Casework
services performed by an elected official for constituents
Primary election
nominating election held to choose party candidates who will run in the general election
Single-member districts
only one representative is chosen from each legislative district
weakening of ties between the voters and the two major parties
Politics
method of maintaining, managing, and gaining control of government
powers specifically granted to the national government in the Constitution
Libel
false written statements about others that harm their reputation
Representative democracy
citizens choose officials who make decisions about public policy; a republic
Devolution
an effort to shift responsibility or domestic programs to the states in order to decrease the size and activities of the federal government
Direct primary
party members vote to nominate their candidate for the general election
a political organization, typically at the local level, that wielded considerable power through its ability to get out the vote; relied heavily on patronage and providing services to constituents and was often corrupt
Moderate
person whose views are between conservative and liberal and may include some of both ideologies
an elected official who considers it an obligation to vote the way the majority of his or her constituents wants
Hyperpluralist Theory of Democracy
seen as a system of many groups pulling government in many directions at the same time, causing gridlock and ineffectiveness
Extradition
states may return fugitives to a state from which they have fled to avoid criminal prosecution at the request of the state's governor
Superdelegates
party officials in the Democratic Party who attend the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses
Honeymoon period
Ideology
a consistent set of beliefs by groups or individuals
Progressive tax
a tax that is higher for those who make more money; the federal income tax is an example
Political party
Voluntary association of people who seek to control the government through common principles, based on peaceful and legal actions such as the winning of elections; an organization that recruits, nominated, and elects party members to control the government
Front loading
the practice of a state choosing an early date to hold a primary election
a program intended to give a boost of preference to minority applicants over white applicants in contracting, employment, housing, and college or professional school admissions
Bill
a draft of a proposed law presented to parliament for discussion.
Deviating election
Judicial review
authority given the courts to review the constitutionality of acts by the executive, states, or the
Constitution
the document setting forth the laws and principles of the government; a plan for government
drawing district boundaries to give a minority group a majority
a method of evaluating candidates in which voters focus on candidates' positions on issues important to them and vote for the candidates who best represent their views
Pardon
Grants-in-aid
