apathy - the absence of interest in or enthusiasm about a subject, usually reflected in inactivity
authority - the right to take a particular course of action
canvassing - where local party activists go from door to door in an effort to assess the strength of support and win over floating voters
citizenship - a relationship between the individual and the state, in which the two are bound together by reciprocal rights and duties
deliberative democracy - a form of democracy in which the public interest decided through debate, discussion and argument, amongst either representatives or private citizens
differencial turnout - where the national turnout figure recorded at a given election masks differences in turnout by constituency or by region
focus group - a small cross-section of people who are used to gain insight into the wider public views
franchise - the right to vote
hapathy - the idea that voters may abstain from voting as a result of happiness with the way in which they are being governed
informal votes - ballots which are completed incorrectly
legitimacy - the legal right or authority to exercise power
mandate - the right of the governing party to pursue the policies it sets out in its general election manifesto
pluralist democracy - a form of democracy that operates through the capacity of organised groups to articulate popular demands and ensure government responsiveness
power - ability to do something or make something happen
public accountability - the process through which politicians are forced to answer for their actions to the public or its elected representatives
quorum - the minimum number of people whose presence is required for proper or valid decisions to be taken
recall election - a special election precipitated by a popular partitition that forces an official to seek re-election before the end of his or her term in office
secret ballot - a ballot in which the casting of voters is private and protected from public scrutiny
subsidiarity - the principle that decisions should be taken at the lowest tier of government possible, an approach designed to enhance local accountability and local democracy
