AP GOV
jAP TEST STUDY GUIDE
Political Parties
Vocabulary
• Political Party: An organization that seeks to influence government policy by nominating candidates and winning elections.
• Split Ticket: Voting for candidates from different parties on the same ballot.
• Straight Ticket: Voting for all candidates from the same party.
• Office Bloc Ballot: Ballot that lists candidates by the office rather than by party.
• National Convention: A large party meeting held every four years to select presidential candidates.
• Superdelegate: Party leaders or elected officials with a vote at the Democratic National Convention, not chosen through primaries.
• Two-Party System: A political system where two major parties dominate.
• Plurality System: Electoral system in which the candidate with the most votes wins, even if not a majority.
Key Questions
1. Progressive Reforms: Progressives pushed for reforms like direct primaries and civil service reform, weakening party control and shifting power toward individuals and candidates.
2. Party Evolution: The Democratic and Republican parties have shifted in ideology, constituency, and regional support over time.
3. Political Realignment: Includes both gradual shifts and sudden shifts in party loyalty. Example: New Deal Coalition brought diverse groups into the Democratic fold.
4. Party Structure: Major parties have national, state, and local organizations, with a hierarchy that coordinates across levels.
5. Ideological Parties: Focus on specific beliefs (e.g., socialism, libertarianism) and aim to promote these ideas over winning.
6. Party Differences: Democrats and Republicans often differ on social and economic issues; conventions highlight but sometimes amplify these differences.
7. Two-Party System Persistence: Due to the electoral system (e.g., winner-takes-all) and historical traditions.
8. Minor Parties: Formed around specific issues or ideology but face challenges due to lack of funding and electoral disadvantages.
Elections and Campaigns
Vocabulary
• Incumbent: A current officeholder running for re-election.
• Coattails: Influence of a popular candidate on the success of other candidates from the same party.
• PAC: Organization that raises and spends money for candidates or causes.
• Malapportionment: Unequal representation in legislative districts.
• Gerrymandering: Redrawing district lines to benefit a party.
• Sophomore Surge: Increase in votes when incumbent first runs for re-election.
• Position Issues: Specific policy issues where candidates take different stands.
• Valence Issues: Issues on which most voters agree.
• General Election: An election for choosing among party-nominated candidates.
• Primary Election: Election to choose a party’s candidate for the general election.
• Closed Primary: Only registered party members vote.
• Open Primary: All voters can participate regardless of party.
• Independent Expenditures: Spending by non-candidates to support a candidate.
• Soft Money: Unregulated funds spent on general party activities.
• 527 Organizations: Tax-exempt groups that engage in political activities.
Key Questions
1. Presidential vs. Congressional Elections: Presidential elections are more competitive, have higher turnout, receive more media, and focus on broader issues.
2. Local Orientation of Legislators: Encourages attention to local needs, frequent contact with constituents, and policy focused on local benefits.
3. House vs. Senate Qualifications: House members must be 25 years old and citizens for 7 years; Senators must be 30 years old and citizens for 9 years.
4. Ideology in Elections: Candidates often adopt more extreme positions in primaries and more moderate in general elections to appeal broadly.
5. Matching Funds: Presidential candidates qualify by raising a set amount of funds and adhering to spending limits.
6. Campaign Finance Reform Act (2002): Banned soft money to parties, raised contribution limits, and restricted ads by outside groups close to elections.
7. What Doesn’t Make a Difference in Winning: Wealth, incumbent advantages, high media visibility, or controversial issues alone don’t guarantee victory.
8. Campaign Partisanship: Registered voters’ party affiliations don’t guarantee results; campaigns, issues, and candidate appeal also play roles.
9. Prospective vs. Retrospective Voting: Prospective voting considers future policies; retrospective voting looks at past performance, influencing incumbent evaluations.
10. Campaign Influence: Effective messaging, mobilization, voter contact, and targeting key demographics are impactful.
11. Coalition Building: Democrats and Republicans must attract diverse groups, balancing traditional supporters with swing or independent voters.
12. Electoral College: A body that formally elects the president; criticized for potentially ignoring the popular vote but defended as balancing state influence.
13. Elections and Policy Change: Arguments vary on whether elections drive substantial policy changes, as institutional constraints may limit impact.
These notes summarize essential concepts and topics for your upcoming test. For in-depth explanations, focus on your lecture notes and text references. Good luck!