Civics Vocab

1. Citizenship- the state of being vested with the rights, privileges, and duties of a citizen
2. Civil Rights- rights that all citizens of a society are supposed to have
3. Voting Rights- the right of a common stock shareholder to vote
4. Women’s Rights- socioeconomic, political, and legal rights for women equal to those of men
5. Democratic Political Party- one major political party, the descendant of the Democratic-Republican Party, an early-nineteenth-century political organization led by Thomas Jefferson
6. Republican Political Party- one major political part, founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 18547. Third Parties- a major political party that operates in opposition to the two parties usually operating in a state
8. One-Party System- a type of party system and form of government where only a single political party dominates
9. Two-Party System- a type of party system where only two political parties have a realistic chance of winning an election
10. Multi-Party System- a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition
11. Liberal- favoring gradual reform, especially political reforms that extend democracy, distributes wealth more evenly, and protects the personal freedom of the individual
12. Moderate Conservative- a conservative person who also holds some liberal views
13. Reactionary- a person opposing political or social liberalization or reform
14. Radical- a person who advocates thorough or complete political or social reform
15. Party Platform- a document stating the aims and principles of a political party
16. Planks- principles of a political party's platform
17. Candidates- a person who applies for a job or is nominated for election
18. Plurality Vote- a single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly
19. Majority Vote- a decision rule that selects alternatives which have a majority, that is, more than half the votes
20. Coalitions- a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government or of states
21. Patronage- the power to control appointments to office or the right to privileges
22. Political Machine- is a disciplined political organization in which an authoritative boss or small group commands the support of a corps of supporters (usually campaign workers), who receive rewards for their efforts.
23. Grassroots Movement- a tendency towards designing political processes where as much decision-making authority as practical is shifted to the organization's lowest geographic level of organization: principle of subsidiarity
24. General Election- an election in which all or most members of a given political body are up for election
25. Primary Election- an election in which voters select candidates for a subsequent election
26. Partisan Election- election in which candidates declare party affiliation
27. Nonpartisan Election- election candidates do not run as a member of a political party
28. Caucus- a meeting of the members of a legislative body who are members of a particular political party, to select candidates or decide policy
29. Political Action Committee (PAC) - an organization that raises money privately and employs lobbyists to influence legislation, particularly at the federal level
30. Public Funding of Campaigns- the money comes exclusively from voluntary contributions made by U.S. taxpayers when they pay their annual federal income tax
31. Private Funding of Campaigns- funds available in the private sector without government involvement, support or guarantee
32. Canvassing- the activity of soliciting votes and locating supporters
33. Endorsements- the act of giving one's public approval or support to someone or something
34. Voter Registration- the requirement in some democracies for citizens and residents to check in with some central registry specifically for the purpose of being allowed to vote in elections
35. Voting Districts- areas created for the purpose of conducting elections
36. Polling Place- a building where voting takes place during an election, typically one that normally has another function, such as a school
37. Precinct- a district of a city or town marked out for administrative purposes
38. Types of Ballots- depending on the type of voting system used in the election, different ballots may be used
39. Board of Elections- a body of officials designated to administer elections
40. Exit Poll- a poll taken of a sample of voters as they leave a polling place, used especially to predict the outcome of an election
41. National Convention- a convention held every four years by each major US political party to choose its presidential candidate
42. Recall Election- a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote
43. Initiative- an act or strategy intended to resolve a difficulty or improve a situation
44. Proposition- a statement or assertion that expresses a judgment or opinion
45. Electors- a person who has the right to vote in an election
46. Electoral College- a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president
47. Nominations- the action of nominating or state of being nominated
48. Delegates- a person sent or authorized to represent others, in particular an elected representative sent to a conference
49. Mass Media- a section of the media specifically designed to reach a large audience
50. Polls- the record of the number of votes cast in an election
51. Public Agenda- a New York City-based non-profit organization engaged in non-partisan research projects in subjects ranging from education to government leadership