| What is the function of a Political Party? | To link citizens with similar viewpoints or opinions (party platforms) of how the government and society should be governed to the government. |
| What do Political Parties do? | • Engage citizens and recruit individuals to run for public office.
• Inform the public about topics that affect the country or world and what their solution to the issue would be.
• Act as a check on the power and influence of the other major party.
• Run the government, and control the legislative agenda. |
| What is the purpose of an Election? | It links people to their government and government to the people to ensure legitimacy in a governmental system. |
| What are the three main types of elections? | General, primary and special elections. Presidential elections also involve national conventions and the electoral college. |
| What can people do to change local laws besides an election? | They can utilize initiatives, referendums, and recalls to create changes in the laws and government, too. |
| What is a Party Platform? | A formal set of principal goals that are supported by a political party or individual candidate |
| What is a watchdog? | A group that watches the activities of a particular part of government in order to report illegal acts or problems |
| What is a Primary election? | An election that narrows the field of candidates to a single person to represent the political party |
| What is a Caucus? | A local meeting where registered members of a political party in a city, town or county gather to vote for their preferred party candidate |
| What is an open primary? | An election that allows voters to select which party’s primary to participate in on the day of the election |
| What is a closed primary? | An election that allows only registered party members to vote in the party’s primary election |
| What is a Blanket Primary? | An election that allows voters to participate in all party’s primary elections by putting them on one ballot |
| What is a Run-off Primary? | An election that is used if no clear winner emerges with a majority of the votes from the first primary |
| What is a National Convention? | A convention of a major political party, especially one that nominates a candidate for the presidency |
| What is an initiative? | It allows citizens of a state to place a proposal on the ballot for the voters of the state to decide the outcome |
| What is a referendum? | A vote used by a state legislature if the body needs the approval of the voters before a law can go into effect |
| What is a recall? | A vote used to remove an elected official from office by a vote of the public |
| What is gerrymandering? | When politicians change the size and borders of an area before an election, so that one person, group, or party has an unfair advantage |
