Political Parties, Nominations, and Elections Unit Exam Study Guide

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts about political parties, nominations, and elections.

Linkage institutions

Institutions that connect citizens to government, including political parties.

Winner-take-all system

An electoral system where the candidate who wins the majority of popular votes gets all of a state's electoral votes.

Filibuster

A tactic used in the Senate to delay or block legislative action by extending debate.

Polarization

The division between political parties that can strengthen their influence in Congress but weaken their influence with voters.

Political Action Committees (PACs)

Organizations that collect and distribute funds for political campaigns, allowing interest groups to support candidates.

Super PACs

Political committees that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money for or against candidates but cannot coordinate directly with candidates.

Political efficacy

The belief that one's political participation can influence politics.

Motor Voter Laws

Laws requiring states to allow voter registration when applying for a driver's license.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation that outlawed discriminatory voting practices, such as literacy tests.

Super Delegates

Democratic Party leaders who automatically get a delegate slot at the national convention.

Mandate theory of elections

The belief that the winning candidate has a mandate to implement their policies.

Caucus

A meeting of party leaders to select delegates for a national convention.

Primary elections

Elections where registered voters select candidates to represent the party in the general election.

Citizens United v. FEC

A Supreme Court case that ruled that government restrictions on independent expenditures by corporations and unions are unconstitutional.

Buckley v. Valeo

A Supreme Court case that struck down limits on campaign spending as a violation of free speech.