Test 2 on Gov

Agenda-setting Effect

The media's power to influence what issues people think are important by choosing what to cover.

Buckley v. Valeo

Supreme Court case ruling that campaign spending is protected speech but contributions can be limited.

Campaign Finance Rules

Laws governing how political campaigns can raise and spend money.

Challenger

A candidate running against a current officeholder.

Closed Primary

Primary election where only registered party members can vote.

Conservative

Political viewpoint generally favoring limited government, traditional values, and free markets.

Critique of Pluralist Theory

Criticism that some groups have more power than others, making the system unequal.

Electoral College

System where state electors, not the national popular vote, choose the president.

Electioneering

Campaign activities by interest groups to help elect or defeat candidates.

Free Media

News coverage candidates get without paying for it.

Free-rider Problem

When people benefit from group efforts without contributing to them.

Framing Effect

How the way media presents an issue shapes how people think about it.

Gerrymandering

Drawing district boundaries to give one party an unfair advantage.

GOTV (Get Out The Vote)

Organized efforts to increase voter turnout among supporters.

Grassroots Mobilization

Organizing regular citizens to influence government through collective action.

Groups Tending Democratic

Demographics that typically support the Democratic Party.

Groups Tending Republican

Demographics that typically support the Republican Party.

Ideology

A set of connected political beliefs and values that shape how someone thinks society should work.

Incumbency Advantage

Benefits sitting officeholders have in elections over challengers.

Inside Lobbying

Direct contact with government officials to influence policy.

Interest Group

Organization that tries to influence government policy without running candidates.

Learning Effect

How people gain political knowledge from consuming news media.

Liberal

Political viewpoint generally favoring government action to achieve equality and social progress.

Litigation

Using lawsuits and court action to achieve political goals.

Main Factors of Turnout

Key elements affecting voter turnout including education, age, income, election type, and ease of registration.

Media Bias

The tendency of news organizations to present information in ways that favor certain political views.

Mobilization

Efforts to get supporters actively involved in political activities.

Momentum (in elections)

The boost a candidate gets from early victories or positive press coverage.

News Content Determinants

Factors that shape news content, such as ownership and audience preferences.

Objective Journalism

Reporting that attempts to present facts without taking sides or showing personal opinions.

Open Primary

Primary election where voters can participate regardless of party registration.

Open Seat

An election where no incumbent is running.

Paid Media

Political advertising that campaigns pay for.

Party Identification

A person's psychological attachment to a political party.

Party Organizational Structure

The hierarchy of political parties from national committees down to local precincts.

Party Realignment

A major, lasting shift in which groups support which political parties.

Personal Characteristics Affecting Participation

Individual traits like age, education, wealth, and civic engagement that influence political activity.

Political Party

An organization that seeks to win elections and control government to implement its policies.

Political Socialization

How people develop their political beliefs and values through influences.

Popular Vote

The total number of votes cast by citizens nationwide.

Presidential General Election Strategy

Campaign's plan for winning electoral votes through targeting specific states and demographics.

Presidential Nomination Rules

Complex system of delegate allocation and primary/caucus scheduling that determines party nominees.

Priming

When media coverage of certain issues influences how people evaluate political leaders.

Proportional Representation

Electoral system where parties win seats in proportion to their share of votes.

Public Interest Groups vs Private Interest Groups

Groups representing broad public causes versus specific industry or economic interests.

Public Opinion Survey

A scientific method to measure what the public thinks about political issues.

Reapportionment

The redistribution of congressional seats among states based on population changes.

Recruitment

Process of parties finding and encouraging candidates to run for office.

Redistricting

The process of drawing new congressional and legislative district boundaries.

Single-member Districts

Electoral system where each district elects one representative by plurality vote.

Super PAC

Independent political committee that can raise unlimited money but can't coordinate with candidates.

Swing State

State where neither party has a clear majority, making it crucial in elections.

Trustworthiness of Surveys

The reliability and accuracy of public opinion polls based on their methodology.

Turnout Differences by Election Type

Voter participation varies significantly between presidential, midterm, state, and local elections.

Voter Choice Criteria

The main factors voters consider when choosing candidates.

Voter Registration

The process people must complete to become eligible to vote.

Voter Turnout

The percentage of eligible voters who actually vote in an election.

Winner-Take-All Rule

System where candidate with most votes gets all of a state's electoral votes.