Political Science Final Exam

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Pluralism

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The basic assumption is that competition among interests will produce balance and compromise with all the interest groups regulating each other.

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Nomination

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The process through wich political parties select their candidate for election to public office

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Suffrage

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The right to vote.

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Single-Member District

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An electorate that is allowed to elect only one representative from each district.

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527 Committees

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Named after the section of the tax code that defines them. Raise and spend money to influence elections. "Soft" money.

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Political Action Committee (PAC)

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A private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns.

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Australian Ballot

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Each ballot is identical and includes the names of all the candidates for office. Gave rise to split-ticket voting.

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Poll Tax

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A state-imposed tax on voters as a prerequisite for registration. Used to manipulate the vote. Rendered unconstitutional in 1966.

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Collective Goods

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Benefits, sought by groups, that are broadly available and cannot be denied to nonmembers.

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Astroturf Lobbying

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Fake lobbying! Corporations pay for specialized computer software to persuade Congress that there was massive support for the proposal. Thousand of letters came in, most of which were fake.

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Public Interest Groups

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Represent Interest whose concerns are not likely to be addressed by traditional lobbies.
ex: consumer protection, environmental policy

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Closed Primary

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Primary election in which voters can participate in the nomination of candidates but only of the party in which they are enrolled for a period of time prior to primary day.

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EMILY's List

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PAC. Women's group contributing millions to women running for political office.

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Party Conventions

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Nominate the party's presidential and vice presidential candidates, draft campaign platform, approve changes in the rules and regulations

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High-Tech Politics

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Polling, broadcast media, phone banks, direct mail, professional public relations, internet

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Open Primary

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Primary election in which the voter can wait until the day of the primary to choose which party to enroll in to select candidates for the general election

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Interest Groups

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A group of people organized around a shared belief or mutual concern who try to influence the government to make policies promoting their belief or concerns

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Issue Advocacy

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Independent spending by individuals or interest groups on a campaign issue but not direct tied to a particular candidate

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Lobbying

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Strategy by which organized interests seek to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of the legislature

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Free Rider Problem

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Those who enjoy the benefits of collective goods but did not participate in acquiring them

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Plurality System

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Type of electoral system, to win a seat in parliament or other representative body, a candidate need only receive the most votes in an election, not necessarily a majority of votes cast

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Electoral Realignment

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The point in history when a new party supplant the ruling party, becoming in turn the dominant political force. This occurs every 30 years.

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Motor Voter Bill

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Legislative act passed in 1993 that requires all states to allow voters to register by mail when they renew their drivers' licenses and provides for the placement of voter registration forms in motor vehicle, public assistance, and military recruitment offices

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Initiative

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The process that allows citizens to propose new laws and submit them for approval by the state's voters

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Gerrymandering

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Redrawing the district lines in such a way as to give unfair advantage to one political party

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Major Functions of Political Parties

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Recruiting candidates, nominations, getting out the vote, facilitating mass electoral choice, influence on national government

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Grassroots Lobbying

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A lobbying campaign in which a group mobilizes its membership to contact government officials in support of the group's position

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Electoral College

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The presidential electors from each state who meet in their respective state capitals after the popular election to cast ballots for president and vice president

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Soft money

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Unregulated money, technically not given to any specific candidates campaign

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Proportional Representation

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A multiple member district system that awards seats based on the percentage of the vote won by each candidate

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Limits on Campaign Contributions

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Individual - $2,300
PAC - $5,000

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Primaries

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Party members select the party's nominees directly rather than selecting convention delegates to select them