AP GOV UNIT 5

Absentee Ballot

 A ballot used by eligible voters who are unable to attend their polling place on Election Day, allowing them to vote by mail or other methods.

Efficacy

 The belief that one's actions, such as voting or participating in politics, can make a difference in influencing outcomes.

Gender Gap

The difference in political views and voting behavior between men and women, often reflected in issues like political party support or policy preferences.

Midterm Election

 Elections held in the middle of a president's term, where voters choose members of Congress and sometimes local officials, but not the president.

Party-Line Voting

Voting for candidates who belong to the same political party, often reflecting partisan loyalty.

Political Ideology

 A set of beliefs and values about government and politics, influencing how individuals or groups view issues and policies (e.g., liberalism, conservatism).

Prospective Voting

Voting based on what candidates promise to do in the future, focusing on their proposed policies or plans.

Rational Choice Voting

A theory of voting where individuals make decisions based on what benefits them personally, weighing the potential outcomes of each choice.

Retrospective Voting

Voting based on the past performance of a candidate or party, where voters judge the incumbent's record when making their decision.

Structural Barriers

Obstacles that make it difficult for certain groups to vote, such as voter ID laws, gerrymandering, or registration requirements.

Voter Registration

The process of registering to vote, often required before individuals can participate in elections.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

 A landmark piece of legislation that aimed to eliminate racial discrimination in voting, prohibiting practices like literacy tests and poll taxes that disenfranchised African American voters.

Coalition

 A group of individuals, organizations, or political parties that come together to achieve a common goal, often forming temporary alliances to pass legislation, win elections, or influence public policy.

Critical Election

An election that signifies a major shift in the political landscape, often resulting in a realignment of party support and long-term changes in political behavior.

Free Rider Problem

 A situation where individuals benefit from resources or services without directly contributing to the cost, often seen in the context of public goods or interest groups.

Interest Group

 An organization that seeks to influence public policy and legislation in favor of its members' interests, often through lobbying, advocacy, and political contributions.

Iron Triangle

A term used to describe the relationship between bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups, which work together to create and implement policies that benefit each other.

Linkage Institution

 Structures in society that connect individuals to the government and facilitate communication, such as political parties, interest groups, elections, and the media.

Party Platforms

 A set of formal goals and policies that a political party adopts in order to address key issues and outline its vision for governance.

Political Party

An organized group of people who share similar political beliefs and work together to gain political power by running candidates for public office.

Single Issue Groups

 Political groups that focus on advocating for one specific issue or policy, often mobilizing supporters around that particular cause.

Third Party

A political party that is not one of the two major parties (Democratic or Republican) in the U.S. and usually focuses on issues that are neglected by the major parties.

Two Party System

 A political system in which two major political parties dominate the electoral landscape, typically leading to competition for control of government.

Winner-Take-All Voting District

An electoral system in which the candidate with the most votes wins the election, often used in U.S. congressional and presidential races, leading to the dominance of two major political parties.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

 A 2002 law aimed at regulating the financing of political campaigns, including restrictions on "soft money" donations and limiting issue ads close to elections. Also known as the McCain-Feingold Act.

Caucus

A meeting of members of a political party or other organization to discuss policies, select candidates, or decide strategies. In the context of elections, it is a method used by some states to select delegates for presidential nominations.

Election Cycle

The period between one election and the next, including the time for campaigning, fundraising, and voting, typically lasting two years for Congressional elections.

Electoral College

 A system used in the U.S. to elect the president, where each state has a certain number of electoral votes based on its population, and the candidate who wins the majority of electoral votes wins the presidency.

Incumbent

The current holder of a political office, typically seeking re-election.

Incumbency Advantage

The electoral advantage enjoyed by incumbents, including greater name recognition, easier access to campaign finance, and a track record that may help them secure votes.

Party Convention

A large meeting held by a political party to formally nominate candidates for president and vice president and to establish the party's platform.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An organization that raises and spends money to influence elections, often by supporting or opposing candidates, legislation, or political causes.

Primary Election

An election in which voters choose the candidates from their party who will run in the general election, typically for offices like president, governor, and congressional seats.

Stand by Your Ad

A requirement for political candidates to appear in their own advertisements and publicly endorse the content, often through a verbal statement, "I approve this message."

Conglomeration

 The process by which media companies merge or acquire other companies, leading to large, diversified media corporations that control multiple forms of media (television, newspapers, radio, etc.).

Horse Race Journalism

 A style of journalism that focuses on the competitive aspects of elections, such as who is ahead or behind in the polls, rather than on policy issues or substantive discussion.

Investigative Journalism

A form of journalism that seeks to uncover hidden information, expose corruption, or investigate societal issues, often requiring in-depth research and reporting.

Narrowcasting

The practice of targeting media content to a specific, often smaller, audience rather than broadcasting to the general public, typically seen with cable channels and digital platforms.

Social Media

 Online platforms and apps (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) that allow users to create, share, and interact with content and connect with others in virtual communities.

Sound Bite

 A short, memorable clip or phrase from a political figure, typically used in news broadcasts or political advertisements to convey a clear message in a brief period.

Traditional News Media

Established forms of mass media, such as newspapers, radio, and television, that have been the primary sources of news and information for decades before the rise of digital platforms.