AP Government Unit 5 Part 2

minor party candidates can pull decisive votes away from one of the major parties' candidates, especially if the minor party candidate is from a splinter party

Elector who does not vote for the candidate they promised to vote for. These have never determined outcome of presidential election but is a major problem with electoral college system

A system in which each party receives a percentage of seats in a representation assembly that is roughly comparable to its percentage of the popular vote.

An electoral district in which voters choose one representative or official.

an election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins

Interest groups draft legislation and attempt to convince members of Congress to introduce it on their behaves

Local parties target outreach to mobilize and register voters by contacting citizens, robocalls, and registration drives

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

individual or group that expresses and shapes public values, struggles for power, and decides issues of public policy

Groups that have a narrow interest, tend to dislike compromise, and often draw membership from people new to politics.

an organization that supports causes that affect the lives of Americans in general

A strategy by which organized interests seek to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of the legislature.

Efforts by groups and associations to influence elected officials indirectly, by arousing their constituents.

Literally, a "friend of the court" brief, filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case.

the tendency of public officials, journalists, and lobbyists to move between public and private sector (media, lobbying) jobs

nonprofit organization that works to improve the image, working conditions, and skill levels of people in particular occupations

The electoral advantage a candidate enjoys by virtue of being an incumbent, over and above his or her other personal and political characteristics

A primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place

a primary election in which voting is limited to already registered party members

meetings of party leaders to determine party policy or to choose the party's candidates for public office

A meeting of party delegates to vote on matters of policy and in some cases to select party candidates for public office.

a new plan where states would award their electoral votes to the candidate who gets the most popular votes nationwide

Contemporary local, state, and national campaigns increasingly rely on

2 year period between general elections

Judicial interpretations of common law principles and doctrines, as well as interpretations of constitutional law, statutory law, and administrative law.

funds collected by a candidate to spend on a political campaign

Money raised in unlimited amounts by political parties for party-building purposes. Now largely illegal except for limited contributions to state or local parties for voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.

Political contributions given directly to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amount and fully disclosed.

funds given to politically active nonprofits that can receive unlimited donations from corporations, individuals, and unions but are not required to disclose their donors.

Campaign advertising that criticizes a candidate's opponent-typically by making potentially damaging claims about the opponents background or record- rather than focusing on positive reasons to vote for the candidate

ads that focus on issues and do not explicitly encourage citizens to vote for a certain candidate

Spending by political action committees, corporations, or labor unions that is done to help a party or candidate but is done independently of them.

requires candidates in the United States for federal political office, as well as interest groups and political parties supporting or opposing a candidate, to include in political advertisements on television and radio "a statement by the candidate that identifies the candidate and states that the candidate has approved the communication.

A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations

a type of independent political action committee which may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but is not permitted to contribute to or coordinate directly with parties or candidates.

Independent groups that seek to influence the political process but are not subject to contribution restrictions because they do not directly advocate the election of a particular candidate.

A tax code classification that applies to most interest groups; this designation makes donations to the group tax-deductible but limits the group's political activities.

nonprofit groups that also engage in issue advocacy. Under Section 501c(4) of the federal tax code such a group may spend up to half its revenue for political purposes

the claim that the media is more interested in covering a campaign like a horserace focusing more on who is ahead rather than in-depth coverage of issues.

The media can influence what subjects become national political issues and for how long.

The role played by the national media in keeping track of and helping make political reputations.

The role played by the national media in investigating political personalities and exposing scandals.

the bias or perceived bias of journalists and news producers within the mass media in the selection of events and stories that are reported and how they are covered

Influenced by the actions and needs of consumers

Non-partisan, reliable sources that provide information that one can believe to be true.

a brief, memorable comment that can easily be fit into news broadcasts

the tendency of the national media to be suspicious of officials and eager to reveal unflattering stories about them