Chapter 7: Legislatures

Apportionment

The allotting of districts according to population shifts. The number of congressional districts that a state has may be reapportioned every 10 years, following the national census.

Casework

The work undertaken by legislators and their staffs in response to requests for help from constituents.

Caucus

All the members of a party—Republican or Democrat—within a legislative chamber; also refers to meetings of members of a political party in a chamber.

Coalition Building

The assembly of an alliance of groups to pursue a common goal or interest.

Committee

A group of legislators who have the formal task of considering and writing bills in a particular issue area.

Compromises

The results when there is no consensus on a policy change or spending amounts but legislators find a central point on which a majority can agree.

Constituent Services

The work done by legislators to help residents in their voting districts.

Delegates

Legislators who primarily see their role as voting according to their constituents' beliefs as they understand them.

Districts

The geographical areas represented by members of a legislature.

Filibuster

A debate that under U.S. Senate rules can drag on, blocking final action on the bill under consideration and preventing other bills from being debated.

Gerrymanders

Districts clearly drawn with the intent of pressing partisan advantage at the expense of other considerations.

Incumbent

A person holding office.

Logrolling

A practice in which a legislator gives a colleague a vote on a particular bill in return for that colleague's vote on another bill.

Majority Rule

The process in which the decision of a numerical majority is made binding on a group.

Majority-minority Districts

Districts in which members of a minority group, such as African Americans or Hispanics, make up a majority of the population or electorate.

Malapportionment

A situation in which the principle of equal representation is violated.

Override

The process by which legislative chambers vote to challenge a gubernatorial veto; often requires a supermajority vote of two-thirds.

Oversight

The legislature's role in making sure that the governor and executive branch agencies are properly implementing the laws.

"Professionalized" Legislatures

The process of providing legislatures with the resources they need to make politics their main career, such as making their positions full-time or providing them with full-time staff.

Rank-and-file Members

Legislators who do not hold leadership positions or senior committee posts.

Representation

Individual legislators acting as the voices of their constituencies within the house of representatives or senate.

Riders

Amendments to a bill that are not central to the bill's intent.

Trustees

Legislators who believe they were elected to exercise their own judgment and to approach issues accordingly.

Veto

The ability to reject a bill or proposal from a lawmaking body.