Political Parties and Public Opinion

Flashcards for political science review.

Party organization

A specific political party’s leaders and workers at the national, state, and local levels.

Party in government

The group of officeholders who belong to a specific political party and were elected as candidates.

Party in the electorate

The group of citizens who identify with a specific political party.

Party system

Periods in which the names of the major political parties, their supporters, and the issues dividing them have remained relatively stable.

Party principle

The idea that a political party exists as an organization distinct from its elected officials or party leaders.

Spoils system

The practice of rewarding party supporters with benefits like federal government positions.

National committee

An American political party’s principle organization, comprising party representatives from each state.

Conference

The organization of Republicans within the House and Senate that meets to discuss and debate the party’s positions on various issues.

Party ID

A citizen's loyalty to a specific political party.

Party coalitions

The groups that identify with a political party, usually described in demographic terms such as African American Democrats or evangelistic Republicans.

Issue ownership

The theory that voters associate certain issues or issue positions with certain parties.

Nominating convention

Meeting held by each party where delegates select the party’s presidential nominees.

Party platform

A set of objectives outlining the party’s issue positions and priorities.

Unified government

One party holds a majority of seats in the House and Senate and the presidency.

Duverger's Law

Principle that in a democracy with single-member districts and plurality voting, only two parties' candidates will have a realistic chance of winning political office.

Plurality voting

Candidate who receives the most votes within a geographic area wins the election regardless of if it's the majority.

Public opinion

Citizens' views on government.

Latent opinion

Opinion formed on the spot.

Population

Group of people studied.

Sampling error

Predicted difference between the average opinion of people surveyed and the actual opinion of everyone.

Sample

Group of people surveyed from a population.

Random sample

Group chosen to be surveyed where everyone has an equal chance of being surveyed.

Ideological polarization

The effect on public opinion when many citizens move away from a moderate position and further toward either end of the spectrum.

Policy mood

Level of public support for expanding the government's role in society.