chapter 5 vocab gov

12th Amendment

12th Amendment

This amendment, ratified in 1804, changed the way presidential elections were conducted. It separated the voting for President and Vice President, requiring electors to cast distinct votes for each office.

15th Amendment:

Ratified in 1870, this amendment prohibited the denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude, granting African American men the right to vote.

19th Amendment:

Ratified in 1920, this amendment granted women the right to vote, prohibiting the denial of voting rights based on sex.

23rd Amendment:

Ratified in 1961, this amendment allowed Washington, D.C., residents to vote in presidential elections by granting them electoral college representation.

24th Amendment:

Ratified in 1964, this amendment prohibited the use of poll taxes or other taxes as a condition for voting in federal elections.

26th Amendment

Ratified in 1971, this amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, granting younger adults the right to vote.

501(c)4s:

These are tax-exempt organizations under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. They engage in social welfare activities and can engage in some political activities, but their primary focus must be social welfare.

527s:

They are primarily focused on influencing elections and can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money on political activities.

Battleground states:

Also known as swing states or competitive states, these are states where the outcome of an election is uncertain or where either major party has a chance of winning.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976):

This Supreme Court case ruled that certain limits on campaign contributions and expenditures were constitutional but struck down other provisions, including limits on a candidate's personal spending on their campaign.

Bush v. Gore (2000):

This Supreme Court case decided the disputed 2000 presidential election, ruling that the recount process in Florida violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Caucus (electoral):

a meeting of party members where they discuss and choose candidates for office, typically using a series of discussions and votes.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010):

This Supreme Court case ruled that political spending by corporations and unions is protected by the First Amendment, leading to the rise of Super PACs and increased political spending by outside groups.

Coattails

Refers to the tendency of a popular candidate to attract votes for other candidates in their party, helping them win elections.

Constituency:

The group of people that a political representative or candidate serves or represents.

Critical election:

An election that marks a significant shift in political power or realignment of political parties, often accompanied by major changes in policy or ideology.

Demographic:

Refers to characteristics such as age, gender, income, education, race, and ethnicity that are used to categorize and analyze groups within a population.

Disenfranchisement:

The deprivation or denial of voting rights, often based on factors such as race, gender, age, or criminal conviction.

Electoral College:

The system used in the United States to elect the President and Vice President, where electors from each state cast votes based on the popular vote in their state.

Electorate:

The total number of eligible voters in a specific area or jurisdiction.

Favorite son:

A candidate who receives the support of their home state or region in a political contest.

Federal Election Campaign Act (1971):

Legislation that established disclosure requirements for federal candidates, limited campaign contributions, and created the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to enforce campaign finance laws.

Federal Election Commission (FEC):

An independent regulatory agency responsible for enforcing campaign finance laws in federal elections.

Front-runner:

The candidate who is leading in polls or perceived as most likely to win an election.

General election:

An election where voters choose from candidates representing various political parties to fill public offices.

Grassroots organizing:

Political organizing that starts at the local level, often involving volunteers and community-based efforts to mobilize support for a cause or candidate.

Hard money & soft money:

Hard money refers to contributions directly to a candidate's campaign and subject to federal limits. Soft money refers to contributions to political parties or committees for activities not directly supporting a candidate and not subject to the same limits.

Incumbency:

The status of holding a particular office. Incumbents often have advantages in elections, such as name recognition and access to resources

Initiative:

A process where citizens can propose and vote on laws or amendments directly, bypassing the legislative process

Invisible primary:

The period before the official start of primary elections where candidates compete for support, endorsements, and fundraising, often behind the scenes.

Lame duck:

Refers to an elected official who is still in office but has lost re-election or is not seeking re-election.

Matching funds:

Public funds provided to eligible presidential candidates who agree to limit their spending and fundraising.

McCain Feingold Bill (also, BCFRA, 2002):

aimed to reform campaign finance by placing limits on soft money contributions and issue advocacy ads.

McConnell v. FEC (2003):

This Supreme Court case upheld most of the provisions of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCFRA), including restrictions on soft money contributions and issue advocacy ads.

McGovern-Fraser Commission:

A commission established by the Democratic Party in 1969 to reform the presidential nomination process, leading to greater transparency and participation in delegate selection.

Midterm election:

An election held in the middle of a president's term, where voters elect members of Congress and other state and local offices.

Motor Voter Act (1993):

aimed to increase voter registration by allowing people to register to vote when applying for a driver's license or at certain government agencies.

National Convention:

A gathering of party delegates to nominate candidates for president and vice president, adopt party platforms, and conduct other party business.

Party-line voting:

The practice of voting consistently for candidates of the same political party in multiple races on a ballot.

Party Platform:

A set of principles, beliefs, and policy positions adopted by a political party to guide its members and candidates.

Political Action Committees (PACs):

Organizations that raise and spend money to support or oppose candidates, parties, or issues in elections.

Poll Tax:

a fee that individuals were required to pay in order to vote in elections. Historically, poll taxes were used as a means of disenfranchising certain groups, particularly African Americans in the southern United States, by making it financially burdensome for them to exercise their right to vote.

Presidential Election Campaign Fund:

This fund is established by the federal government to provide public financing for presidential election campaigns. Candidates who accept public funding from this fund must adhere to certain spending limits and disclosure requirements.

Presidential Primary:

an election held within a political party to determine the party's nominee for the presidency. Voters in each state or territory cast their ballots for their preferred candidate, and delegates are awarded to candidates based on the results.

Open Primary

election in which voters can choose to vote for a candidate from any political party, regardless of their own party affiliation.

Closed Primary:

A primary election in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote for that party's candidates.

Run-off primary

In some states, if no candidate receives a majority of the votes in a primary election, [THIS] is held between the top two candidates to determine the party's nominee.

Proportional Representation:

a voting system in which political parties are allocated legislative seats based on the percentage of votes they receive in an election. This system aims to ensure that the distribution of seats in a legislative body reflects the overall vote share of each party.

Prospective Voting

type of voting that occurs when voters make decisions based on the future policies and promises of candidates rather than solely on past performance or current conditions.

Rational Choice Voting:

a theory that suggests voters make decisions based on a rational analysis of their self-interest, weighing the costs and benefits of different candidates or policies.

Recall:

a procedure that allows voters to remove an elected official from office before their term is complete. This process typically involves collecting signatures on a petition and holding a special election.

Retrospective Voting:

occurs when voters base their decisions on the incumbent candidate's past performance or the current state of affairs rather than future promises.

Selective Perception:

refers to the tendency of individuals to interpret information in a way that aligns with their preexisting beliefs or biases, often leading them to discount or ignore information that contradicts their views.

Super Tuesday:

is a day during the presidential primary season when a large number of states hold their primary elections or caucuses. This day is significant because it can heavily influence the trajectory of the nomination process due to the high number of delegates at stake.

Super PACs: Superdelegate:

are independent expenditure committees that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to support or oppose political candidates, as long as they do not coordinate directly with the candidates' campaigns.

Superdelegate:

an unpledged delegate to the Democratic National Convention who is typically a party leader or elected official. Superdelegates are not bound by the results of primary elections or caucuses and can support any candidate of their choosing.

Swing Voter:

an individual who is not firmly aligned with any political party and may switch their support between candidates or parties in different elections.

Voting Rights Act (1965):

a landmark piece of legislation that aimed to overcome legal barriers, such as literacy tests and poll taxes, that prevented African Americans and other minority groups from exercising their right to vote. It also authorized federal oversight of election practices in states with a history of discrimination.

White Primary:

efers to the discriminatory practice, primarily in the southern United States before the mid-20th century, of allowing only white voters to participate in primary elections, excluding African American voters.

Winner-Take-All System

the candidate who receives the most votes in an election (such as a presidential election in certain states) receives all of the electoral votes or delegates, rather than a proportional allocation based on the vote share

Anti-Federalist/Federalist Party:

The Anti-Federalists were a political group that opposed the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in the late 18th century, arguing for stronger state governments and expressing concerns about the powers of the federal government. The Federalists, on the other hand, supported the Constitution and advocated for a strong central government.

Coalition:

a temporary alliance or partnership between different groups or individuals who come together to achieve a common goal or objective, often in politics or advocacy.

Dealignment:

a trend where voters become less attached to a particular political party and are more likely to identify as independents or switch between parties, leading to a weakening of traditional party loyalty.

Democratic-Republican Party:

one of the early political parties in the United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. It advocated for states' rights, limited federal government power, and agrarian interests.

Divided government:

when different political parties control the executive branch (such as the presidency) and the legislative branch (such as Congress), leading to potential conflicts and challenges in passing legislation.

Faction:

A faction refers to a group within a larger organization or political party that has distinct interests or beliefs, sometimes leading to internal divisions or conflicts.

Grassroots organizing:

this involves mobilizing support and activism from the local level, often starting with ordinary citizens and community groups rather than relying solely on established political or organizational structures.

Initiative

a process by which citizens can propose new laws or changes to existing laws through a petition and subsequent vote, bypassing the usual legislative process.

Multi-party system:

a political system where multiple parties compete for power and representation, often leading to coalition governments and a diversity of political viewpoints.

National Chairperson:

the leader of a political party at the national level, responsible for overseeing party operations, strategy, and coordination.

National Committee (Democratic & Republican):

is a group that manages the party's affairs at the national level, including fundraising, organizing conventions, and supporting candidates.

National Convention:

a gathering of delegates from a political party to nominate candidates for president and vice president, adopt a party platform, and conduct party business.

Partisan/bi-partisan:

refers to a strong allegiance or support for a particular political party or ideology. Bipartisan refers to cooperation or agreement between members of different political parties.

Party identification:

refers to an individual's psychological attachment or allegiance to a particular political party, often influencing their voting behavior and political views.

Party realignment:

refers to a significant shift in the political landscape where new issues, demographics, or alignments lead to changes in party coalitions and voter loyalties.

Patronage/spoils system:

involves the practice of rewarding loyal supporters with government appointments or benefits, often used in political appointments or hiring.

Political Machine:

a highly organized and often corrupt political group that uses patronage, influence, and control over resources to maintain power and influence elections

Political Party:

is an organized group of individuals with similar political beliefs and goals, seeking to influence government policies, promote candidates for office, and represent their constituents.

Recall

is a process by which voters can remove an elected official from office before their term is completed, typically through a special election.

Referendum

is a direct vote by the electorate on a specific policy issue or law, often initiated by the government or through a citizen petition.

Single Party System:

A political system where only one political party is legally allowed to hold power, often associated with authoritarian or totalitarian regimes.

Split/straight ticket voting

voting refers to casting votes for candidates of different political parties in the same election, while straight ticket voting means voting for all candidates from the same party.

Solid South:

Refers historically to the domination of the Democratic Party in the southern United States, particularly after the Civil War until the mid-20th century.

Third party:

A political party other than the two major parties (Republican and Democratic) that has the potential to influence elections and policies but often faces challenges due to the two-party system's dominance.

Truncated government:

A situation where the executive branch lacks control over legislative affairs due to divided government or other factors limiting its power.

Two-Party System:

A political system where two major parties dominate the electoral landscape and hold most of the political power.

Amicus curiae briefs:

Legal documents filed by non-parties (such as interest groups or individuals) with an interest in a case to provide additional information or arguments to the court.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976):

A Supreme Court case that upheld certain limits on campaign contributions but also ruled that spending money on one's campaign is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010):

A Supreme Court case that allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns, leading to the rise of Super PACs and increased influence of money in politics.

Electioneering:

Activities aimed at influencing voters' decisions during an election, including advertising, campaigning, and outreach efforts.

Free rider problem:

A situation where individuals benefit from collective actions (such as advocacy by an interest group) without contributing to the effort, leading to a lack of incentive for individual participation.

Hyperpluralism:

A theory suggesting that the proliferation of interest groups and their influence leads to government dysfunction and policy gridlock.

Interest Group

An organization that seeks to influence government policies and decisions on behalf of its members or a particular cause.

Iron Triangle (issue network):

A close relationship between a government agency, interest group, and congressional committee that often leads to policy influence and mutual benefit.

Litigation:

The process of resolving legal disputes through the court system, including lawsuits filed by individuals, organizations, or interest groups.

Lobby/lobbyist:

to seek to influence politicians or government officials on specific issues, often through direct communication and persuasion; a lobbyist is someone who engages in lobbying activities.

Lobbying Disclosure Act (1995):

Legislation that requires lobbyists to register with the federal government and disclose their activities and expenditures.

Pluralism

: A political theory that emphasizes the diversity of interest groups and their ability to compete for influence, leading to balanced policy outcomes.

Political Action Committees (PACs):

Organizations that raise and spend money to support or oppose political candidates or issues, subject to campaign finance regulations.

Revolving door:

The movement of individuals between government positions and roles in the private sector, sometimes raising concerns about conflicts of interest or undue influence.