AP Government AP Exam

Coalition

A group of individuals with a common interest upon which every political party depends.

Party in the Government

All of the elected and appointed officials who identify with a political party.

Issue-Oriented Politics

Politics that focuses on specific issues rather than on party, candidate, or other loyalties.

Machine

A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage, to win votes and to govern.

National Convention

The meeting held every four years by each major party to select presidential and vice-presidential candidates, write a platform, and conduct party business.

Organizational Party

The formal structure and leadership of a political party, including election committees, local, state, and national executives, and paid professional staff.

Party in the Electorate

Those members of the general public who identify with a political party or who express a preference for one party over another.

Party Identification

Linking oneself to a particular political party.

Political Party

A group of people with broad common interests who organize to win elections, control government, and influence government.

Nonpartisan/Independent Voter

A voter who does not identify with a political party.

Third Party

A political party other than the two major political parties (Democrat and Republican).

Factions

A group or bloc in a legislature or political party acting in pursuit of some special interest or position.

Dealignment

A decline in party loyalties that reduces long-term party commitment.

Realignment

A process in which a substantial group of voters switches party allegiance, producing a long-term change in the political landscape.

Patronage

Rewarding faithful party workers and followers with government employment and contracts.

Spoils System

The awarding of government jobs to political supporters and friends.

Swing Voter

A voter who does not have strong allegiance to any particular political party and whose decision can swing the outcome of an election.

Divided Government

A situation in which one political party controls the executive branch while another party controls one or both houses of the legislative branch.

National Committee

A standing committee that is part of a national political party structure responsible for party activities between conventions.

Super Delegate

A high-ranking party member, such as a current or former elected official, who is given the status of a delegate in a party's national convention without having to be elected.

Unit Rule

A rule by which a delegation to a national political convention casts its entire vote as a unit as determined by a majority vote.

Party Platform

A document created and adopted at each national political party convention outlining the party's positions on key issues and guiding principles.

Plank

An individual part of a party platform that represents a specific policy or issue.

Splinter Party

A political party that has split off from a major party because of disagreement on specific issues.

Single Issue Party

A political party that campaigns on only one issue.

Economic Protest Party

A political party dominated by feelings of economic discontent.

Ideological Party

A party that prioritizes principled positions on issues above everything else.

Plurality

The state of being more than one but not a majority; in voting, it means having more votes than any other candidate or option.

Closed Primary

A type of primary election in which only registered party members are allowed to vote.

Enfranchisement

The granting of the right to vote to a person or group.

Elector

A member of the electoral college, which selects the president and vice president of the United States.

Blanket Primary/Top Two Primary

A primary election that occurs before the general election to choose candidates to run in the general election.

Electorate

Citizens eligible to vote.

General Election

The election in which voters decide which candidates will fill elective public offices.

Initiative

An election that allows citizens to propose legislation and submit it to the state electorate for a popular vote.

Referendum

A process that allows citizens to approve or reject a law passed by the legislature.

Caucus

A meeting of party members designed to select candidates and propose policies.

Midterm Elections

General elections that occur in the middle of a president's four-year term.

Coattail Effects

The influence that a popular political party leader can have on the electoral success of other candidates from the same party.

Open Primary

A primary election in which voters are not required to declare party affiliation and can choose any party's primary to vote in.

Cross-Pressured Voter

A voter who has conflicting thoughts on elections, likely decreasing voter turnout.

Voter Turnout

The proportion of the voting-age public that votes.

Electoral College

The body of electors established by the United States Constitution, which elects the president and vice president of the United States.

Primary Elections

Elections in which voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election.

Candidate

A person who is nominated for election.

Nominee

A person who has been selected by a party to run for election.

General Election

A regular election for statewide or national offices.

Straight Ticket Voters

Voting exclusively for candidates of one party.

Split Ticket Voter

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

Rank Choice

A voting method used to select a single winner where voters rank candidates in order of preference.

Suffrage

The right to vote; the franchise.

Office Block Ballot (Massachusetts Ballot)

A type of ballot in which candidates are listed by office rather than by party.

Party Column Ballot (Indiana Ballot)

A form of a party's general election ballot in which all of a party's candidates are listed in a single column.

Frontloading

The practice of scheduling state party caucuses and primary elections earlier in advance of the general election.

Prospective Voting

Voting based on the predictions of future performance.

Retrospective Voting

Voting based on a presidential candidate's past performance.

Rational Choice Voting

Voting where people choose candidates based on perceived personal benefits.

Public Funds

Monies collected by the government used for public services and initiatives.

Negative Ad

Advertising that attacks the opponent's platform or character.

Get Out the Vote

A campaign phrase aimed at encouraging eligible voters to participate in an election.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An organization that raises and spends money to elect or defeat political candidates.

Super PAC

A type of pac that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money without coordinating directly with candidates.

Matching Funds

Public funds provided to candidates that match contributions raised from private donors.

Positive Ad

Advertising that highlights strengths and positive attributes of a candidate.

Soft Money

Campaign contributions unregulated by law usually given to parties for general activities.

Hard Money

Political contributions subject to regulation by law and reported to the Federal Election Commission.

Independent Expenditure

An expenditure made by an individual or group advocating for a candidate without coordinating with their campaign.

Paid Media

Political advertisements purchased for a candidate's campaign.

Inoculation Ad

An ad attempting to counteract and anticipate attacks from the opposition.

Apportionment

The allocation of seats in a legislative body.

Bicameral Legislature

A legislature made up of two chambers, or parts.

Bill

A proposed law.

Cloture

Shutting off discussion on a bill.

Conference Committee

A special joint committee appointed to reconcile differences when bills pass the two chambers of Congress in different forms.

Congressional Review

A process whereby Congress can nullify agency regulations by a joint resolution of legislative disapproval.

Divided Government

The situation when the presidency and one or more houses of Congress are controlled by different political parties.

Filibuster

The use of the Senate’s tradition of unlimited debate as a delaying tactic to block a bill.

Hold

A tactic by which a senator asks to be informed before a particular bill is brought to the floor.

Impeachment

An action by the House of Representatives to accuse the president, vice president, or other civil officers of the United States of committing 'Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.'

Incumbency

The fact that being in office helps a person stay in office because of a variety of benefits that go with the position.

Joint Committee

A legislative committee composed of members from both chambers of Congress.

Logrolling

An arrangement in which two or more members of Congress agree in advance to support each other’s bills.

Majority Leader

The head of the majority party in the Senate; the second-highest-ranking member of the majority party in the House.

Majority Party

The political party in each house of Congress with the most members.

Minority Leader

The party leader elected by the minority party in the House or Senate.

Minority Party

The political party in each house of Congress with the second most members.

Oversight

The process by which Congress follows up on laws it has enacted to ensure that they are being enforced and administered in the way Congress intended.

Party Caucus/Conference

A meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and to develop party policy.

Pocket Veto

A special veto exercised by the chief executive after a legislative body has adjourned.

Politico

A combination of the trustee and instructed-delegate concepts.

Pork/Pork Barrel/Earmark

Special projects or appropriations that are intended to benefit a member’s district or state.

Redistricting

The redrawing of the boundaries of the congressional districts within each state.

Select Committee

A temporary legislative committee established for a limited time period and for a special purpose.

Senatorial Courtesy

A tradition allowing a senator to veto a judicial appointment in his or her state.

Seniority System

A custom specifying that the member of the majority party with the longest term of continuous service will be given preference when a committee chairperson is selected.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer in the House of Representatives, always a member of the majority party.

Standing Committee

A permanent committee in the House or Senate that considers bills within a certain subject area.

Trustee Theory

A legislator who acts according to his or her conscience and the broad interests of the entire society.

Veto

The refusal by an official, such as the president or a state governor, to sign a bill into law.

War Powers Resolution

A law passed in 1973 spelling out the conditions under which the president can commit troops without congressional approval.