AP Government Unit 5 Vocabulary Flashcards

These flashcards cover key vocabulary from the AP Government Unit 5 material related to the electoral process, voting behaviors, and political parties.

The device by which a voter registers their choice in an election is called a __.

ballot

Obstacles that may prevent an individual from voting are known as __.

structural barrier

Individuals who decide whether the party or the candidate should be reelected based on the recent past are engaging in __ voting.

retrospective

Democrats and Republicans are formally nominated for President at a __.

party convention

Media outlets with a specific agenda and a targeted audience are referred to as __.

narrowcasting

Channels that allow individuals to communicate their preferences to policymakers are called __.

linkage institutions

A group of people chosen from each state to formally select the president and the VP is known as the __.

electoral college

Funds given to party organizations for 'party-building activities' not directly for a candidate are called __.

soft money

Individuals who base their decision for president on what is perceived to be in their best interest practice __ voting.

rational choice

A Voting District that has no more than 500-1,000 individuals is known as a __.

precinct

Individuals who vote for all of the candidates from one political party on a ballot are engaging in __ voting.

straight ticket

When a section of the country transitions from voting from one party to another, it is called __.

party realignment

An election in which a party’s voters choose a contender for their party’s nomination is called a __.

primary

Individuals who vote based on predictions of how a party or candidate will perform in the future are practicing __ voting.

prospective

The place where voters who live in a district actually vote is called a __.

polling place

The date that many states simultaneously hold a primary is known as __.

Super Tuesday

Reporters who investigate corruption and demand answers from elected officials are acting as __.

watchdogs

Individuals who benefit from the work of an interest group without providing financial support are called __.

free riders

A party’s nominating election in which any qualified voter can cast a ballot is known as an __.

open primary

A party’s nominating election in which only declared party members can vote is called a __.

closed primary

Funds specifically raised and spent to elect candidates for Congress and the White House are referred to as __.

hard money

Setting a news agenda based on what issues are seen as important is termed __.

gatekeeping