Chapter 8 - Parties Flashcards
Election campaigns and other political processes in which political parties, not individual candidates, hold most of the initiative and influence
Party-centered campaigns
An ongoing coalition of interests joined together to try to get their candidates for public office elected under a common label
Political party
Election campaigns in which candidates, not political parties, have most of the initiative and influence
Candidate-centered campaigns
An institution that serves to connect citizens with government. _________ institutions include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media
Linkage institutions
A process in which conflict over society’s goals is transformed by political parties into electoral competition in which the winner gains the power to govern
Party competition
Periods of extraordinary party change
Realignments
Four basic elements of a party realignment
- The disruption of political order because of a divisive issue.
- An election in which voters strongly support one party.
- A major change in policy brought about by the newly dominant party.
- An enduring change in party coalitions which works to the lasting advantage of the newly dominant party
A system in which only two political parties have a real chance of acquiring control of the government
Two-party system
A system in which three or more political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition
Multiparty system
The form of representation in which only the candidate who gets the most votes in a district wins office
Single-member districts
Representation in which legislature are allocated proportionally according to each political party’s share of the popular vote. (System enables smaller parties to compete successfully for seats)
Proportional representation
The theory that parties in a two party system can maximize their vote by locating themselves at the position of the voter whose preferences are exactly in the middle
Median voter theorem
The groups and interest that support a political party
Party coalition
The the fence of women and men to differ in their political attitudes and voting preferences
Gender gap
A minor party that bases its appeal on the claim that the major parties are having a corrupting influence on government and policy
Reform party
A minor party formed around one issue of overriding interest to its followers
Single-issue party
A minor party characterized by its commitment to a broad and no centrist philosophical position
Ideological party
A minor party created when a group within one of the major parties breaks away to form its own party
Factional party
The organizational units at narional, state, and local levels; their influence has been decreased over time because of many factors
Party organizations
The designation of a particular individual to run as a political party’s candidate in the general election
Nomination
A form of election in which voters choose a party’s nominees for public office. In most of these elections, eligibility to vote is limited to voters who are registered members of the party
Primary election (district primary)
Campaign funds given directly to candidates to spend as they choose ( has limits)
Hard money
Campaign contributions that are not subject to legal limits and are given to parties rather than directly to candidates (these contributions are no longer legal)
Soft money
The situation in which party organizations assist candidates for office but have no power to require them to support the party’s main policy positions
Service relationship
