AP GOV UNIT 5: Political Participation

multi-party system

systems where there are multiple parties competing for government cotnrols

proportional representation

vote for the political party and not an individual candidate

realignment

switching of party loyalty by important voting groups

critical elections

major and lasting realignments

dealignment

voters that are detaching from all political parties and becoming independent

one person one vote

a principle that asserts each individual's vote should carry equal weight in the electoral process, ensuring fairness and equality in democratic representation

plurality system 

an electoral system in which the candidate who receives the most votes wins, regardless of whether they have obtained an absolute majority.

agents of innovation

adopt positions that are not mainstream and out there that later be adopted

spoiler effect

the idea that minor/third party candidates can pull votes from major candidates and influence the outcome of an election

interest groups

groups of people who come together to advance common cause; common interest; specific cause

labor based interest group

interest group focused on fair working conditions

profession based interest group

interest group that looks out for specific professions such as lawyers and doctors and policies concerning them

agricultural based interest group

interest group focused on protecting interest of farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness

environmental based interest group

interest group focused on ecological threats

consumer based interest group

interest group focused on consumer protection and food safety 

single issue groups

very specific to one issue (Mothers against drunk driving)

lobbying

how interest groups influence the government through financial support, endorsing, lawsuits, education, and legislation

free riders

the idea that sometimes the work of an interest group will benefit people who are not part of that interest gorup

purpose incentives

rewards of ethical and moral behavior

solidarity incentives

social rewards

material incentives

tangible benefits

hard money

money that is donated directly to candidates; has limits

soft money

money that is donated to political parties; tends to not have limits

dark money

money that is donated anonymously to certain non-profit/501 groups used for political purposes

outside spending/ independent expenditures

spending by unaffiliated to promote a candidate

issue adovocacy

advertisements that are intended to educate the public on a particular issue rather than a candidate

federal election campaign act

first attempt at regulating campaign finance; placed limits on individual and pact contributions

federal elections commission (FEC) 

bipartisan commission that monitors campaign contributions and spending; enforces financial campaign limits. 

bipartisan campaign reform act or Mccain Feingold act

prohibited national parties from soliciting or spending soft money; placed specific limits on contributions to candidates, parties, and PACTS; prohibited issue advertisement on TV/radio; required that candidates in any group running political advertisements had to disclose who payed for the ad (stand by your ad provision)

stand by your ad provision

BCRA required that candidates in any group running political advertisements had to disclose who payed for the ad

citizens united v federal elections commission

In Citizens United v. FEC, the Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent political spending by corporations, unions, and other outside groups in candidate elections. The 5-4 decision struck down parts of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) that had banned such spending, leading to unlimited independent expenditures in campaigns, though it upheld the ban on direct contributions to candidates.

initiatives

procedure that allows voters to bypass state legislatures, propose laws, or state constitutional amendments

referendum

placed on ballot by legislature; a direct vote in which the entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular issue or policy. It allows citizens to directly participate in decision-making by expressing their opinion on a specific question.

recall 

allow voters to hold an election to remove and replace and elected official before their term ends

primaries

voters choose each parties’ nominees for each office on the ballot

open primaries

type of primary election where voters are not required to be registered with a specific political party to participate in that party's primary. This system allows for greater voter participation and can lead to higher voter turnout, as individuals from various political affiliations can choose which party's primary to vote in, thereby increasing engagement in the electoral process.

closed primaries

a type of electoral process in which only registered members of a political party can participate in selecting that party's candidates for the general election. This system is designed to ensure that party members have a significant say in determining their party's nominees, thus reinforcing party loyalty and preventing outside influences from affecting the candidate selection process.

caucuses

meetings of members of a political party or faction to discuss and decide on policies, strategies, and candidate selections.

front loading

the idea that holding a primary/caucus early in the election is going to give a state political and economic advantages (more time to campaign) 

national conventions

formal adoption of the party platform; formal selection of party’s nominees as delegates cast their votes

delegates

people who vote at party national conventions for political party nominees

faithless electors

rogue electors

open seat election

when an incumbent does not seek reelection; very competitive

incumbent advantage 

refers to the benefits that current officeholders have over challengers in elections, making it easier for them to win reelection. This advantage stems from factors such as name recognition, established donor networks, and the ability to leverage their position to gain media attention and engage constituents. The incumbency advantage is particularly notable in both presidential and congressional elections, as it shapes voter perceptions and influences the dynamics of the electoral process