AP Gov Ch. 5 and 7

nonpartisan election

A local or judicial election in which candidates are not selected or endorsed by political parties and party affiliation is not listed on ballots.

caucus

A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.

ideological parties

a minor party that is based primarily on one set of beliefs

sectionalism

a narrow minded concern for or devotion to the interests of one section of a country

multiparty

a system in which several major and many lesser parties exisit seriously compete for and actually win public offices.

coalition

a temporary alliance of several groups who come together to form a working majority and so to control a government

ward

a unit into which cities are often divided for the election of city council members

precinct

a voting district that is the smallest geographic unit for conduction elections

blanket primary

a voting process in which voters recieve a long ballot containing the names of all contenders, regardless of party, and can vote however they choose.

electorate

all the people entitled to vote in a given election.

absentee voting

provisions made for those unable to get to their regular polling places on election day.

nomination

the naming of those who will seek office.

PAC

the political arm of a special interest group that seeks to influence elections & public policy decisions.

consensus

a general agreement among various groups on fundamental matters

subsidy

a grant of money, usually from a governement

splinter parties

A new party formed by a dissident faction within a major political party. Often, they have emerged when a particular personality was at odds with the major party.

plurality

A number of votes cast for a candidate that is greater tan the number of votes for any other candidate but not necessarily a majority.

two-party system

A political system in which only two parties have a reasonable chance of winning.

runoff primary

A primary in which the top two vote-getters in the first direct primary face one another.

minor party

A small political party that rises and falls with a charismatic candidate or, if composed of ideologies on the right or left, usually persists over time; also called a third party.

faction

A term the founders used to refer to political parties and special interests or interest groups.

single-member district

An electoral district in which voters choose one representative or official.

political party

An organization that seeks political power by electing people to office so that its positions and philosophy become public policy.

direct primary

Election in which voters choose party nominees.

general election

Elections in which voters elect officeholders.

party in power

In american politics this is the party that controls the executive branch of government

economic protest parties

Parties rooted in poor economic times lacking a clear ideological base disatisfied with current conditions and demanding better times

hard money

Political contributions given to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amounts and fully disclosed. Raising such limited funds is harder than raising unlimited funds

open primary

Primary election in which any voter, regardless of party, may vote.

closed primary

Primary election in which only persons registered in the party holding the primary may vote.

bipartisan

Supported by two parties

coattail effect

The boost that candidates may get in an election because of the popularity of candidates above them on the ballot, especially the president.

incumbent

The current holder of the elected office.

soft money

Unlimited amounts of money that political parties previously could raise for party-building purposes. Now largely illegal except for limited contributions to state and local parties for voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.

split-ticket voting

Voting for candidates of two or more parties for different offices. For example, a voter votes for a Republican presidential candidate and for a Democratic congressional candidate.

ballot

a device by which a voter registers a choice in an election.

single-issue parties

focus on only one public policy matter

one-party system

is actually saying a no party system

pluralistic society

one consisting of several distinct clutures and groups

major parties

the republican and the democratic parties

partisanship

the strong support of their party and its policy stands

precinct polling place

where voters go to vote