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citizens' attitudes about political issues, leaders, institutions and events
public opinion
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basic priniciples that shape a person's opinions about political issues and events
values/beliefs
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a cohesive set of belieds that forms a general philophy about the role of government
Political ideology
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a specific prefence on a particular issues
attitude
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the induction of individuals into the political culture; learning the underlying belifes and values on which he political system is base
political socialization
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social institutions, including families and schools that help to shape individauls' basic political beliefs and vaules
agencies of socializion
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a distinctive pattern of voting behavior reflecting the difference in viewes between women and men
gender gap
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today his term refers to those who generally support social and political reform; extensive governmental intervention in the economy; the expansion of federal social services; more vigorous efforts on behalf of the poor, minorities and women; and greater concern for consumers and the enviroment.
Liberal
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todayd this term refers to those who generally support the social and economic status quo and are suspicious of efforts to introduce new political formulae and economic arrangements
conserative
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beleive that a large and powerful government poses a threat to citizen's freedom
conservatives
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the ability to influence govenment and politics
political efficacy
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the public forum in which beliefs and ideas are exchanged and compete
marketplace of ideas
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scientific instruments for measuring public opinion
public - opinion polls
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a small group selected by researchers to represent the most important characeristics of an entire population
sample
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a method used by pollsters to select a representative sample in which every individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected as a respondent
probabitity sampling
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a polling method in which respondents are selected at randomfrom a list of ten-digit telephone numbers, with every effort made to aviod bias in the construttion of the sample
random digit dialing
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polling error that arises based on the small size of the sample
sampling error
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polling error that arises when the sample is not representive of the pop. being studied, which creates errors in overrepresenting or underrepresenting some opinions
selection bias
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failure to indenify the true distribution of opinion within a population because of errors such as ambiguous or poorly worded questions
measuremnt error
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a polling technique in which the questions are designed to shape the respondent's opinion
push polling
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attitudes and views that are sepecially important to the indivdual holding them
salient interests
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the impression conveyed by polls that something is important to the public when actaully it is not
illusion of saliency
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a shift in electoral support to the candiate whom public opinion polls report as the front-runner
bandwagon effect
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political activities whose purpose is to influence government
politcal participation
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a strategy by which organized interests seek to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of the legislature
lobbying
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an attempt, usually through the use of paid consultants, to est. a favorable relationship with the public and influence its political opinions
public relations
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a lawsuit or legal proceeding; as a form of political participation, an attempt to seek relief in a court of law
litigation
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participation that involves assembling crorwds to confront a government or other official organization
protest
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the right to vote
suffrage
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a state-imposed tax on voters a prerequisite for registration
poll tax
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rendered unconsitution in national elections by the 24th amendment in 1966
poll tax
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the percentage of eligible individuals who actaully vote
turnout
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status in society based on level of education, income, and occupational prestige
socioeconomic status
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a sense of concern among members of the political community about public, social, and political life, expressed through participation in social and political organization
civic engagement
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organized groups that attempt to influence the government by electing their members to important government offices
political parties
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a political system in which only two parties have a realistic opportunity to compete effectively for control
two-party system
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the point in history when a new party supplants the ruling party, becoming in turn the dominant political force
electoral realignment
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occurs every 30 years in the US
Electoral relignment
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the condition in Am gov wherein the presidency is controlled by one party while the opposing party controls one or both houses of Congress
divided government
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parties that organize to compete against the two major american political parties
3rd parties
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an electorate that is allowed to select only one representative from each district; the normal method of representation in the US
single-member district
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an electorate that selects all candidates at large from the whole district; each votes is given the number of votes equivalent to the number of seats to be filled
multiple-member district
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a type of electoral system in which to win a seat in the parliment or other representative body, a candidate need only recieve the most votes in thhe election, not necessarily a majority of votes cast
plurality system
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a multiple-member district system that allows each political party representation in proportotion to its percentage of the total vote
proportional representation
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the formal structure of a political party, including its leadership, election commitees, active memebers, and paid staff
party organization
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a normally closed meeting of a politatical or legislative group to selec canidates, plan stragety, or make decisions regaurding legistlative matters
caucus
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a national party political institution that nominates the party's presidential and vic presidentail candiates est. party rules and writes ratifies the party's platform
national convention
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a party document, written at a national convention, that contains party philosophy, princinples and positions on issues
platform
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nonprofit independent groups that receive and disburse funds to influence the nomination, election, or defeat of candiates
527 commitees
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strong party organizations in late-19th and early 20th century American cities; led by "bosses" who controlleed party nominations and patronage
machines
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the resources avaiable to higher officals, usually opportunities to make partisan appointments to offices and to confer grants licenses or special favors to supporters
patronage
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money contributed directly to political parties and other organizations for political activites that is not regulated by federal campaign spening laws
soft money
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an individual voter's psycholical ties to one party or another
party identification
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partisans who contribute time, energym and effort to support their party and its candidates
party activist
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the process by which political parties select their candidates for election to public office
nomination
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an individual who identifies a problem as a political issue and brings a policy proposal into the political agenda
party entrepreneur
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the party that hold the majority of legislative seats in either the house or the senate
majority party
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the party that holds a minority of legislative seats in either the House or the Senate
minority party
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congressional elections that do not coincide with a presidentail election also called off year elections
midterm elections
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election held to select a party's candidate for the general election
primary elections
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a primary election in which voters can participate in the nomination of candidates but only of the party in which they are enrolled for a period of time prior to primary day
closed primary
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a primary election in which the voter can wait until the day of the primary to choose which party to enroll in to select candiates for the general election
open primary
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the practice of referring a measure proposed or passed by a legislature to the vote of the electorate for approval or rejection
referendum
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procedure to allow voters an opportunity to remove state officals from office before their terms expire
recall
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a type of electoral system in which to win a seat in the parliment or other representive body a candiate must receive a majority of all the votes cast in the relevant district
majority system
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a multiple-memeber district system that allows each political party representation in proportion to its percentage of the total vote
proportional representation
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the process of redrawing election districts and redistributing legislative representives.
happens every ten years
redristicting
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apportionment of votes in districts in such a way as to give unfair advantages to one racial or ethnic group or political party
gerrymandering
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attempts to draw district boundaries so as to create districts made up primarily of disadvantaged or underrepresented minorities
benign gerrymandering
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a gerrymandered voting district that improves the chances of minority candidates by making selected minority groups the majority within the district
majority-minority district
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the result of voters casting their ballot for president or governor and "automatically" voting for the remainder of the party's ticket
coattail effect
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an effort by political candiates and their supporters to win the backing of donors political activist and voters in their quest for political office
campaign
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a candidate running for reelection to a position that he or she already holds
incumbent
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a system in which all of a states presidentail nominating are awarded to the candidate who wins the most votes while runners up recieve no delegates
winner-take-all system
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political activist selected to vote at a party's national convention
delegates
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a convention delegate position, in democratic conventions, reserved for party officals
superdelegate
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a 15 - 30 , or 60 second television campaign commerical that permits a candidates' message to be delivered to a target audience
spot advertisment
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a media format in which canidates meet with ordinary citizens. allows candidates to deliver messages without the presence of journalists or commentators
town meeting
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voting based on the imagined future performance of a candiate
proseptive voting
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voting based on the past performnace of a candidate
retrospective voting
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a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns
PAC
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nonprofit groups that also engage in issue advocacy
501c(4) committees
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