Vocabulary
Members of the polity who, through birth or naturalization, enjoy the rights, privileges, and responsibilities attached to membership in a given nation.
Citizen
The most common factor of influence on a person’s political position.
Parents
A group of people with shared ideals and common goals that attempt to forward those goals by controlling the government through winning elections.
Political Parties
Associations of people who hold common views and who work together to influence what government does.
Interest groups
People that can participate in elections.
Registered voters
The act of communicating with government officials to persuade them to support a particular policy position.
Lobbying
The amendment that lowered the voting age to 18.
26th Amendment
When one party holds the presidency but does not control both houses of Congress.
Divided government
The National Rifle Association, The TEA Party, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and Mothers Against Drunk Drivers are considered this type of interest group.
Special interest group
The amendment that gave women the right to vote.
19th Amendment
The National Rifle Association is an example of this type of interest group.
Single-issue group
The most common method for nominating candidates for public office in the United States.
Primary System
The two parties in the early republic.
Federalists and Democratic-Republicans
Efforts by party activists and interest groups to turn out potential supporters.
Mobilization
This person led the Democratic-Republicans political party.
Thomas Jefferson
A group of people from each state, chosen by the voters of that state, who formally elect the president and vice president.
The Electoral College
In this court case, the Supreme Court held that everyone’s vote should count roughly the same regardless of where they live.
Reynolds v. Simms
Drawing a congressional boundary to give one political party electoral advantage over the opposing party.
Gerrymandering
The action of persuading citizens to contact their elected officials regarding a particular issue or piece of legislation.
Grassroots Lobbying
This reform in the early twentieth century has reduced the power of political parties.
Primary Elections
Groups that connect the public to the federal government and translate public concerns into political issues for the government to address.
Linkage institutions
The place and time of year (month) that Electoral College electors vote.
At their state capitol, in December
The Supreme Court case that upheld Congress’ right to regulate elections by restricting contributions to campaigns and candidates, but also overturned restrictions on expenditures by candidates and their families.
Buckley v. Valeo
This Supreme Court decision declared unconstitutional the ban on corporations and unions’ contributing money for “electioneering communications”.
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
It occurs when people fail to join a group because they can get the benefits the group offers without contributing to the group’s efforts.
Free rider problem