| A | B |
|---|
| candidate | person seeking elected office |
| two-party system | where two major parties dominate the politics of a nation |
| Country with a 2 party system | United States |
| multi-party system | a system where many parties influence the politics of a nation |
| example of a multi-party system | most European countries |
| plurality | winning more votes than anyone else, but not necessarily half |
| majority | more than half (50.1%) |
| coalition | formed when no party receives a majority of votes |
| one-party system | one group completely dominates the political system |
| example of a one-party system | China and other communist countries |
| Federalist Party | first political party in the US; known for wanting a strong national government; Supported by merchants and bankers |
| Democratic-Republican Party | early political party that was weary of a strong national govt; supported by farmers, planters, shopkeepers, and laborers |
| political party formed in 1850s to oppose slavery | Republican |
| third party | minor party that challenges the major parties |
| Populists | 3rd party that formed in 1890s that called for direct election for senators |
| Progressive Party | influential from early 1900s to WWI |
| number of 3rd party politicians who have won president | 0 |
| precinct | smallest political unit / geographic area that contains specific number of voters |
| platform | statement of goals and positions on various public issues |
| plank | each item within a party's platform |
| nonpartisan | supporting neither party |
| electorate | people eligible to vote |
| caucus | meeting of political party members to conduct party business |
| nominating conventions | more democratic method of nominating presidential candidate than caucus |
| primary election | used by party members to nominate candidates to run for office |
| closed primary | only declared party members can vote |
| open primary | members of both parties can vote for candidate to represent a party |
| endorsement | a famous or popular person supports or campaigns for a candidate |
| propoganda | attempt to promote a particular person or idea |
| canvassing | door-to-door advertising or phone calls to homes to enlist support |
| where most private money for election campaigns comes from | PACs |
| PACs | political fundraising organizations established by corporations, labor unions, and other special-interest groups. |
| Presidential Election Campaign Fund | designed to prevent wealthy candidates from buying their way into office by outspending their opponents |
| popular vote | votes cast directly by the people |
| electoral college | votes cast by electors, who actually elect the president |
| Electoral votes | determined by number of Senators and Representatives a state has |
| Number of electoral votes needed to win election | 270 |
| gerrymandering | setting up oddly shaped districts for political purposes |
| recall | voters can remove a public official from office |
| county | largest political division in most states |
| parish | largest political division in LA |
| propaganda | attempt to promote a particular person or idea |
| Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) | - limited the amount of hard money (given directly to the candidate) used |
| soft money | is given to a party, not an individual candidate |
| green party | Political party that promotes environmentalism, nonviolence, social justice, and anti-war. |
| libertarian party | Political party that promotes civil liberties, non-interventionism, laissez-faire capitalism and shrinking the size and scope of government. |
| democratic party | Political party that tends to think that the federal government should be more directly involved in regulating the economy as well as help provide housing, income, education, and jobs for the poor. |
| repubican party | Political party that favors less government regulation of the economy as the best way to promote prosperity |
| Theodore Roosevelt | former president who ran as 3rd party Progressive or BullMoose candidate in the 1912 election |
| Ross Perot | Independent Texas billionaire who ran for the Presidency in 92 and 96 |
| Ralph Nader | Green party candidate who ran for President in 2000 |
| Gary Johnson | Libertarian candidate for the 2016 . |
| ward | several precincts make up a __ |
