| A | B |
|---|
| organizations of citizenswho wish to influence and control government by getting members elected to office | Political Party |
| A political party organized as opposition to the existing parties in a two-party system. Never won a Presidential race. | Third Party |
| single political party forms the government and no other parties are permitted to run candidates for election | One-party system |
| two parties compete for government offices | Two-party system |
| 2 or more political parties that run candidates for government offices | Multi-party system |
| not afraid of change; Often seen as Democrats | Liberal |
| not extreme or excessive on the polictical spectrum; most Americans | Moderate |
| maintain the status quo; Often seen as Republican | Conservative |
| on the extreme right of the political spectrum; example: Nazi Party | Reactionary |
| on the extreme left of the political spectrum; example: Communist Party | Radical |
| a statement of a party's official stand on major public issues | Platform |
| position statements on each specific issue in a party's platform | Planks |
| a person running for office | Candidates |
| the excess of votes received by the leading candidate, in an election in which there are three or more candidates, over those received by the next candidate | Plurality Vote |
| the vote that only requires half plus one | Majority Vote |
| an alliance of several political parties to form a government | Coalitions |
| the system in which party leaders do favors for loyal supporters of the party | Patronage |
| an organization of party members who get candidates elected continuously, issue political patronage, seen as a bad thing, example: Tammany Hall/"Boss" Tweed | Political Machine |
| starting at the local level | Grassroots |
