AP Government Unit 5

Political participation

The many different ways that people take part in politics and government

Suffrage

the right to vote

Political efficacy

The belief that one's political participation makes a difference.

Rational-choice voting

Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen's individual interest

Retrospective voting

voting based on the past performance of a candidate

Prospective voting

voting for a candidate because you favor his or her ideas for handling issues

Party-line voting

Supporting a party by voting for candidates from one political party for all public offices at the same level of government.

Voter turnout

the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election

Grandfather clause

A clause in registration laws allowing people who do not meet registration requirements to vote if they or their ancestors had voted before 1867.

Literacy test

a requirement that citizens show that they can read before registering to vote

Poll tax

A requirement that citizens pay a tax in order to register to vote

White primary

the practice of keeping blacks from voting in the southern states' primaries through arbitrary use of registration requirements and intimidation

Voter registration laws

Require individuals to first place their name on an electoral roll in order to be allowed to vote

Mid-term (congressional)

elections

the people can elect their representatives in the middle of the term of the executive. ... Only a fraction of a body's seats are up for election while others are not until the terms of the next set of members are to expire.

Presidential elections

Elections held in years when the president is on the ballot.

Referendum

A state-level method of direct legislation that gives voters a chance to approve or disapprove proposed legislation or a proposed constitutional amendment.

Recall

procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office

Initiative

A procedure by which voters can propose a law or a constitutional amendment.

Political parties

groups that help elect people and shape policies

Interest groups

private organizations whose members share certain views and work to shape public policy

Linkage institutions

The channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the government's policy agenda. In the United States, linkage institutions include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

Electorate

the citizens eligible to vote

Voter mobilization

a party's efforts to inform potential voters about issues and candidates and to persuade them to vote

Iowa Caucuses

In January or February of a presidential election year Presidential candidates campaign hard in Iowa -- a win in Iowa or New Hampshire can help fundraising and build momentum for future primaries and caucuses.

New Hampshire Primary

First Presidential primary and its winner becomes the media's major attention

Swing states

States that are not clearly pro-Republican or pro-Democrat and therefore are of vital interest to presidential candidates, as they can determine election outcomes

Front loading

The recent tendency of states to hold primaries early in the calendar in order to capitalize on media attention.

Party platforms

A political party's statement of its goals and policies for the next four years. The platform is drafted prior to the party convention by a committee whose members are chosen in rough proportion to each candidate's strength. It is the best formal statement of a party's beliefs.

coattail effect

The boost that candidates may get in an election because of the popularity of candidates above them on the ballot, especially the president.

Critical elections

An electoral "earthquake" where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party is often displaced by the minority party. Such periods are sometimes marked by a national crisis and may require more than one election to bring about a new party era.

Realignment

A process in which a substantial group of voters switches party allegiance, producing a long-term change in the political landscape.

Dealignment

Weakening of partisan preferences that points to a rejection of both major parties and a rise in the number of independents.

Third Party Candidate

someone who represents a political party that is neither Democrat nor Republican

Independent candidate

a candidate who is not associated with any political party

Faithless elector

Elector who does not vote for the candidate they promised to vote for. These have never determined outcome of presidential election but is a major problem with electoral college system

Proportional voting system

A system in which each party receives a percentage of seats in a representation assembly that is roughly comparable to its percentage of the popular vote.

winner-take-all system

an election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins

free rider problem

For a group, the problem of people not joining because they can benefit from the group's activities without joining.

Lobbying

A strategy by which organized interests seek to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of the legislature.

amicus curiae brief

Literally, a "friend of the court" brief, filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case.

revolving door

the tendency of public officials, journalists, and lobbyists to move between public and private sector (media, lobbying) jobs

incumbency advantage

The electoral advantage a candidate enjoys by virtue of being an incumbent, over and above his or her other personal and political characteristics

open primary

A primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place

closed primary

a primary election in which voting is limited to already registered party members

Caucuses

meetings of party leaders to determine party policy or to choose the party's candidates for public office

Party conventions

A meeting of party delegates to vote on matters of policy and in some cases to select party candidates for public office.

Soft money

Money raised in unlimited amounts by political parties for party-building purposes. Now largely illegal except for limited contributions to state or local parties for voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.

Hard money

Political contributions given directly to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amount and fully disclosed.

Dark money

funds given to politically active nonprofits that can receive unlimited donations from corporations, individuals, and unions but are not required to disclose their donors.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations

Super PACs

a type of independent political action committee which may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but is not permitted to contribute to or coordinate directly with parties or candidates.

horserace journalism

the claim that the media is more interested in covering a campaign like a horserace focusing more on who is ahead rather than in-depth coverage of issues.

Gatekeeper

The media can influence what subjects become national political issues and for how long.

Scorekeeper

The role played by the national media in keeping track of and helping make political reputations.

Watchdog

The role played by the national media in investigating political personalities and exposing scandals.

Media Bias

the bias or perceived bias of journalists and news producers within the mass media in the selection of events and stories that are reported and how they are covered

Consumer driven media

Influenced by the actions and needs of consumers

News source and information credibility

Non-partisan, reliable sources that provide information that one can believe to be true.