| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| competitive selection | An electoral process in which multiple candidates or parties compete for positions through contested elections. |
| direct election | An electoral process in which representatives are selected directly by voters through popular vote. |
| election rules | The specific regulations and requirements that govern how voting takes place, candidate eligibility, and the counting and allocation of votes. |
| electoral systems | The set of rules and procedures that determine how elections are conducted and representatives are selected in a political system. |
| first-past-the-post | An electoral system in which the candidate or party receiving the most votes in a district wins, regardless of whether they achieve a majority. |
| gender quotas | Requirements that a minimum percentage of legislative seats or party candidates must be women. |
| indirect election | An electoral process in which representatives are selected by other elected officials or bodies rather than by direct popular vote. |
| multimember districts | Electoral districts that elect multiple representatives to office, often used in proportional representation systems. |
| multiparty system | A political system in which multiple political parties compete for power and representation in government. |
| party list system | An electoral method in which voters vote for a party rather than individual candidates, and the party distributes seats to candidates on its ranked list. |
| plurality | An electoral system in which the candidate or party receiving the most votes wins, regardless of whether they achieve a majority. |
| proportional representation | An electoral system where political parties receive seats in the legislature proportional to the number of votes they receive, often resulting in multiple parties being represented. |
| single-member district | An electoral district that elects one representative to a legislative body. |
| threshold rules | Minimum vote requirements that political parties must meet to gain representation in a legislature. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| absolute majority | More than 50 percent of all votes cast in an election. |
| appointment system | A method of selecting members for legislative bodies through direct selection by officials rather than through elections. |
| ballot access | The rules and requirements that determine which candidates or parties are allowed to appear on election ballots. |
| constituency accountability | The responsibility of elected representatives to answer to and serve the interests of voters in their geographic district. |
| constituency service | The assistance and representation that elected officials provide to the voters in their geographic district. |
| electoral competition | The degree to which multiple political parties compete for votes and representation in elections. |
| electoral regulatory organizations | Government bodies responsible for establishing and enforcing rules about ballot access, voting procedures, and electoral competition. |
| geographic representation | An electoral principle ensuring that elected officials represent specific geographic areas or districts. |
| majoritarian rules | Electoral systems that require a candidate to win an absolute majority of votes to be elected, often providing winners with a strong national mandate. |
| national mandate | A strong electoral victory that gives a leader or party broad authority to implement their political agenda. |
| plurality | An electoral system in which the candidate or party receiving the most votes wins, regardless of whether they achieve a majority. |
| proportional representation | An electoral system where political parties receive seats in the legislature proportional to the number of votes they receive, often resulting in multiple parties being represented. |
| regime objectives | The political goals and outcomes that a government seeks to achieve through its institutional rules and structures. |
| runoff election | A second round of voting held when no candidate wins an absolute majority in the first round, typically between the top two candidates. |
| single-member district plurality | An electoral system where each geographic district elects one representative, and the candidate with the most votes wins, typically promoting two-party systems. |
| voter fraud | Illegal actions intended to manipulate election results, such as casting fraudulent votes or tampering with voting processes. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| catch-all political parties | Political parties that appeal to diverse groups across the political spectrum by adopting ideologically broad platforms to attract wide popular support. |
| devolution | The transfer of political power and authority from central government to regional or local governments. |
| dominant party system | A political system in which one party holds significant control over governing power while other parties are allowed to exist but have limited influence. |
| el dedazo | A practice in Mexico where the sitting president informally designated the next presidential candidate, concentrating power within the ruling party. |
| electoral competition | The degree to which multiple political parties compete for votes and representation in elections. |
| first-past-the-post | An electoral system in which the candidate or party receiving the most votes in a district wins, regardless of whether they achieve a majority. |
| formal political participation | Institutionalized forms of political engagement such as voting in elections and other official channels of citizen involvement. |
| multiparty system | A political system in which multiple political parties compete for power and representation in government. |
| one-party dominance | A system where a single political party maintains control over governing power and limits the ability of other parties to compete effectively. |
| party discipline | The practice of requiring members of a political party, particularly legislators, to vote according to party leadership decisions rather than individual preference. |
| party membership | The formal affiliation and participation of individuals within a political party. |
| party registration requirements | Legal rules that political parties must meet to be officially recognized and permitted to participate in elections. |
| patronage | The practice of distributing government jobs, resources, or favors to political supporters and allies. |
| representation | The process by which elected officials act on behalf of their constituents in government. |
| threshold rules | Minimum vote requirements that political parties must meet to gain representation in a legislature. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| citizen participation | The involvement of citizens in the political process, including voting, activism, and engagement in civic affairs. |
| ethnic quotas | Requirements that ensure representation of different ethnic groups in political offices or party structures. |
| independent candidates | Political candidates who run for office without affiliation to a political party. |
| multiparty system | A political system in which multiple political parties compete for power and representation in government. |
| one-party system | A political system in which a single political party dominates or controls the government. |
| party coalitions | Temporary or formal alliances formed between political parties to nominate candidates or govern together. |
| party structure | The organizational framework and hierarchy of a political party. |
| party systems | Structures and arrangements of political parties within a country that organize citizen participation and competition for political power. |
| plurality | An electoral system in which the candidate or party receiving the most votes wins, regardless of whether they achieve a majority. |
| policy making | The process by which government officials and institutions develop and implement public policies. |
| regional parties | Political parties that draw support and focus primarily on specific geographic regions within a country. |
| single-member district | An electoral district that elects one representative to a legislative body. |
| threshold rules | Minimum vote requirements that political parties must meet to gain representation in a legislature. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Boko Haram | A Nigerian social movement attempting to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria. |
| grassroots movements | Social movements that originate and build power from the local level upward to regional, national, or international levels. |
| Green Movement | An Iranian social movement that protested corruption in the 2009 election. |
| indigenous civil rights | Legal and social protections and freedoms for native or aboriginal populations within a state. |
| interest groups | Explicitly organized groups that represent and advocate for a specific interest or policy issue. |
| Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) | A Nigerian social movement advocating for the rights of ethnic minorities and protesting against unjust methods of oil extraction and distribution in the Niger Delta region. |
| Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) | A Nigerian social movement advocating for the rights of the Ogoni ethnic minority and protesting against unjust oil extraction and distribution practices. |
| organizational hierarchies | Formal structures of authority and command within an organization; limited hierarchies in social movements make them difficult for states to suppress. |
| social and political change | Transformations in society's structures, policies, and institutions affecting both social conditions and governmental systems. |
| social movements | Large groups of people organizing collectively to push for significant political or social change. |
| Zapatistas | A social movement in Chiapas, Mexico that arose in response to socioeconomic inequality and the negative impact of NAFTA. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| autonomous groups | Interest groups that operate independently from state control and are not directly linked to the government. |
| corporatism | A system of interest group representation in which the government controls access to policy making through state-sanctioned groups or peak associations representing major economic sectors. |
| interest group systems | Organized structures through which citizens and organizations seek to influence government policy and decision-making. |
| pluralism | A system of interest group representation in which multiple autonomous groups compete for influence over policy without direct state control. |
| single peak associations | State-approved organizations that serve as the sole representative for a particular economic sector such as labor, business, or agriculture in a corporatist system. |
| state-sanctioned groups | Interest groups that are officially recognized and controlled by the government to represent specific sectors in policy making. |