-the-electorate

members of the voting public who consider themselves part of a political party or who consistently prefer the candidates of one party over the other

personal politics

a political style that focuses on building direct relationships with voters rather than on promoting specific issues

plurality voting

the election rule by which the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of vote share

political machine

an organization that secures votes for a party’s candidates or supports the party in other ways, usually in exchange for political favors

political parties

organizations made up of groups of people with similar interests that try to directly influence public policy through their members who seek and hold public office

precinct

the lowest level of party organization, usually organized around neighborhoods

proportional representation

a party-based election rule in which the number of seats a party receives is a function of the share of votes it receives in an election

reapportionment

the reallocation of House seats between the states to account for population changes

redistricting

the redrawing of electoral maps

safe seat

a district drawn so members of a party can be assured of winning by a comfortable margin

sorting

the process in which voters change party allegiances in response to shifts in party position

third parties

political parties formed as an alternative to the Republican and Democratic parties

two-party system

a system in which two major parties win all or almost all elections

association

groups of companies or institutions that organize around a common set of concerns

astroturf movement

a political movement that resembles a grassroots movement but is often supported or facilitated by wealthy interests and/or elites

Citizens United

a 2010 Supreme Court case that granted corporations and unions the right to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections

collective good

a good such as public safety or clean air that is generally available to the population as a whole

contract lobbyist

a lobbyist who works for a contract lobbying firm that represents clients before government

disturbance theory

the theory that an external event can lead to interest group mobilization

efficacy

the belief that you make a difference and that government cares about you and your views

elite critique

the proposition that wealthy and elite interests are advantaged over those without resources

fragmentation

the result when a large interest group develops diverging needs

free rider problem

the situation that occurs when some individuals receive benefits without helping to bear the cost

grassroots movement

a political movement that often begins from the bottom up

in-house lobbyist

an employee or executive within an organization who works as a lobbyist on behalf of the organization

inside lobbying

the act of contacting and taking the organization’s message directly to lawmakers

iron triangle

three-way relationship among congressional committees, interest groups, and the bureaucracy

issue network

a group of interest groups and people who work together to support a particular issue or policy

legislative liaison

a person employed by a governmental entity to represent the organization before the legislature

lobbyist

a person who represents an organization before government in an attempt to influence policy

material incentives

substantive monetary or physical benefits given to group members

membership organization

an interest group that usually consists of dues-paying members who organize around a particular cause

neopluralist

a person who suggests that all groups’ access and influence depend on the political environment

outside lobbying

the act of lobbying indirectly by taking the organization’s message to the public