AP GOV

✅ QUIZLET OUTLINE — CHAPTERS 8 & 9 (Edwards, Government in America)

CHAPTER 8 — POLITICAL PARTIES

Political Party

Group of people seeking to win elections and control government.

Party as a Three-Headed Political Giant

  1. Party in the electorate

  2. Party as an organization

  3. Party in government

Party Identification

Citizen’s self-proclaimed preference for a party.

Independent Voters

Voters who do not identify with either major party; growing group.

Ticket-Splitting

Voting for one party for one office and the other party for another.

Party Organization

National, state, and local party levels that recruit candidates, run campaigns, raise money.

Local Party Organizations / Party Machines

Old system that used patronage to gain loyalty; mostly declined.

Patronage

Job or promotion given for political reasons rather than merit.

50-State Party System

Each state has its own party rules, strength, and organization.

National Convention

Meeting every four years to nominate presidential candidates and write the platform.

National Committee

Runs the party between conventions; composed of representatives from states.

National Chairperson

Person responsible for day-to-day activities of the national party.

Party Eras

Long periods of time with one party dominant.

Critical Election

Election where new issues emerge, new coalitions form, majority party is replaced.

Party Realignment

Displacement of majority party by the minority during a critical election.

New Deal Coalition

Democratic coalition formed under FDR: urban workers, Catholics, Jews, the poor, African Americans, unions.

Southern Realignment

Shift of the South from Democratic to Republican after civil rights era.

Party Dealignment

Movement of people away from parties → more independents.

Third Parties

Minor parties attracting protest vote or focusing on one issue; rarely win but influence agenda.

Winner-Take-All System

Whoever wins the most votes gets the seat → discourages minor parties.

Proportional Representation (PR)

Legislative seats based on percentage of vote; used in Europe.

Coalition Government

Multiple parties combine to form majority; PR systems.

Responsible Party Model

Parties should:

  1. Present distinct programs

  2. Carry them out

  3. Take responsibility

  4. Provide clear choices
    U.S. parties do NOT fully meet this model.

CHAPTER 9 — CAMPAIGNS & ELECTIONS

Nomination

Official endorsement of a candidate for office.

Campaign Strategy

Game plan candidates use to guide campaign.

Caucus

Local meeting where voters choose delegates; less common than primaries.

Presidential Primaries

Voters directly choose their preferred candidate; most delegates picked this way.

Frontloading

Tendency of states to hold primaries early to gain attention.

Superdelegates

Party leaders (Democrats) with automatic delegate votes at convention.

National Primary (proposal)

Idea to replace caucuses/primaries with one national primary.

Regional Primary (proposal)

Idea to replace current system with region-based primaries.

Party Platform

Statement of party’s goals and policies for next 4 years.

Campaign Contributions

Money given directly to candidates; must be reported to FEC.

Independent Expenditures

Spending by outside groups not coordinated with candidate.

Federal Election Campaign Act (1974)

Created FEC, required disclosure, limited contributions.

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

Bipartisan body enforcing campaign finance laws.

Matching Funds

Public funds granted to candidates who accept spending limits.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

Candidates can spend unlimited money on their own campaigns.

Soft Money

Unregulated party donations for “party-building”; banned by McCain-Feingold (2002).

McCain-Feingold Act (BCRA)

Banned soft money; set limits on issue ads.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Corporations/unions can spend unlimited money independently → rise of Super PACs.

Super PAC

Independent expenditure-only groups; can raise/spend unlimited funds.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

Organizations that donate money to candidates; limited to $5,000 per candidate per election.

527 Groups

Independent political groups without contribution limits but must disclose donors.

Selective Perception

People notice and believe what fits their preexisting views.

Suffrage

Right to vote.

Voter Registration

System requiring voters to register in advance; lowers turnout.

Motor Voter Act (1993)

Allows voter registration when getting a driver's license.

Mandate Theory of Elections

Winning candidate claims voter support for their policies.

Policy Voting

Voting based on issue preferences and policy consequences.

Electoral College

Institution that elects the president; winner-take-all in most states.

Battleground States

States where the election is close → candidates heavily target.

Retrospective Voting

Voting based on “What has the incumbent done for me lately?”