Political parties, interest groups, and social movements provide opportunities for participation and influence how people relate to government and policy-makers.
Funds raised to promote candidates, political parties, or policy initiatives. There are complex laws regulating who can contribute to campaigns and how much they can contribute.
Candidate-centered campaigns
Political campaigns that focus on the candidates for office—their personalities and issues—rather than the parties they represent. Since the 1930s, candidate-centered campaigns have predominated in American politics.
Critical election
An election that leads to a major party realignment. After a critical election, a number of key supporters of one party (for example, southern white voters) switch to the other party.
Dealignment
The process by which an individual loses his or her loyalty to a political party without developing loyalty to another party.
Direct primary
The current process by which voters choose their party’s candidate for national office. Direct primaries have replaced party-controlled mechanisms for choosing candidates.
Linkage institutions
Groups in society that connect people to the government and facilitate turning the people’s concerns into political issues on the government’s policy agenda
Micro-targeting
The growing practice of using computer models to identify voters who might support a candidate. Campaigns pay firms to mine consumer data, census records, and voting behavior in order to supply them with names of potential voters.
Party platforms
a list of goals outlining a party’s positions on issues and political priorities
Political action committee (PAC)
An organization, usually representing an interest group or corporation, that raises money with the goal of supporting or defeating candidates, parties, or legislation. There are limits to the amount of money a PAC can donate to a candidate or party in each election.
Political machine
A party organization with the goal of enriching party leaders, party workers, and citizen supporters through government contracts and jobs.
Political party
an organization of people with similar political ideologies that seeks to influence public policy by getting its candidates elected
Realignment
A major change in the composition of party coalitions, often brought on by a new or pressing issue (often economic trouble or war). For example, the Great Depression led many African Americans to leave the Republican Party and join the Democratic Party in the 1932 election, permanently changing each party’s base of supporters.
Super PAC
Also called an independent expenditure-only committee, a super PAC may raise unlimited funds in support of a candidate or party as long as they do not coordinate in any way with the candidate or party.