gov unit idk

Franchise/Suffrage

The right to vote in elections.

Rational-choice voting

Voting based on personal interest and policy preferences.

Retrospective voting

Voting based on a candidate’s past performance.

Prospective voting

Voting based on predictions of a candidate’s future performance.

Party-line voting

Voting consistently for one party’s candidates.

Demographics

Statistical characteristics of a population (age

General election

Election where voters choose officeholders.

Midterm elections

Congressional elections held halfway through a presidential term.

Linkage institutions

Groups that connect citizens to government (parties

Critical election

An election that signals a major shift in party support.

Realignment

Long-term shift in voter loyalty from one party to another.

Proportional system

Electoral system where seats are distributed based on vote share.

Winner-take-all system

System where the candidate with the most votes wins all representation.

Party coalition

Groups of voters that consistently support a political party.

Bipartisan

Supported by both major political parties.

Open/Closed primary

Open: Any voter can participate; Closed: Only registered party members can.

Party caucus

Meeting of party members to discuss policy or select candidates.

Incumbency advantage

Benefits enjoyed by current officeholders in elections.

PAC (Political Action Committee)

Organization that raises money to support candidates or policies.

Independent expenditure

Political spending not coordinated with a candidate’s campaign.

Horse race journalism

Media coverage that focuses on election competition rather than issues.

Civil society

Non-governmental groups that promote civic participation.

Policy agenda

Issues that government officials prioritize.

Single-issue groups

Organizations focused on one policy concern.

Iron Triangle

Relationship between Congress, interest groups, and the bureaucracy.

Issue Network

Loosely connected groups that influence policy on specific issues.

Mass media

Communication outlets (TV

Party platform

A party’s official policies and goals.

Free riders

People who benefit from a group’s efforts without contributing.

Selective benefits

Incentives available only to group members.

Lobbying

Attempting to influence lawmakers and policies.

Amicus curiae brief

Legal document submitted to influence court decisions.

Prior restraint

Government censorship before publication.

Gerrymandering

Manipulating district boundaries to benefit a party.

Electoral College

System where electors

Constituents

People represented by an elected official.