Unit 5: Political Participation

Voting Rights Amendments

Amendments that expand opportunities for political participation by allowing more citizens to vote.

15th Amendment

Prohibits denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

17th Amendment

Establishes the direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote.

19th Amendment

Grants women the right to vote, prohibiting voting discrimination based on sex.

24th Amendment

Prohibits poll taxes in federal elections, removing financial barriers to voting.

26th Amendment

Lowers the voting age to 18, allowing younger citizens to participate in elections.

Rational Choice Theory

A theory that explains voter actions as based on individual self-interest and cost-benefit analysis.

Retrospective Voting

Voting based on an assessment of the past performance of a candidate or party.

Prospective Voting

Voting based on predictions of how well a candidate or party will perform in the future.

Party Line Voting

Voting for all candidates of one political party across various offices.

Ticket Splitting

Voting for candidates from different political parties for different offices.

Rise of Independents

Trend of voters increasingly identifying as independent rather than belonging to a major party.

Structural Barriers

Obstacles that prevent eligible voters from participating in elections.

Motor Vehicle Act

A 1993 law requiring states to offer voter registration during driver's license applications.

Political Efficacy

The belief that one's political participation can influence political outcomes.

Party Platform

A formal set of principal goals and policies adopted by a political party.

Party Identification

An individual's personal affinity for a particular political party.

Party Machine

A type of political organization that relies on patronage to build support.

National Committee

A central committee that manages a political party's operations between conventions.

Nomination

The official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party.

Super-PACs

Committees that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to advocate for political causes.

501(c) Organization

A nonprofit organization exempt from federal income taxes under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.

527 Group

A tax-exempt group organized primarily for political activities, including campaign financing.

Media Watchdog

The role of the media in investigating and exposing government and political corruption.

Mass Media

Means of communication that reach a large audience, such as television and newspapers.

Narrowcasting

Targeting specific audiences through specialized media channels.

Gatekeeper

The media's role in deciding which issues are considered newsworthy.

Agenda Setter

The media's influence in determining which issues are prioritized in public discourse.

Consumer-Driven Media

Media that caters to the preferences and beliefs of its audience, potentially leading to bias.

Campaign Finance

The regulations and funding mechanisms governing political campaign funding.

Iron Triangles

Stable relationships between interest groups, congressional committees, and bureaucratic agencies.

Political Action Committees (PACs)

Organizations that raise and distribute funds for political candidates and initiatives.

Independent Expenditures

Spending by outside groups on behalf of a political message without coordination with a candidate's campaign.

Citizens United VS FEC

enabled corporations and other outside groups to spend unlimited funds on elections.