Krutz Chapter 9 Vocabulary

System in which two major parties win all or almost all elections

• majority party

• third parties

• two party system

• party identifiers

Organizations made up of groups of people with similar interests that try to directly influence public policy through their members who seek & hold public office

• divided government

• two party system

• third parties

• political parties

Manipulation of legislative districts in an attempt to favor a particular candidate

• plurality voting

• party realignment

• political machine

• gerrymandering

Shift of party positions form moderate towards ideological extremes

• party polarization

• party identifiers

• party realignment

• sorting

Legislative party with less than 1/2 the seats in a legislative body

• third parties

• divided government

• majority party

• minority party

Process in which voters change party allegiances in response to shifts in party position

• redistricting

• party organization

• party realignment

• sorting

Party identifiers who have been elected to office & are responsible for fulfuling the party's promises

• party in government

• party identifiers

• party realignment

• party polarization

Condition in which one or more houses of the legislature is controlled by the party in opposition to the executive branch

• party platform

• minority party

• personal politics

• divided government

Legislative party with over half the seats from a legislative body

• majority party

• minority party

• third parties

• party platform

Individuals who represent themselves in public as being part of a party

• precinct

• moderate

• political machine

• party identifiers