Poli

Public Opinion

The aggregate of individuals’ attitudes or beliefs shared by some portion of the adult population.

Consensus

If a large majority party agrees on an issue, it is called a consensus.

Polarized Opinion

Widely diverging opinions on an issue are referred to as polarized opinion.

Political Socialization

The process by which individuals acquire political beliefs and attitudes.

Most Influential Source of Political Socialization

Family.

Other Agents of Political Socialization

Schools, religious institutions, political/opinion leaders, media, ideologies, partisanship.

Demographic Influences of Political Socialization

Religion, race/ethnicity, gender, income/wealth, education, geographic region.

Public Opinion Poll

The primary method of measuring public opinion.

Probability/Random Sampling

The 'magic' factor that allows the polling process to work.

3 Percent Margin

A 3 percent margin is considered the most mathematically correct national poll.

Telephone Polling

In the last half of the 20th century, telephone polling became the most used method.

Polling Issues

Dishonesty among respondents, ambiguous question framing, less overall responsiveness from the public.

Jim Crow

The worst voting restrictions occurred during the Jim Crow era (Post Civil War).

Smith v. Allwright (1944)

The Supreme Court ruling that eventually declared solidly Democratic practices in the 'Solid South' unconstitutional.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation that eliminated racial discrimination in voting.

Ultimate Universal Suffrage Amendments

15th Amendment (racial suffrage), 19th Amendment (women suffrage), 26th Amendment (voting age minimum 18).

Socioeconomic Factors Influencing Voter Turnout

Higher education, higher income, and white-collar jobs correlate with increased likelihood to vote.

Demographic Factors Influencing Voter Turnout

Racial minorities and younger voters are less likely to vote, while women participate equally to men.

Psychological Factors Influencing Voter Turnout

Stronger civic duty, party identification, political efficacy, political interest, and social capital lead to higher turnout.

Political Efficacy

The feeling that one can have real impact on politics.

Political Interest

A strong interest in politics.

Social Capital

The feeling of social connectedness through politics.

Legal/Institutional Factors Discouraging Voter Turnout

Strict voter registration laws, too many elections, workday elections, Rational Voter Theory.

Partisanship

The most important determinant of how people vote.

Function of Partisanship for Voters

Partisanship serves as a psychological connection between candidate and voter, combines ideological issues.

Elections

The mechanism of carrying out democracy and determining representation.

Article I Section 4

Constitutional provision allowing states to set electoral procedures for Congressional elections.

Article II Section 1

Constitutional provision outlining how the President is chosen by the Electoral College.

Types of Elections

Primary, general, run-off, and special elections.

Election Day Establishment

Presidential elections established in 1845, congressional elections in 1872.

Polling Place

The physical location where people cast votes.

Types of Ballots

Paper ballots and electronic voting machines.

Australian Ballot

Secret ballot allowing voters to mark their ballots in privacy.

Down Ballot

Voting for the same party across all categories.

Geographic Representation

A fundamental element of American representation dependent on district line drawing.

Factors for Drawing District Lines

Boundaries and population size based on the 10-year census.

Single-Member District Electoral System

A system where there is one representative per geographic district.

Wesberry v. Sanders (1964)

Ruling that one person's vote should be equal to another's in electing Congressional representatives.

Gerrymandering

Manipulating district boundaries to advantage a particular candidate or party.

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Court ruling that redistricting solely based on race is unconstitutional.

Federal Election Campaign Act 1971

Legislation that restricted campaign spending and mandated donor disclosure.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Ruling that equated money to free political speech, affecting compliance with election regulations.

Political Action Committees (PACs)

Fundraising entities that can more freely spend and advertise compared to political parties.

Primary Goals of an Electoral Campaign

Introduce the candidate, convey the message, and motivate voters.

Stump Speech

A succinct, repetitive message highlighting main points at campaign stops.

Aspects Influencing Candidates’ Images

Personal appearance, family image, and overall positive vibe.

Political Consultants

Professionals who run major campaigns using polling and expert hires.

Positive vs. Negative Campaigning

Positive campaigning highlights candidate values, while negative campaigning exploits opponent weaknesses.

Effectiveness of Negative Campaign Ads

More effective than positive ads due to targeting uninformed voters.

Staples of Campaign Ads

Simplicity, repetition, exaggeration, and symbolism.

First Political Parties

Emerged from constitutional debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists.

Founding of Democratic Party

Founded during the Jacksonian Era by Andrew Jackson.

Founding of Republican Party

Founded by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War/Post Civil War.

Party Realignment

Major shifts in party allegiance creating long-term change.

New Deal Coalition Realignment

Shift of black support and lower/middle classes to Democrats.

Conservative Realignment of 1960s and 1980s

Realignment aimed at attracting white, southern voters.

Republican Party Focus (1980s-Present)

Ideological focus on less government, nationalism, and family values.

Democratic Party Coalition Focus

Using government as an engine for change.

Types of Third Parties

Reform parties, single-issue parties, and ideological parties.

Issues with Political Parties

Party polarization, lack of moderate voter representation, and the louder voice of activists.

Role of News Media

Identify public problems, socialize generations, and make profits.

Functions of the Press

Watchdog, common carrier, and leak information.

Factors Determining News Content

Carrying capacity, framing, source status, controversy, negativity, and audience.

Media Coverage of Controversy

More controversial topics receive more media coverage.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalized or fabricated news to gain public interest.

Muckraking

Journalism aimed at exposing corruption.

News from Social Media

Two-thirds of Americans get news from social media.

Factors Influencing News Source Choice

Ideology, partisanship, and demographic factors.