AP Government Ch 8/9 Edwards

501 (c) groups

Groups that are exempted from reporting their contributions and can receive unlimited contributions. The tax code specifies that such groups cannot spend more than half their funds on political activities.

527 groups

Independent political groups that are not subject to contribution restrictions because they do not directly seek the election of particular candidates. The tax code specifies that contributions to such groups must be reported to the IRS.

Battleground states

They key states that the presidential campaigns focus on because they are most likely to decide the outcome of the Electoral College vote.

Campaign contributions

Donations that are made directly to a candidate or a party and that must be reported to the FEC. As of 2012, individuals were allowed to donate up to $2,500 per election to a candidate and up to $30,800 to a political party.

Campaign strategy

The master game plan candidates lay out to guide their electoral strategy.

Caucus

A system of selecting convention delegates used in about a dozen states in which voters must attend an open meeting to express their presidential preference.

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission

A 2010 landmark Supreme Court case that ruled that individuals, corporations, and unions could donate unlimited amounts of money to groups that make independent political expenditures

Civic duty

The belief that in order to support democratic government, a citizen should vote.

Direct mail

A method of raising money for a political cause or candidate, in which information and requests for money are sent to people whose names appear on lists of those who have supported similar views or candidates in the past.

Electoral College

A unique American institution created by the Constitution, providing for the selection of the president by electors chosen by the state parties. Although the Electoral College vote usually reflects a popular majority, less populated states are over represented and the winner-take-all rule concentrates campaigns on close states.

Federal Election Campaign Act

A law passed in 1974 for reforming campaign finances. The act created the Federal Election Commission and provided for limits on and disclosure of campaign contributions.

Frontloading

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

Independent expenditures

Expenses on behalf of a political message that are made by groups that are uncoordinated with any candidate's campaign.

Invisible primary

The period before any votes are cast when candidates compete to win early support from the elite of the party and to create a positive first impression of their leadership skills.

Mandate theory of elections

The idea that the winning candidate has a mandate from the people to carry out his or her platforms and policies. Politicians like the theory better than political scientists do.

McGovern-Fraser Commission

A commission formed at the 1968 Democratic convention in response to demands for reform by minority groups and others who sought better representation.

Motor Voter Act

A 1993 act that requires states to permit people to register to vote when they apply for a driver's license.

National party convention

The supreme power within each of the parties. The convention meets every four years to nominate the party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates and write the party's platform.

Nomination

The official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party. Generally, success in the nomination game requires momentum, money, and media attention.

Party platform

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 strengths. It is the best formal statement of a party's beliefs.

Policy voting

Electoral choices that are made on the basis of the voters' policy preferences and where the candidates stand on policy issues.

Political efficacy

The belief that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can actually make a difference.

Presidential primaries

Elections in which a state's voters go to the polls to express their preference for a party's nominee for president. Most delegates to the national party convention are chosen this way.

Selective perception

The phenomenon that people's beliefs often guide what they pay the most attention to and how they interpret events.

Soft money

Political contributions earmarked for party-building expenses and the grassroots level or for generic party advertising. For a time, such contributions were unlimited, until they were banned by the McCain-Feingold Act.

Suffrage

The legal right to vote in the United States, gradually extended to virtually all citizens over the age of 18.

Super PACs

Independent expenditure-only PACs are known as Super PACs because they may accept donations of any size and may endorse candidates. Their contributions and expenditures must be periodically reported to the FEC.

Superdelegates

National party leaders who automatically get a delegate slot at the national party convention.

Voter registration

A system adopted by the states that requires voters to register prior to voting. Some states require citizens to register as much as 30 days in advance, whereas others permit Election Day registration.

Blue Dog Democrats

Fiscally conservative Democrats who are mostly from the South and/or rural parts of the United States.

Closed primaries

Elections to select party nominees in which only people who have registered in advance with the party can vote for that party's candidate, thus encouraging greater party loyalty.

Coalition

A group of individuals with a common interest on which every political party depends.

Coalition government

When two or more parties join together to form a majority in a national legislature. This form of government is quite common in the multiparty systems in Europe.

Critical election

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

Linkage institutions

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

National chairperson

The person responsible for the day-to-day activities of the party.

National committee

One of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions. It is composed of representatives from the states and territories.

National convention

The supreme power within each of the parties. It meets every four years to nominate the party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates and to write the party's platform.

New Deal coalition

A coalition formed by the Democrats, who dominated American politics from the 1930s to the 1960s. Its basic elements were the urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics, Jews, the poor, Southerners, African American, and intellectuals.

Open primaries

Elections to select party nominees in which voters can decide on Election Day whether they want to participate in the Democratic or Republican contests.

Party dealignment

The gradual disengagement of people from the parties, as seen in part by shrinking party identification.

Party eras

Historical periods in which a majority of voters cling to the party in power, which tends to win a majority of the elections.

Party identification

A citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other.

Party image

The voter's perception of what the Republicans or Democrats stand for, such as conservatism or liberalism.

Party machines

A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage, to win votes and to govern.

Party realignment

The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election period.

Patronage

One of the key inducements used by party machines. A job, promotion, or contract is one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone.

Political party

According to Anthony Downs, a "team of men [and women] seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election."

Proportional representation

An electoral system used throughout most of Europe that awards legislative seats to political parties in proportion to the number of votes won in an election.

Rational-choice theory

A popular theory in political science to explain the actions of voters as well as politicians. It assumes that individuals act in their own best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives.

Responsible party model

A view about how parties should work, held by some political scientists. According to the model, parties should offer clear choices to the voters and once in office, should carry out their campaign promises.

Third parties

Electoral contenders other than the two major parties. American third parties are not unusual, but they rarely win elections.

Ticket splitting

Voting for one party for one office and another party for other offices. It has become the norm for American voting behavior.

Winner-take-all system

An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the candidates who come in first in their constituencies.