Ch 5 Gov

political party

a group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office

major parties

in American politics, the Republican and the Democratic parties

Partisanship

Government action based on firm allegiance to a political party

Party in power

In american politics the party in power is the party that controls the executive branch of government

Minor party

One of the political parties not widely supported

Two-party system

A political system dominated by two major parties

Single-member district

electoral district from which one person is chosen by the voters for each elected office

Plurality

in an election, the number of votes that the leading candidate obtains over the next highest candidate

Bipartisan

supported by two parties

pluralistic society

a society which consists of several distinct cultures and groups.

Consensus

general agreement among various groups on fundamental matters; broad agreement on public questions

multiparty

A system in which several major and many lesser parties exist, seriously compete for, and actually win, public offices

Coalition

a temporary alliance of several groups who come together to form a working majority and so to control a government

One-party system

A political system in which only one party exists

Incumbent

the current officeholder

Faction

a conflicting group

Electorate

All of the people entitled to vote in a given election

Ideological parties

Parties based on a particular set of beliefs, a comprehensive view of social, economic, and political matters

Single-issue parties

Parties that concentrate on only one public policy matter

Economic protest parties

Parties rooted in poor economic times, lacking a clear ideological base, dissatisfied with current conditions and demanding better times

Splinter parties

parties that have split away from one of the major parties

Sectionalism

A narrow-minded concern for, or devotion to, the interest of one section of a country

Ward

a unit into which cities are often divided for the election of city council members

Precinct

The smallest unit of election administration; a voting district

Split-ticket voting

voting for candidates of different parties for different offices at the same election