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proportional representation
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an electoral system that distributes numerous seats to parties on the basis of their percentage of the popular vote
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Solidary incentives
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The social rewards that lead people to join political organizations.
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sponsored parties
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Party units established or maintained by outside groups
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Initiative
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An election in which citizens can place on the legislative agenda proposals by non-government groups.
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Split ticket Voting
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The practice of voting for one major party's candidate in state or local elections and the other's at the national level.
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political party
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A group that seeks to elect candidates to public office by supplying them with a label.
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Winner-Take-All
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An electoral system that gives the only office to the candidate with the larges vote total, rather than apportioning numerous offices by the percentage of the total vote.
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referendum
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an election in which citizens directly approve or disapprove legislation proposed by the government.
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political machine
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a party organization that recruits members by dispensing patronage.
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Republican
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Only third party to ever win a presidential election.
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Party column ballot
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A ballot listing all candidates of a given party together under the name of that party.
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Solidary Groups
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Parties organized around sociability, rather than tangible rewards or ideology.
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Machine
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A party unit that recruits members with tangible rewards and that is tightly controlled by the leadership.
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Tammany Hall
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A machine that began as a caucus of well-to-do notables in New York City
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Federalists
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The political party founded and led by Alexander Hamilton.
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Two-Party System
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An electoral system with two dominant parties that compete in state and national elections.
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Personal Following
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The political support provided to a candidate on the basis of personal popularity and networks
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plurality system
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an electoral system in which the winner is the person who gets the most votes but not necessarily a majority of votes.
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Ideological Parties
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Parties that value principle above all else.
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Office Bloc Ballot
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A ballot listing all candidates for a given office under the name of that office.
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Mugwumps
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A name for party volunteers who later come to form their own reform movement.
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national convention
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A meeting of elected party delegates every four years to nominate presidential and vice-presidential candidates and ratify a campaign platform.
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nonpartisan election
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An election in which candidates for office are not identified by party labels.
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stalwarts
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a name for party professionals, as opposed to volunteers
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Hatch Act
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Addressed the issue of federal civil service employees taking an active part in political management or campaign.
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Democratic-Republicans
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The political party founded and led by Thomas Jefferson.
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organizational party
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A party that stresses national organization to raise money an give assistance to local candidates and party units.
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Factional Parties
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Parties formed by a split within one of the major parties.
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National committee
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Delegates from each state who manage party affairs between conventions.
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Critical (or Realigning) Period
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Features a sharp, lasting shift in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties.
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Factions
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A name applied by some of the Founders to political parties, to connote their tendency toward divisiveness.
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National (Party) Chair
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The person elected and paid to manage the day-to-day work of a national political party.
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Congressional Campaign Committee
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A committee in each party to help elect or reelect members.
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Anti-Masonic Party
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Political party that held the first convention in American History
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Caucus
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A closed meeting of party leaders to select party candidates.
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Second-Party system
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The arrangement of political parties initiated by Andrew Jackson.
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Superdelegates
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elected officials who serve as delegates to the nationals convention.
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