Study Guide Unit 5: Political Participation

What power does the 17th Amendment give?

It allows citizens to directly elect U.S. Senators instead of state legislatures doing so.

What was changed with the 26th Amendment?

It lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

Define rational choice voting.

Voters make decisions based on what is in their individual best interest.

Define retrospective voting.

Voters base their decision on a candidate's or party’s past performance.

Define prospective voting.

Voters base decisions on promises or predictions of future policy actions.

Define straight-ticket voting.

Voting for all candidates from the same political party on a ballot.

What are reasons for low voter turnout?

Voter apathy, registration requirements, weekday elections, lack of competitive races.

What is political efficacy?

The belief that one’s vote and participation can influence government.

Define linkage institutions.

Structures that connect citizens to the government such as political parties, elections, interest groups, and the media.

What is a political party’s focus on issues?

Parties focus broadly on multiple issues to appeal to a wide range of voters.

What is an interest group’s focus on issues?

Interest groups usually focus narrowly on specific issues or policy areas.

What are candidate centered campaigns?

Campaigns focused on the candidate’s personality and issues rather than party affiliation.

What are critical elections?

Elections that signal major shifts in party loyalty and power realignments.

What is party realignment?

A significant change in the political coalition or party system, often after a critical election.

What are the structural barriers to third party success?

Winner-take-all electoral system, lack of funding, limited media coverage, ballot access laws.

What is the Winner-Take-All System?

The candidate with the most votes wins all electoral votes or representation.

How is a single-interest group different from other interest groups?

It focuses on one specific issue rather than a range of policies.

What are the functions of Interest Groups?

Lobbying, educating voters and officials, mobilizing members, contributing to campaigns.

What is lobbying?

Attempting to influence lawmakers or policy decisions through advocacy.

What is an “iron triangle”?

A stable relationship among congressional committees, bureaucracies, and interest groups.

What are free-riders?

People who benefit from an interest group's efforts without joining or contributing.

What is a caucus and what is its purpose?

A meeting of party members to select candidates or set policy priorities.

What is a closed primary?

Only registered party members can vote to choose their party's candidate.

What is an open primary?

Any registered voter can vote in either party's primary, regardless of affiliation.

How is a tie in a Presidential election resolved?

The House of Representatives votes to choose the President, one vote per state.

Explain the Winner-Take-All System in the electoral college.

In most states, the candidate with the most votes wins all of that state’s electoral votes.

What are the effects of the electoral college?

Focus on swing states, can result in a winner without the popular vote, disadvantages third parties.

How is being an incumbent congress member an advantage?

Incumbents have name recognition, fundraising ability, and access to government resources.

What is soft money?

Money donated to parties for general party-building purposes, not directly to candidates.

What is a Political Action Committee (PAC)?

An organization that raises and donates money to candidates and campaigns.

What elections do PACs fund?

Mostly congressional elections but also presidential and local races.

Who uses PACs?

Corporations, unions, interest groups, and political parties.

What was the purpose of The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002?

To limit soft money and reduce influence of outside spending in elections.

What was Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) in response to?

A dispute over whether corporations could fund political broadcasts in candidate elections.

What was the holding in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)?

Corporations and unions can spend unlimited money on independent political ads.

What was the constitutional principle used in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) decision?

Free speech under the First Amendment.

In the media, what is agenda setting?

Media influences which issues people think are important by choosing what to cover.

What is “horse-race journalism”?

Media coverage that focuses on polling and competition rather than policy issues.

How are Consumer-Driven Media Outlets and Social Media related to selected exposure?

People choose outlets or content that aligns with their views, reinforcing biases.