demography
science of population changes
census
an "actual enumeration" of the population, which the Constitution requires that the government conduct every 10 years; valuable tool for understanding demographic changes
reapportionment
the process of reallocating the seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census
political socialization
the process through which individuals in a society acquire political attitudes, views, and knowledge, based on inputs from family, schools, the media, and others
exit poll
public opinion surveys used by major media pollsters to predict electoral winners with speed and precision
liberalism
political philosophy founded on ideas of liberty and equality; more willing to change
conservatism
political philosophy that favors tradition
gender gap
regular pattern in which women are more likely to support Democratic candidates
mass media
television, radio, newspapers, magazines, the Internet, and other means of popular communication
media event
events that are purposely staged for the media and that are significant just because the media are there
press conference
meetings of public officials with reporters
trial balloons
intentional news leaks for the purpose of assessing the political reaction
sound bites
short video clips of approximately 10 seconds; typically, they are all that is shown from a politician's speech on the nightly television news
talking heads
a shot of a person's face talking directly into the camera; because such are usually visually unstimulating, the major networks rarely show politicians talking for very long
policy agenda
the issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people actively involved in politics at the time
political party
a team of men [and women] seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election
ticket splitting
voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices; has become the norm in American voting behavior
closed primaries
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
open primaries
elections to select party nominees in which voters can decide on Election Day whether they want to participate in the Democratic or Republican contests
coalition
a group of individuals with a common interest on which every political party depends
critical election
an electoral "earthquake" where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party is often displaced by the minority party; often marked by a national crisis and may require more than one election to bring about a new party era
party realignment
displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election period
third parties
electoral contenders other than the two major parties; rarely win elections
winner take all system
an electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the candidates who come in first in the constituencies
nomination
official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party; requires momentum, money, and media attention
caucus
a system for selecting convention delegates used in about a dozen states in which voters must attend an open meeting to express their presidential preference
McGovern-Fraser Commission
commission formed at the 1968 Democratic convention in response to demands for reform by minority groups and others who sought better representation
frontloading
recent tendency of states to hold primaries early in the calendar year in order to capitalize on media attention
party platform
political party's statement of its goals and policies for the next four years
Federal Election Campaign Act
law passed in 1974 for reforming campaign finances; created the Federal Election Commission and provided for limits on and disclosure of campaign contributions
Federal Election Commission
sex-member bipartisan agency created by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974; administrates and enforces campaign finance laws
soft money
political contributions earmarked for party-building expenses at the grassroots level or for generic party advertising; unlimited until banned by the McCain-Feingold Act
Political Action Committee (PAC)
groups that raise money from individuals and then distribute it in the form of contributions to candidates that the group supports
referendum
a general vote by the electorate on a single political question that has been referred to them for a direct reason
initiative
a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote
suffrage
legal right to vote in the United States, gradually extended to virtually all citizens over the age of 18
political efficacy
belief that one's political participation really matters
Motor Voter Act
a 1993 act that required states to permit people to register to vote when they apply for a driver's license
mandate theory of elections
idea that the winning candidate has a mandate from the people to carry out his or her platforms and politics
electoral college
unique American institution created by the Constitution, providing for the selection of the president by electors chosen by the state parties
interest group
an organization of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals
collective good
goods and services, such as clean air and clean water, that by their nature cannot be denied to anyone
free-rider problem
in a group, the problem of people not joining because they can benefit from the group's activities without joining
Olson's law of large groups
the larger the group, the further it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good
selective benefits
goods that a group can restrict to those who actually join
single-issue group
groups that have a narrow interest on which their members tend to take an uncompromising stance
amicus curiae briefs
legal briefs submitted by a "friend of the court" for the purpose of influencing a court's decision by raising additional points of view and presenting information not contained in the briefs of the formal parties
class action lawsuits
lawsuits in which a small number of people sue on behalf of all people in similar circumstances
union shop
a provision found in some collective bargaining agreements requiring all employees of a business to join the union within a short period, usually 30 days, and to remind members as a condition of employment
right to work laws
a state law forbidding requirements that workers must join a union to hold their jobs; specifically permitted by the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947