1. Democracy in the United States

2. Government
The institution in society that has a “monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force.”

3. Americans Have Grown Increasingly Skeptical of the National Government

4. Polling Places
Elections are so widespread and continuous in the United States that unusual locations are sometimes pressed into service as polling places.

5. Types of Government Government by One Person Government by the Few
Government by the Many

7. Permanent Campaign
Condition that prevails when the next election campaign begins as soon as the last has ended and the line between electioneering and governing has disappeared.

8. The Number of Presidential Primaries Has Increased Greatly in the Past Three Decades

9. What Gets Covered?
One of President Clinton’s most scrutinized moments came while he was denying an illicit affair in early The dramatic value of his (false) denial led the mass media—particularly the cable channels—to replay this moment again and again, following the story for months.
Should the media have covered this story as much as it did? What was the news value of the story to the public?

10. Poll Coverage Exploded Between the Mid-1960s and Mid-1970s

11. Today’s Media Conduct Their Own Polls

12. The Total Costs of American Elections Have Increased Dramatically in the Last Five Decades

13. Turnout
In 2000, despite massive get-out-the-vote efforts, just over half the electorate showed up at the polls. Political parties are always trying to activate more of their supporters to turn out and shift the balance of power in the elections.
Why don’t people vote?

14. Single-Issue Voter
Voter who cares so deeply about some particular issue that a candidate’s position on this one issue determines his or her vote.

15. Electoral Incentive
Desire to obtain or retain elected office.