Ch.8 Political Parties Vocabulary for A.P. Government.

Proportional representation

Definition: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. Significance: It's the opposite of the winner-takes-all system , which means they share votes.

Closed primaries

Definition:Elections to select party nominees in which only people who have registered in advance with the party can vote for that party's candidates, thus encouraging greater party loyalty. Significance: This is what Republicans use, loyalty is important to them.

Blanket primaries

Definition:Elections to select party nominees in which voters are presented with a list of candidates from all the parties. Significance: We as voters can select who we want as the party representative.

Open primaries

Definition:Elections to select party nominees in which voters can decide on election day whether they want to participate in the Democratic or Republican contests. Significance: This is what Democrats use, which probably gets them more votes sometimes.

Third parties

Definition:Electoral contenders other than the two major parties. Significance: It can change the outcome of the election significantly even though they never win.

Party eras

Definition:Historical periods in which a majority of voters cling to the party in power, which tends to win a majority of the elections. Significance: This is probably the cause of why the Republican party was in office for a long period of time.

National committee

Definition:One of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions . Significance: Without this it would be difficult for the parties to keep organized.

Patronage

Definition:One of the key inducements used by party machines. Significance: This is good for financial support.

Party Competition

Definition:The battle of the parties for control of public offices. Significance: There would be no democracy without this competition.

Linkage Institutions

Definition:The channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the government's policy agenda. Significance: Our concerns would not be taken into notice without this system.

Party realignment

Definition:The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election period. Significance: It determines that it could be anyone's game.

Party dealignment

Definition:The gradual disengagement of people and politicians from the parties, as seen in part by shrinking party identification. Significance: Affected voter turnouts. Less people started voting.

National convention

Definition:The meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party's platform. Significance: This is important because its one of the beginning steps of the whole nomination process.

National chairperson

Definition:The national chairperson is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the party and is usually handpicked by the presidential nominee. Significance: This person is important because they keep things in balance for the party.

Party Image

Definition:The voter's perception of what the Republicans or Democrats stand for, such as conservatism or liberalism. Significance: Its what draws voters into making policy decisions, no one would vote for a group with a bad perception.

Coalition government

Definition:When two or more parties join together to form a majority in a national legislature. Significance: This would help a government work together.

Critical Election

Definition:An electoral "earthquake" where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party is often displaced by the minority party. Significance: This is what affects the outcome of an election sometimes.

Ticket-splitting

Definition: Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices. Significance: You don't have to only go for one party, maybe you don't like all of their decisions.

Party Identification

Definition:A citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other. Significance: This is our personal choice on who we want to vote for.

New Deal Coalition

Definition:A coalition forged by the Democrats, who dominated American politics from the 1930s to the 1960s. Significance: Minorities were important for this era in politics.

Coalition

Definition:A group of individuals with a common interest upon which every political party depends. Significance: These people support their party to make sure they keep their promises.

Rational-choice theory

Definition:A popular theory in political science to explain the actions of voters as well as politicians. Significance: Explains why voters vote the way they do.

Party neutrality

Definition:A term used to describe the fact that many Americans are indifferent toward to two major political parties. Significance: Some people either don't agree with either party or just don't care with what's going on, which also affects voter turnouts.

Party machines

Definition:A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage, to win votes and to govern. Significance: Parties use this to get attention from the public.

Responsible party model

Definition:A view favored by some political scientist about how parties should work. Significance: The candidates will please us the people, once in office.

Political Party

Definition:According to Anthony Downs, a "team of men [and women] seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election." Significance: They need to work like a team, for example getting along with each other in order to convince the voters.

Winner-takes-all system

Definition:An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the candidates who come in first in their constituencies. Significance: They don't have to worry about sharing votes.