Glossary

TERMS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IN THIS VIDEO:

Electorate– Anelectorate is a body of people allowed to vote in an election. Being a part of the electorate is important because it gives you a chance to elect — or choose — who you want to represent you in your government.

Political Instability- Political instability, defined as volatility in electoral politics, is on the rise in the US and occurring because of deep, ongoing economic and demographic structural changes that are causing existing voting blocs to regroup and reconsider which issues motivate them and which party they support. As a result, control of the legislative and executive branches keeps shifting back and forth.

Party Sorting- Party sorting occurs when parties become more homogenous. For instance, party sorting occurred over the past few decades as liberal Republicans became Democrats and conservative Democrats became Republicans. Instead of a political party having both liberals and conservatives under its tent, sorting means it becomes dominated by one ideology.

Party sorting does have some negative consequences, as it can lead to political upheaval. Even more importantly, party sorting makes a major contribution to gridlock and political stalemate. On the other hand, sorting has clarified the choices facing the electorate and made it easier for voters to assign political responsibility to elected politicians.

Political Polarization– Polarization is the divergence of political attitudes to ideological extremes. Due to the vast and growing gap between liberals and conservatives, Republicans and Democrats, polarization has become a defining feature of American politics today.