gov chapter 8 vocab

voter apathy

voter apathy

the lack of interest among the citizenry in participating in election

registered voters

those citizens who have filled out the proper forms and are qualified to vote in an election

literacy tests

requirement that voters be able to read; formerly used in the South to disenfranchise blacks

poll tax

proof of tax payment, to be produced when voting; used to disenfranchise blacks

white primaries

a southern expedient to keep blacks from participating in primary elections

grandfather clauses

requirement that for an individual to automatuically qualify to vote, his or her grandparents had to have voted (excluded former slaves and their descendents)

democrats

party supporters that generally favor efforts to make voting easier, suspecting that a higher turnout will benefit them

fifteenth amendment

legislation that made it illegal to exclude potential voters on the basis of race

nineteeth amendment

legislation that extended suffrage to women

voting rights act of 1970

legislation that gave eighteen-year-olds the right to vote in all U.S elections

twenty-sixth amendment

legislation that gave eighteen-year-olds the right to vote in federal elections

australian ballot

a document that is government printed, of uniform size, and cast in secret

inactives

those who avoid all forms of political participation

voting specialists

those who restrict their political participation to voting in elections

voting-eligible population

an estimate that results from excluding prisoners, felons and aliens

campaigners

those who both vote in elections and get involved in campaigns

communalists

those who join organizations and participate in politics but not in partisan campaigns

parochial participants

those who avoid elections and civic organizations but will contact officals regarding specific problems

complete activists

those who take part in all forms of political activity

activist

an individual who actively promotes a political part, philosophy, or issue she or he cares personally about

motor- voter law

a bill that requires states to allow voter registration by mail, when applying for a driver’s license, and at some state offices that serve the disabled or poor

voting- age population

estimate (based on the census) of the number of citizens who are eligible to vote after reaching a minimum age requirement