Studied by 25 people
Amendment 15
Constitutional amendment that prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Amendment 17
Constitutional amendment that established the direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote.
Amendment 19
Constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote.
Amendment 24
Constitutional amendment that prohibits the use of poll taxes in federal elections.
demographic data
Statistical characteristics of a population, such as age, race, and income.
efficacy
The ability to produce a desired or intended result.
party line voting
Voting in accordance with the political party's official position.
prospective voting
Voting based on predictions of a candidate's future performance.
rational choice
The theory that individuals make decisions by comparing the costs and benefits to maximize their utility.
retrospective voting
Voting based on the past performance of a candidate or party.
straight ticket voting
Voting for all candidates of one political party in an election.
suffrage
The right to vote in political elections.
Voting Right Act 1965
Legislation aimed at eliminating racial discrimination in voting.
age and wealth groups
Demographic categories often analyzed in political behavior and voting patterns.
ballot initiatives
Proposed laws or amendments that are submitted to voters for approval.
demographic voter groups US
Categories of voters defined by characteristics such as age, race, gender, and income.
down ballot
Refers to elections for offices lower than the top offices on a ballot, such as state or local positions.
gender groups, ethnic groups
Social categories that share common characteristics, such as gender or ethnicity, influencing political behavior and identity.
mid-term elections
Elections held halfway through a president's term to elect representatives and senators.
presidential elections
The process by which voters elect the President of the United States, typically held every four years.
rational choice voting
Voting based on the individual voter's perceived benefits and costs of a candidate's policies.
structural barriers to voting
Obstacles that prevent certain groups from voting, such as voter ID laws or registration requirements.
turnout rates
Percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election.
vote incentives
Factors that motivate individuals to participate in elections.
voter patterns religious groups
Trends in voting behavior among different religious affiliations.
voter registration rules
Regulations governing the process by which eligible citizens sign up to vote.
campaign management
The process of planning and executing strategies to promote a candidate's election.
candidate recruitment
The process of identifying and attracting individuals to run for political office.
fundraising
The process of collecting money for political campaigns or causes.
linkage institutions
Organizations that connect citizens to the government, such as political parties, interest groups, and the media.
media strategies
Techniques used by politicians and organizations to communicate and influence public opinion through various media channels.
mobilization of voters
The process of encouraging and organizing citizens to participate in elections.
national committees
Organizations that oversee the election process and coordinate party activities at the national level.
platforms
Political party's formal set of principles and goals.
legislative leadership
Positions that guide and influence the legislative process, such as the Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader.
party de-alignment
A trend where voters become less attached to political parties, leading to an increase in independent voters.
candidate centered campaigns
Political campaigns that focus on the individual candidate's personality, issues, and qualifications rather than the party's platform.
changes in finance laws (Citizens United)
Citizens United v. FEC allowed unlimited independent political expenditures by corporations and unions.
critical elections
Elections that lead to significant and lasting shifts in party alignment and voter behavior.
data management
The process of collecting, storing, and using data effectively.
demographic coalitions
Alliances formed between different demographic groups to achieve common political goals.
micro-data management
The process of collecting, analyzing, and utilizing detailed data at the individual or small group level.
ORCA Romney campaign
A data management system used by the Romney campaign to organize voter information and outreach efforts.
Project Narwhal--Obama
A data-driven initiative by the Obama campaign to analyze voter behavior and optimize outreach.
public primaries
Elections where registered voters can participate in selecting a party's candidate for the general election.
regional de-alignments
Shifts in political party support across different regions, often leading to changes in voting patterns.
independent candidates
Candidates who run for office without affiliation to a political party.
proportional elections
Electoral systems that allocate seats based on the percentage of votes each party receives.
single issue parties
Political parties that focus on one specific issue.
winner take all elections
Electoral system where the candidate receiving the most votes wins all electoral votes or delegates.
Club for Growth
A conservative political action committee that advocates for limited government and economic growth through free-market policies.
Emily’s List
Political action committee that supports pro-choice Democratic women candidates.
expert testimony
Evidence provided by a qualified individual with specialized knowledge on a particular subject.
free-rider problem
Situation where individuals benefit from resources or services without paying for them, leading to under-provision.
issue networks (iron triangles)
The relationship among interest groups, government agencies, and congressional committees that work together to influence policy.
lobbying
The act of attempting to influence the decisions of government officials, typically legislators.
protest movements
Collective actions by groups to express opposition or demand change regarding social or political issues.
re-alignments
Significant shifts in party affiliation and political support among voters.
single issue groups
Organizations that focus on one specific area of public policy, often influencing legislation.
subsidies
Financial assistance granted by the government to support a specific industry or economic sector.
voter education
Process of informing and educating voters about the electoral process, candidates, and issues.
voter mobilization
Efforts to encourage and facilitate voter participation in elections.
270 to win
The number of electoral votes needed to secure the presidency in the United States.
caucuses
Meetings of party members to select candidates or decide policy.
closed primaries
Elections where only registered party members can vote to select their party's candidate.
delegate counts
The number of delegates assigned to a candidate based on their performance in primaries and caucuses.
Electoral College
A body of electors established by the U.S. Constitution that formally elects the President and Vice President.
faithless electors
Electors who do not vote for the candidate they pledged to support in the Electoral College.
frontloading
The practice of scheduling primaries and caucuses earlier in the election cycle to gain more influence.
lame duck
An elected official whose term is about to end and who has little power or influence.
Maine and Nebraska systems
Electoral systems that allocate electoral votes proportionally rather than winner-takes-all.
open primaries
Elections allowing voters to choose candidates regardless of their party affiliation.
party conventions
Gatherings of political parties to nominate candidates and establish party platforms.
presidential conventions
Gatherings of political parties to nominate candidates for president and establish party platforms.
Super Delegates
Party leaders and elected officials who are given the right to vote at the Democratic National Convention regardless of primary election outcomes.
Super Tuesday
A day in the United States when several states hold primary elections simultaneously.
swing states, battleground states
States where both major political parties have similar levels of support among voters, making them critical in elections.
winner-take-all allocations
Electoral system where the candidate receiving the most votes wins all electoral votes or delegates.
incumbency advantage
The electoral edge afforded to those already in office.
mid-terms
Examinations that occur halfway through an academic term to assess students' understanding.
the “constant campaign”
The ongoing effort by politicians to maintain public support and prepare for future elections.
501c groups, 527 groups
501c groups are tax-exempt organizations that engage in social welfare activities, while 527 groups are tax-exempt organizations primarily focused on political activities and advocacy.
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act 2002 (McCain-Feingold)
Legislation aimed at regulating campaign financing and reducing the influence of soft money in elections.
campaign contests
Elections where candidates compete for political office.
canvassing, phone banking, internet canvassing
Campaign strategies used to gather support and voter information through direct outreach.
dark money
Political spending by organizations that are not required to disclose their donors.
Hard money, Soft money
Hard money refers to regulated contributions directly to candidates, while soft money refers to unregulated donations to political parties for party-building activities.
matching funds
Government funds provided to candidates to match private contributions during elections.
PACs
Political Action Committees that raise and spend money to elect candidates or influence legislation.
professional consultants
Experts hired to provide specialized advice and services in a specific field.
social media influences
Platforms that shape public opinion and political behavior through information dissemination.
Stand by your Ad provision of the BCRA
A requirement that sponsors of political ads must disclose their identity and funding sources.
Super PACs
Political action committees that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections, but cannot coordinate directly with candidates.
24-hour news cycle
Continuous news coverage that updates frequently throughout the day.
agenda setting
The process by which certain issues are prioritized and highlighted for public attention and policy action.
blogs and tweets
Forms of social media used for sharing opinions and information quickly.
investigative journalism
Journalism that seeks to uncover and report on issues of public interest, often involving in-depth research.
media bias, “fake” news
Media bias refers to the perceived or real partiality of journalists and news producers in their reporting, while 'fake' news denotes misinformation or hoaxes presented as legitimate news.
media ownership
Control of media outlets by individuals or corporations, influencing content and perspectives.
narrowcasting
Targeting media programming at specific populations.
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