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Mahar - Unit 3
Vocabulary words from Unit 3: Political Parties and Interest Groups
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Political party | an association of voters with broad common interests who want to influence or control decision making in government by electing the party's candidates to public office |
| Two-party system | a system of government in which two parties compete for power |
| Third party | a party that challenges the two major parties |
| Platform | a series of statements expressing the party's principles, beliefs, and positions on election issues |
| Caucus | a meeting of political party members to conduct party business |
| Political machine | a strong party organization that can control political appointments and deliver votes |
| Direct primary | an election in which voters choose candidates to represent each party in a general election |
| Closed primary | an election in which only the declared members of a party are allowed to vote for that party's nominees |
| Open primary | an election in which voters need not declare their party preference to vote for the party's nominees |
| Plurality | the most votes among all those running for a political office |
| Majority | a number that is more than 50 percent of the total |
| Petition | a formal request for government action; a process by which candidates who are not affiliated with one of the two major parties can get on the ballot for the general election in most states |
| Polling place | the location where voting is carried out |
| Ballot | the list of candidates on which you cast your vote |
| Absentee ballot | one that allows a person to vote without going to the polls on Election Day |
| Returns | ballots and results of an election |
| Exit poll | a survey taken at polling places of how people voted |
| Electorate | all the people who are eligible to vote |
| Proposition | a petition asking for a new law |
| Referendum | a way for citizens to vote on state or local laws |
| Recall | a special election in which citizens can vote to remove a public official from office; situation in which a company pulls a product off the market or agrees to change it to make it safe |
| Propaganda | certain ideas that may involve misleading messages designed to manipulate people |
| Political Action Committee (PAC) | political organization established by a corporation, labor union, or other special-interest group designed to support candidates by contributing money |
| Soft money | donations given to political parties and not designated for a particular candidate's election campaign |
| Public opinion | the ideas and attitudes that most people hold about elected officials, candidates, government, and political issues |
| Mass media | mechanisms of mass communication, including television, radio, newspapers, magazines, recordings, movies, and books |
| Interest group | a group of people who share a point of view about an issue and unite to promote their beliefs |
| Public opinion poll | a survey in which individuals are asked to answer questions about a particular issue or person |
| Pollster | a specialist whose job is to conduct polls regularly |
| Survey | to gather information about, as in a poll |
| Print media | newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and books |
| Electronic media | radio, television, and the internet |
| Public agenda | issues considered most significant by government officials |
| Prior restraint | government censorship of material before it is published |
| Malice | evil intent |
| Regulatory | used to describe an agency or body whose function is to control or govern |
| Nonpartisan | free from party ties or bias |
| Lobbyist | representative of an interest group who contacts lawmakers or other government officials directly to influence their policy making |
Created by:
bpmahar
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