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American government

Terms

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Generational Effect
Adults who grew up in one era have different views than the previous era
Intensity
a measure of depth or feeling associated to a given opinion
electoral college
group of electors from every state who meet every four years to vote for the President and Vice President of the United States
Primary System
a system in nominating candidates where voters in the state make the nomination by voting
Sampling Bias
A bias in a sample where a particular set of people is being ignored or overrepresented
Schemas
intellectual frameworks for evaluating our world
local party organizations
Initial point of entry for those looking for a political career
Tracking Polls
Polls used by the media to track the support levels for the candidates overtime
proportional representation
representation of all parties in proportion to their popular vote
Representative Sample
Includes all significant characteristics of total population
Random Sample
each member of population has an equal chance of being included making the sample valid
National party organization
national level organization whose tasks include fund raising, dist. of info. and recruitment
super delegates
Party leaders get vote, and do not have to promise/pledge to anyone
minor or third parties
parties other than republican or democrat
political action committees
interest groups that collect money from members to support their candidate
front loading
states hold primaries early in the schedule so delegate support is locked up early
winner take all system
an election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins
multi party system
5 or 10 more parties compete in elections
caucus
A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform
Latency
below the surface issues of the public but becomes important when certain events occur
primary election
an election in which the voters of various parties choose candidates to run for office in a general election
Exit Polls
Polls that question voters after they leave the voting booth to predict the outcome of an election
closed primary
a primary in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote
Public Opinion
A collective expression of attitudes about issues
Political socialization
the process in which a person acquires beliefs and opinions politically
State party organizations
organize elections and provide the electoral college votes to win presidency
Straw Poll
A non-scientific method of measuring public opinion
new deal coalition
franklin Roosevelt est. a broad electorate made up of urban working class, newer ethnic groups catholics Jews poor and liberals
Political culture
perspective based on core values, political ideology, culture and lifestyle
party platform
list of policy positions a party endorses and pledges its elected officials to enact over the next four years
recruitment
parties look for effective, popular candidates to win votes for offices
single member districts
a seat goes to the candidate with the most votes
national party convention
a place where party leaders meet to nominate the party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates and to write the party's platform (meets every four years)
Realignment
popular support switches from one party to another due to historical events
Margin of error
measure of error in a survey
open primary
a primary in which any registered voter can vote (but must vote for candidates of only one party)
Political Ideology
coherent way to view the beliefs of politics such as military, economy, and welfare
Machine politics
when a "boss" would do favors for people in order to gain their votes for a certain politician. Gave these bosses ultimate political power.
McGovern-Fraser Commission
made primaries instead of caucuses the common means to choosing delegates this ensured a wide range of members to participate
Revolution of 1880
the first election in history where the federalist gave up power due to lost to the republicans
nomination
the act of officially naming a candidate
Culture Theory
preferences on ways of life based on social interactions
political parties
organizations the allow like minded people to group together and magnify individual voices to promote candidates and government actions
Party identification
psychologically people support or vote regularly for a certain party
Salience
Above the surface issues of the public that have an impact on individuals lives
Gender Gap
A difference in the political opinions of men and women

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