Unit 5 Vocabulary

Franchise

Right to vote

15th Amendment

Recognized the right of black men to vote

19th Amendment

Recognized the right of women to vote

23rd Amendment

Granted residents of Washington D.C. the right to vote

24th Amendment

Abolished the poll taxes that limited black turnout at polls

26th Amendment

Lowered voting age to eighteen

17th Amendment

Made it so the people voted their senators in

Rational Choice Model

Votes based on their individual self-interest after having carefully studied the issues and platforms

Retrospective Model

Votes based on the previous track record of the politician in question

Prospective Model

Votes based on the potential future the candidate might be able to bring

Party Line Voting

Votes for all candidates who are members of their preferred party

Structural Barriers to Voting

Obstacles that prevent certain demographics from voting, such as voter ID laws and gerrymandering.

Political Efficacy

The belief that one’s vote may make a difference or not

Type of Election

more votes are made on more national level elections

Demographics

• Women tend to vote higher in Democrats

• Men tend to vote higher in Republicans

• Younger voters vote very little

• Older voters vote much more

• Younger voters tend to vote democrat

• Older voters tend to vote republicans

• Christians → Republican

• Jews → Democrat

Party Identification

If someone publicly identifies with a party, almost always vote candidates in that party

Candidate Characteristics

If a candidate is likeable, voters are more likely to vote this candidate

Linkage Institutions

Connects people to government

Political Party

An organization bound by ideological beliefs that put forward candidates for election

National Chairperson

Runs the political party

Subcommittees

• Pieces together the party platform

• Manages recruitment efforts

• Media strategy

• Voter mobilization

Political Party Function

Mobilization and Education of Voters

Party Platform

A party's official stance on various issues and goals it aims to achieve.

Coalition

Demographic group

Party Realignment

When large groups of voters move from one party to another

Psychographic Analysis

Classifies people according to their inner life like their personality, aspirations, and desires

Third Parties

Political parties that are not one of the two major parties in a political system. They often seek to address specific issues not covered by major parties. Usually can’t win, but the existence of these helps their cause be incorporated into one of the major parties.

Single-Member Districts

One winneris elected to represent each electoral district.

Proportional Voting

A voting system in which parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes they receive, allowing for a more accurate representation of voter preferences. i.e. 40% of votes → 40% of the seats

Interest Groups

Form around single issues, or single demographics; goal is to persuade policy makers to pass legislation that align with the group’s interests

Lobbying

The act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, often by interest groups or individuals advocating for specific policies.

Lobbyists

Individuals who engage in lobbying, representing interest groups to influence government policies and decisions. Often are policy experts who can help policy makers understand impact of certain legislation.

Iron Triangles

A stable relationship between an interest group, a congressional committee, and a government agency that benefits all parties involved, often leading to the establishment of policies that favor the group's interests.

Issue Networks

Short term cooperative networks that form along various interest groups when a particular issue touches several different groups.

Effectiveness of Influence on political process

• Funding → more power

• Free-Rider Problem

Free Rider Problem

When a larger group benefits from the efforts of an interest group than are the members of the group

Presidential Elections

• Candidate must first win state primary elections in order to earn the party’s nomination

• Must win the majority of the delegates votes at the party’s national convention

Primary Elections

Members of the party decide which candidate they want to represent them

Closed Primary

Voters must cast a ballot for a candidate which aligns with the voter’s declared party

Open Primary

Voters may cast a ballot for a candidate of any party regardless of party affiliation

Caucuses

Happen at a more local level and is far more public

General Election

The final election in which voters select a candidate for office from among the primary winners.

Incumbency Advantage

The electoral edge given to candidates already in office, often due to name recognition, funding, and established voter connections.

Congressional Elections

• Elections held to select representatives for the U.S. Congress, including both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

• 1/3 of seats up for election every two for the Senate

• All seats up for election every two years

• Midterm elections

• Incumbence Advantage is even more prominent

Political Action Committees (PAC)

Organizations that raise money to influence the population to vote for their preferred candidate

Connected PAC

• Formed by corporations or other entities

• Can only collect funds from the members of the connected organization

• Money can be donated directly to candidates in limited quantities

• Can raise unlimited amount of money provide in the individual limits are obeyed

Non-Connected PAC

• Formed independently of an organization usually around a specific public interest

• Donations are also limited by law

• Can donate directly to a candidate’s campaign

Super PAC

• Can be formed by anyone and can accept unlimited donations

• Cannot coordinate directly with the candidate

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

The independent regulatory agency that oversees campaign finance laws and enforces regulations for federal elections in the United States.

Hard Money

• Funds that are directly donated to candidate’s campaign

• Hard money regulated by the law

Soft Money

• Funds donated not to a candidate, but to a party or interest group to help a candidate win

• Soft money not regulated by the law

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA)

A law passed in 2002 aimed at regulating the financing of political campaigns and reducing the influence of soft money in elections.

Citizens United v. The Federal Election Commission

• BCRA’s limitations amounted to a violation of free speech

• Money donation is equivalent to free speech

• The Court ruled that such restriction were a violation of free speech

• Corporate funding of ads and broadcasts cannot be limited

Media (Linkage Institution)

A.K.A. Watchdog Agency that informs the public and holds government accountable.

Investigative Journalism

A form of journalism that involves in-depth reporting to uncover the truth about issues, corruption, or scandals.

Gatekeeping

The process by which information is filtered through media channels before reaching the public, influencing what news is reported and how it is presented.

Horse Race Journalism

A type of journalism that focuses on competitive aspects of elections, highlighting polls, candidates' standings, and predictions rather than substantive policy issues.

Fairness Doctrine

A policy requiring broadcasters to present controversial issues in a balanced manner, ensuring that differing viewpoints are represented.

Echo Chamber

A situation in which beliefs are reinforced by repeated communication within a closed system, leading to a lack of exposure to differing viewpoints.