civics 5

24th AMENDMENT

Prohibits Congress and the states from imposing poll taxes as a condition for voting in federal elections

LINKAGE INSTITUTION

channels that connect individuals with government, including elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media

RATIONAL CHOICE VOTING

voting based on what a citizen believes is in his or her best interest

ELECTORAL COLLEGE

A constitutionally required process for selecting the president through slates of electors chosen in each state, who are pledged to vote for a nominee in the presidential election

RETROSPECTIVE VOTING

voting based on an assessment of an incumbent’s past performance

POLITICAL PARTY

An organized group of party leaders, officeholders, and voters who work together to elect candidates to political office

PROSPECTIVE VOTING

casting a ballot for a candidate who promises to enact policies favored by the voter in the future

INTEREST GROUP

voluntary association of people who come together with the goal of getting the policies that they favor enacted

PARTY-LINE VOTING

voting for candidates who belong only to one political party for all of the offices on the ballot

MASS MEDIA

sources of information that appeal to a wide audience, including newspapers, radio, television, and Internet outlets

Single-member plurality system

An election system for choosing members of the legislature where the winner is the candidate who receives the most votes, even if the candidate does not receive a majority of the votes

Horse-race journalism

Coverage of political campaigns that focuses more on the drama of the campaign than on policy issues

Open primar

A primary election in which all eligible voters may vote, regardless of their party affiliation

Closed primary

A primary election in which only those who have registered as a member of a political party they vote

Amicus curiae brief

A brief filed by someone who is not a party to a case in an attempt to persuade the court to agree with the arguments set forth in the brief

Media consolidation

The concentration of ownership of the media into fewer corporations

Grassroots lobbying

Mobilizing interest group members to pressure their representatives by contacting them directly through phone calls, email, and social media

Agenda setting

The media’s ability to highlight certain issues and bring them to the attention of the public

Issue network

Webs of influence between interest groups, policymakers, and policy advocates

Iron triangle

Coordinated and mutually beneficial activities of the bureaucracy, Congress, and interest groups to achieve shared policy goals