1. Vocabulary Unit 6 People and Politics

2. Campaign An organized effort to gather support for a candidate.

3. Conservative A political ideology in which a person wants to keep things the way the are, and want less change. They prefer a small government with less social programs, and more individual responsibility for success.

4. Canvassing Going through neighborhoods asking for votes or taking public opinion polls.

5. Interest Groups People with similar points of view who work together to promote that point of view.

6. Referendum An election in which voters can approve or reject a local or state law.

7. Precinct A geographical area that contains a specific number of voters.

8. Bias A one sided or slanted point of view.

9. Propaganda Technique used to promote a particular person or idea.

10. Candidate A person seeking an elected government office.

11. Platform A political party’s statement of its goals and positions on public issues. It is made up of a series of planks.

12. Liberal A political ideology in which a person is open to new ideas, and willing to initiate change or reform. They prefer a large government that can address social issues and provide programs to help groups achieve success.

13. Political Action Committee (PAC) An organization established to raise money to support an issue or candidate.

14. Nominate To choose a candidate to run for political office.

15. Lobbying An organized effort to persuade government officials to support a particular group or position on an issue.

16. Political center- moderate Political center- moderate: A political ideology in which a person’s opinions and beliefs are not strong or extreme. The majority of Americans fall into this category.

17. Straight Ticket The practice of voting for all the candidates of one political party.

18. Editorials a writing or cartoon based on opinion of political events that is published in a newspaper or magazine and is designed to promote discussion about an issue.

19. Convention a large gathering of people who share a common interest including formal gatherings of people for political purposes.

20. Plank An item of a political party’s platform. Specific statements about how a political party’s stand on the issues.

21. Caucus A meeting of political party members to conduct party business. Usually to nominate a candidate to run for office.

22. Popular Vote Votes cast directly by the people.

23. Split Ticket The practice of voting for candidates of different political parties in an election.

24. Recall An elections in which voters can remove a public official from office.

25. Political Party An organization made up of people who share similar issues about the way the country should be governed.