Unit E Test

political participation

The various ways in which individuals can take part in politics, including voting, campaigning, and engaging in political discussions.

political action committee (PAC)

An organization that raises money privately to influence elections or legislation, particularly at the federal level.

linkage institution

An entity that connects citizens with the political process, such as political parties, interest groups, and the media.

social movement

A collective effort by a group of people to bring about social or political change.

franchise or suffrage

The right to vote in political elections.

26th Amendment

An amendment to the U.S. Constitution that lowered the voting age to 18.

24th Amendment

An amendment that prohibits the use of poll taxes in federal elections.

poll tax

A fee required to vote, which was historically used to restrict voting rights.

voter turnout

The percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election.

demographic characteristics

Social and economic attributes of a population, including age, race, income, and education.

socioeconomic status (SES)

A combined measure of an individual's economic and social position relative to others.

political efficacy

The belief that one’s actions can influence politics and that they understand political matters.

political mobilization

The process of rallying individuals or groups to participate in political activities.

registration requirements

The rules that determine who can register to vote and how they must do it.

absentee ballot

A voting method that allows a person to mail or submit their vote remotely rather than attending a polling place.

rational choice voting

Voting behavior based on the individual’s assessment of which candidate or party will best serve their interests.

retrospective voting

Voting based on the past performance of a candidate or party.

prospective voting

Voting based on predictions of how a candidate or party will perform in the future.

party-line voting

Voting for candidates who are all from the same political party.

Electoral College

The body that formally elects the President and Vice President of the United States.

winner-take-all system

An electoral system in which the candidate who receives the most votes wins all of the electoral votes.

battleground state

A state where both major political parties have similar levels of support among voters.

swing state

A state that could reasonably be won by either major political party in an election.

Get out the vote (GOTV)

Campaign efforts designed to increase voter turnout.

super PAC

A type of independent political action committee that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money.

501(c) groups

Non-profit organizations that can engage in some political activities but are not required to disclose their donors.

soft money vs. hard money

Soft money refers to unregulated contributions to political parties for party-building activities, while hard money is regulated contributions directly to candidates.

primary vs. general election

Primaries are held to determine a party’s candidate for the general election, where candidates from different parties compete against each other.

15th Amendment

An amendment that prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on 'race, color, or previous condition of servitude'.

19th Amendment

An amendment that granted women the right to vote.

political party

An organized group of people who share similar political beliefs and work together to influence government policy.

party identification

An individual's affiliation with a political party, which influences voting behavior.

straight-ticket voting

Voting for all candidates of one party in an election.

split-ticket voting

Voting for candidates from different parties in the same election.

party platform

A formal set of principles and goals that a political party supports to appeal to the public.

recruitment

The process of identifying and attracting candidates for political office.

party coalition

An alliance of multiple political parties or groups that come together to support a common cause.

realignment

A significant and lasting change in the electoral balance of power between the major political parties.

critical election

An election that signifies a major change in the political landscape or party system.

party era

A period of time where a specific political party dominates political activity.

era of divided government

A situation where one party controls the presidency while another party controls one or both houses of Congress.

nomination

The process by which political parties select their candidates for office.

delegate

A person appointed to represent others at a party convention.

primary election

An election to determine a party's candidate for the general election.

open primary

A primary election in which voters can choose candidates regardless of their party affiliation.

closed primary

A primary election in which only registered party members can vote.

caucus

A meeting of members of a specific political party to select candidates or decide policy.

superdelegate

A delegate to the Democratic National Convention who is free to support any candidate for the presidential nomination.

front-loading

The practice of scheduling presidential primary elections early in the election season.

national convention

A meeting of a political party, typically held every four years, to nominate candidates for president and vice president.

candidate-centered campaign

An election campaign that focuses on the individual candidate rather than the party as a whole.

two-party system

A political system dominated by two major political parties.

proportional representation system

An electoral system where parties gain seats in a legislature in proportion to the number of votes they receive.

single-member plurality system

An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins, typically in single-member districts.

third party

A political party other than the two major parties that plays a smaller role in the electoral process.

interest groups

Organizations of people who share common objectives and actively seek to influence public policy.

social movements

Collective efforts by a group of people to promote or resist social change.

theory of participatory democracy

A theory that emphasizes the broad participation of citizens in the political process.

civil society

The sphere of social interactions and organizations that are separate from the government and the market.

pluralist theory

A theory that suggests multiple competing groups drive political decision-making.

elitist theory

A theory that argues that a small number of affluent and powerful individuals or groups hold the majority of political power.

policy agenda

The set of issues that are being considered by policymakers.

collective action

Action taken together by a group of people to achieve a common goal.

collective good

A benefit or service that cannot be withheld from anyone in a group.

free riders

Individuals who benefit from collective goods without contributing to their provision.

selective benefits

Benefits that are available only to group members.

economic interest groups

Groups that advocate for policies that benefit their economic interests.

public interest groups

Organizations that seek to promote the common good or public interest.

single-issue groups

Interest groups that focus on one specific area of policy.

government interest groups

Groups that represent government agencies or interests.

lobbying

The act of attempting to influence government officials on behalf of a particular interest.

revolving door

The movement of personnel between roles as legislators and members of the industries affected by legislation.

amicus curiae brief

A document submitted to a court by someone who is not a party to the case, advising the court on relevant law or policy.

iron triangle

The stable, mutually beneficial relationship between an interest group, a congressional committee, and a bureaucratic agency.

issue network

A coalition of various interest groups and individuals who collaborate on specific policy issues.

grassroots lobbying

Indirect lobbying efforts that focus on mobilizing the public to contact government officials.

protest

A public demonstration or gathering to express dissent or promote a specific agenda.

civil disobedience

The active refusal to obey certain laws as a form of protest.

hyperpluralism

A state in which many groups are so strong that government is weakened, leading to gridlock.