Political Parties and Electoral Systems

Flashcards covering key concepts related to political parties, electoral systems, and democratic principles discussed in the lecture.

Elections

A fundamental quality necessary for democratic institutions, allowing citizens to choose their representatives.

Universal Suffrage

The right of all adult citizens to vote in elections; an expected quality in modern democracies.

Vertical Accountability

A concept where elected officials are accountable to the voters who choose them.

Horizontal Accountability

The presence of diverse opinions and interests within governing structures, enhancing democratic governance.

Gerrymandering

Redistricting designed to benefit a specific political party, often by manipulating district boundaries.

Constituency

A geographically organized group of people represented collectively in a legislative branch.

Duverger's Law

A principle stating that majoritarian electoral systems tend to produce two dominant political parties.

Majoritarian System

An electoral system that typically results in a single winner in each district, often leading to a two-party system.

Proportional Representation

An electoral system where parties gain seats in the legislature in proportion to the number of votes they receive.

Ranked Choice Voting

A voting method that allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, reducing the fear of wasting votes.