Quiz 3 Vocab

a survey taken at the beginning of a political campaign in order to gauge support for a candidate and determine their viability (not in book).

a group of individuals with a common interest on which every political party depends

An electoral "earthquake" where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party is often displaced by the minority party. These periods are sometimes marked by a national crisis and may require more than one election to bring about a new party era.

The science of population changes.

Governance divided between the parties, as when one holds the presidency and the other controls one or both houses of Congress (not in book).

public opinion surveys used by major media pollsters to predict electoral winners with speed and precision

For a group, the problem of people not joining because they can benefit from the group's activities without joining.

The regular pattern in which women are more likely to support Democratic candidates, in part because they tend to be less conservative than men and more likely to support spending on social services and to oppose higher levels of military spending.

An organization of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals.

The process of taking legal action in hopes of getting specific rulings.

A "communication," by someone other than a citizen acting on his or her own behalf, directed to a governmental decision maker with the hope of influencing his or her decision.

The situation, likely beginning in the mid-twenty-first century, in which the non-Hispanic whites will represent a minority of the U.S. population and minority groups together will represent a majority.

Measures the public's attitude toward an issue or candidate (not in book).

The gradual disengagement of people from the parties, as seen in part by shrinking party identification.

The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election period.

Historical periods in which a majority of voters cling to the party in power, which tends to win a majority of the elections.

a citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other

A political party's statement of its goals and policies for the next four years. This is drafted prior to the party convention by a committee whose members are chosen in rough proportion to each candidate's strength. It is the best formal statement of a party's beliefs.

groups that raise money from individuals and then distribute it in the form of contributions to candidates that the group supports.

an overall set of values widely shared within a society

The belief that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can actually make a difference

A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose, which helps give meaning to political events.

All the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or the policies they pursue. The most common means of this process is by voting; other means include protest and civil disobedience.

The process through which individuals in a society acquire political attitudes, views, and knowledge, based on inputs from family, schools, the media, and others.

organizations that seek a collective good, the achievement of which will not selectively and materially benefit the membership or activists of the organization (it benefits the public as a whole).

the distribution of the population's beliefs about politics and policy issues

The key technique employed by survey researchers, which operates on the principle that everyone should have an equal probability of being selected for the sample.

A popular theory in political science to explain the actions of voters as well as politicians. It assumes that individuals act in their own best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives.

The level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll. The more people interviewed, the more confident one can be of the results.

Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices.

Daily polls that demonstrate trends of approval and disapproval (not in book).

An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the candidates who come in first in their constituencies.

An electoral system used throughout most of Europe that awards legislative seats to political parties in proportion to the number of votes won in an election.