Political Participation

Idk what the title of this chapter is

Ballot Access

Our two party system has written the (blank blank) laws that make it more difficult for 3rd parties to get on the ballot

Retrospective

(blank) voting - based on whether one believes a candidate should be reelected based on the past (what have you done for me these last few years?)

Twenty-Fourth

Amendment - bans poll taxes (or fees to vote) that prevented the poor (especially minorities) from voting

Jim Crow

Literacy tests, grandfather clauses, and poll taxes were all a legacy of (blank blank) laws

Perot

He was the most successful 3rd party candidate in recent history. He won almost 20% of the popular vote but zero electoral votes

Efficacy

Political (blank) - your sense that you involvement in politics (voting, watching the news, volunteering) matters

Twenty-Third

Amendment - D.C. gets electoral votes (but still no voting members in Congress)

Win

The goal of political parties is to (blank) elections. It’s really that simply!

Midterm

Voter turnout is lower in (blank) elections - midway through a president’s term

Critical

(blank) elections are ones that see a massive shift voting coalitions, issues, and the base of power for a party. For example, large numbers of African Americans switching from Republicans to Democrats after World War ll

Wasted

It is commonly believed that if you vote for a 3rd party, your vote is (blanked)

Pocket Book

A (blank) voter looks mainly at the state of the economy

Linkage

Those institution that connect people to politics (e.g. parties, the media, intrest groups)

Single Member

(blank) (blank) districts - elect one person per district. This keeps 3rd parties out of power. In other countries, if a 3rd party wins 10% of the vote, they get 10% of the legislature - we don’t work that way due to (blank) (blank) districts

Seventeenth

Amendment - Districts election of senators (instead of by state legislatures) - this increases democratic participation

Voting Rights

Act of 1965 - actually enforced the 15th amendment. It also required southern states to submit their districts for approval to the Justice Department for review (but the SCOTUS now says they do NOT need that)

Fifteenth

Reconstruction Amendment - Voting not based on race

Civil Rights

Act of 1964 - bans discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, and sex (and the Supreme Court ruled that it covers LGBTQIA+ rights too)

Green

3rd party that is more liberal than the Democrats with more of an emphasis on environmental issues

Electorate

The term describing all those eligible to vote

Plurality

Bill Clinton, thanks to Ross Perot, won with a (blank) and not a majority. In fact, most American elections that do not have a run-off are designed this way

Libertarian

3rd Party that wants the smallest government possible and trusts free enterprise and capitalism

Registration

Each state has their own (blank) process. You have to do this before you can vote. Some states make it easier than others!

Candidate

In recent history, elections have become more (blank)-centered rather than party-centered. This is why Trump was able to win the Republican nomination while established party leaders were not his biggest fans

Winner Takes All

Our (blank) (blank) (blank) system means that whoever wins the district, takes office. This keeps 3rd parties out of power - other countries allow a party that wins 10% of the vote 10% of the legislature

Debate

The presidential debates are controlled by the two party system - therefore getting invited to a debate for a 3rd party is difficult

Rational Choice

Theory of voting that people make decisions based on their own benefit. (e.g. farmer votes for a politician supporting farm subsidies)

Prospective

Voting based on what a candidate pledges to do in the future if elected

Motor Voter

Federal law allowing people to register when they get their driver’s license

Spoiler

3rd parties are often seen as playing the (blank) role - that is taking votes away from one of the candidates (see the Bull Moose Party, Ralph Nader and the Greens in 2000, and Ross Perot)

Platform

A party’s statement of beliefs