AP Gov Unit 4 & 5 Vocab

15th Amendment

Suffrage cannot be denied on the basis of race.

17th Amendment

Direct election of senators.

19th Amendment

Women's suffrage.

23rd Amendment

DC residents vote get electoral college votes for president.

24th Amendment

Banned poll taxes, designed to keep Blacks from voting.

26th Amendment

Suffrage for those 18 and older.

Census

A count of the American population conducted every ten years.

Civic Duty

An obligation citizens have to perform (e.g., jury duty, pay taxes).

Civic Responsibility

A belief citizens have in an obligation to do something (e.g., vote, community service).

Civil Disobedience

A form of unconventional participation that consciously breaks a law thought to be unjust.

Demography

The science of human populations used to analyze voting patterns.

Electoral College

An institution designated in the Constitution for electing the president and vice president.

Exit Poll

A poll taken after citizens have cast their votes at selected polling places.

Gender Gap

A consistent pattern where women are more likely than men to support Democratic candidates.

Initiative Petition

A direct democracy technique allowing proposed legislation to be placed on a statewide ballot.

Legitimacy

A widely shared belief that a democratic government was elected fairly.

Mandate Theory of Elections

The belief that the election winner has a mandate to implement policy promises.

Motor Voter Act

Legislation requiring states to allow voter registration at the same time as applying for a driver’s license.

Policy Voting

When people base their choices on the closeness of a candidate’s issue positions to their own preferences.

Political Culture

A set of widely shared political beliefs and values.

Political Efficacy

The belief that one's political participation makes a difference.

Political Ideology

A cohesive set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and the role of government.

Political Participation

The ways in which people get involved in politics.

Political Socialization

The process by which political values are formed and passed from one generation to the next.

Protest

A form of political participation designed to change policy through unconventional tactics.

Public Opinion

Attitudes about institutions, leaders, political issues, and events.

Random Sampling

A polling technique ensuring everyone has an equal chance of being selected.

Reapportionment

The reallocation of seats in the House of Representatives based on population changes.

Referendum

A direct democracy technique allowing citizens to approve or disapprove proposed legislation.

Sample

A small proportion of the population chosen to represent the entire population.

Sampling Error

The level of confidence in a sample result, dependent on sample size.

Split-Ticket Voting

Voting for candidates of different parties for different offices in the same election.

Suffrage

The legal right to vote.

Voter Registration

A requirement that citizens register to vote before elections.

527 Group

A tax-exempt organization created to influence the political process, not regulated by the FEC.

Amicus Curiae Brief

A brief filed by an interest group to influence a Supreme Court decision.

Broadcast Media

One of two kinds of media, which includes television and radio.

Campaign Strategy

How candidates use resources to achieve nomination or win office.

Caucus

A meeting to decide which candidate delegates will support.

Class Action Lawsuits

A technique allowing groups with similar complaints to combine their grievances.

Closed Primary

A primary in which only voters with a party preference can vote.

Coalition

A set of individuals and groups supporting a political party.

Coalition Governments

Governments formed by smaller parties combining with larger ones.

Collective Good

Something of value that cannot be withheld from individuals in a potential group.

Congressional Redistricting

The reallocation of House representatives based on population.

Critical Election

An election when significant voter groups change traditional party loyalty.

Electioneering

Supporting sympathetic candidates to help them get elected.

Elite Theory

The theory that power is concentrated in a few interlocking power centers.

Equal Time Rule

An FCC rule requiring equal time for candidates if time is sold to one.

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

A bipartisan body responsible for enforcing campaign finance laws.

Free Rider Problem

When individuals benefit from a collective good without contributing.

Frontloading

States moving up their primaries to gain media attention.

Gerrymandering

Redrawing congressional districts to favor one party.

Horse-Race Journalism

Media coverage focusing on poll standings over issues.

Hyper-Pluralist Theory

The theory that many competing interest groups weaken government policy.

Interest Group

An organization aiming to influence public policy on specific issues.

Investigative Journalism

Reporting methods used to uncover scandals.

Issue Network

A network of policy experts and interest groups debating an issue.

Linkage Institutions

Institutions connecting citizens to government (e.g., media, parties).

Lobbying

Communications aimed at influencing government decision makers.

Mass Media

Means of communication reaching large, widely dispersed audiences.

Narrowcasting

Broadcast strategy appealing to a narrow audience.

National Committee

A coalition of party representatives maintaining the party between elections.

National Convention

The supreme power of each party, meeting every four years to nominate candidates.

New Deal Coalition

A coalition forged in the Democratic party during the Great Depression.

Nomination

A party’s official endorsement of a candidate.

Olson’s Law of Large Groups

Larger groups face difficulties in securing enough collective good for participation.

Open Primaries

Contests where voters can choose to participate in either party.

Party Dealignment

When voters move away from both major parties.

Party Era

A historical period dominated by one political party.

Party Identification

Self-proclaimed preference for one political party.

Party Image

What voters believe a party stands for.

Party Machine

A party organization using material inducements to reward loyal members.

Party Neutrality

Indifferent attitude toward both major parties.

Party Platform

Statement of a party's goals and policies for the upcoming four years.

Party Realignment

The process where major parties form new, enduring support coalitions.

Patronage

Jobs given for political reasons rather than for merit.

Pluralist Theory

The theory that many interest groups compete for power in policy areas.

Plurality Election

The candidate receiving more votes than others, but less than half the total.

Policy Agenda

Issues and problems considered important by policy makers.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

A committee formed for raising money to support political candidates.

Political Party

A group of citizens organized to win elections and determine public policy.

Power Elite Theory

The theory that a small number of wealthy individuals dominate policy areas.

Presidential Election Campaign Fund

Money from federal tax check-offs distributed to qualified candidates.

Press Conferences

Meetings between a public figure and the press.

Print Media

Includes newspapers and magazines.

Proportional Representation

An electoral system allocating seats based on party vote percentages.

Right-to-Work Law

State law prohibiting requiring union membership as a job condition.

Selective Benefits

Goods restricted to group members to avoid 'free riders'.

Single-Issue Groups

Groups that vote solely based on one matter.

Single-Member District

An electoral district from which one person is elected.

Soft Money

Contributions to parties for activities circumventing hard money limits.

Sound Bites

Short portions of a speech aired on TV.

Subgovernments

Exclusive relationships among interest group leaders, agencies, and committees.

Super PACs

Political committees that can raise and spend unlimited funds.

Superdelegates

Delegates to the Democratic convention based on party positions.

Talking Head

A shot of a person speaking directly into the camera.

Third Parties

Minor parties promoting narrow ideologies or splintering from major parties.

Ticket-Splitting

Voting for candidates of different parties for various offices.

Trial Balloons

Information leaked to assess political reactions.