Chapter 8: Political Parties

Party Competition

The battle of the parties for control of public office.

Political Party

According to Anthony Davis, a "team of men and women seeking to control the government apparatus by gaining office in a duty constituted election.

Linkage Institutions

The channels through which people;s concerns become political issues on the government's policy agenda.

Rational Choice Theory

A popular theory in political science to explain the actions of voters as well as politicians.

Party Image

The voter's perception of what the Republican or Democrats stand for, such as conservatism or liberalism.

Party Identification

A citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other.

Ticket Splitting

Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices.

Party Machines

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

Patronage

A patronage job, promotion, or contract is one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone.

Closed Primaries

Elections to select party nominees in which only people who have registered in advance with the party can vote for that party's candidates, thus encouraging greater party loyalty.

Open Primaries

Elections to select party nominees in which voters can decide on Election Day whether they want to participate in the Democratic or Republican contests.

National Party Convention

The meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party’s platform

National Committee

One of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions.

National Chairperson

The person responsible for the day to day activities of the party.

Coalition

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

Party Eras

Historical periods in which a majority of voters cling to the party in power, which tends to win a majority of the elections.

Critical Election

An electoral "earthquake" where new issues emerge, near coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party is often displaced by the majority party.

Party Realignment

The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election period.

New Deal Coalition

A coalition formed by the Democrats, who dominated American politics from the 1930s to the 1960s.

Party Dealignment

The gradual disengagement of people from the parties as seen in part by shrinking party identification.

Third Parties

Electoral contenders other than the two major parties.

Winner-Take-All System

An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the candidates who come first in their constituencies.

Proportional Representation

An electoral system used throughout most of Europe that awards legislative seats to political parties in proportion to the number of votes won in an election.

Coalition Government

When two or more parties join together to form a majority in a national legislature.

Responsible Party Model

A view about how parties should work held by some political scientists.

Parties should offer clear choices to the voters, and once in office, carry out their campaign promises

Blue Dog Democrats

Fiscally conservative Democrats who are mostly from the South and/or rural parts of the United States.