Unit 5 AP Gov AMSCO Terms

Civil Rights Act of 1964

A law that banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin

Fifteenth Amendment (1870)

An amendment that prohibits denying the right to vote based on race

franchise/suffrage

The right to vote

grandfather clause

A rule that allowed people to vote only if their ancestors had voted, used to exclude Black voters

literacy test

A test used to restrict voting by requiring reading ability

Nineteenth Amendment (1920)

An amendment that gave women the right to vote

poll tax

A tax that had to be paid in order to vote, used to discourage poor voters

preclearance

A requirement that certain states get federal approval before changing voting laws

Seventeenth Amendment (1913)

An amendment that established the direct election of senators

suffrage/franchise

The right to vote

Twenty-fourth Amendment (1964)

An amendment that banned poll taxes in federal elections

Twenty-sixth Amendment (1971)

An amendment that lowered the voting age to 18

Twenty-third Amendment (1961)

An amendment that gave Washington, D.C. the right to vote in presidential elections

Voting Rights Act of 1965

A law that banned racial discrimination in voting and enforced the Fifteenth Amendment

white primary

A primary election that excluded Black voters from participating

electorate

All the people eligible to vote in an election

party identification

A person’s long-term loyalty to a political party

party-line voting model

Voting based on a person’s political party affiliation

prospective voting model

Voting based on how a candidate is expected to perform in the future

rational-choice voting model

Voting based on what is believed to be in one’s own best interest

retrospective voting model

Voting based on a candidate’s past performance

absentee ballot

A ballot completed and returned by a voter who is not present on election day

Australian ballot

A secret ballot printed by the government listing all candidates

Help America Vote Act (2002)

A law that improved voting systems and required states to update election procedures

midterm elections

Elections held in the middle of a president’s term

motor-voter law

A law that allows people to register to vote when getting a driver’s license

National Voter Registration Act (1993)

A law that made it easier to register to vote, including at government offices

precincts

Local voting districts

polling place

The location where people go to vote

provisional ballot

A ballot used when a voter’s eligibility is uncertain and is counted after verification

voter registration

The process of signing up to be eligible to vote

wards

Local election districts within a city

voter turnout

The percentage of eligible voters who actually vote

gender gap

The difference in political views and voting patterns between men and women

political efficacy

The belief that one’s participation in politics can make a difference

voter apathy

Lack of interest or motivation to participate in voting

voting blocs

Groups of voters who share similar views and vote in a similar way

voting-age population

All people who are old enough to vote

voting-eligible population

All people who are legally allowed to vote

Democratic Party

One of the two major political parties that generally supports a more active government

linkage institutions

Organizations that connect people to government such as parties, media, and interest groups

Republican Party

One of the two major political parties that generally supports limited government and free markets

Democratic National Committee (DNC)

The organization that manages the Democratic Party’s activities at the national level

national chairperson

The leader of a political party’s national committee

national convention

A meeting where a party selects its presidential candidate and adopts its platform

platform

A statement of a party’s beliefs and policy positions

Republican National Committee (RNC)

The organization that manages the Republican Party’s activities at the national level

robocalls

Automated phone calls used to deliver political messages

social media

Online platforms used to communicate and influence voters

war chest

Money raised by a candidate or party to fund campaigns

McGovern-Fraser Commission

A group that changed Democratic Party rules to make the nomination process more open and based on primaries

superdelegates

Party leaders and elected officials who can support any candidate at the convention without being bound to primary results

critical elections

Elections that cause a major shift in party support and create a new political alignment

Democrats

A major political party that generally supports a more active government

Democratic-Republicans

An early political party led by Thomas Jefferson that supported states’ rights

Jacksonian Democracy

A political movement led by Andrew Jackson that expanded voting rights to more white men

Jeffersonians

Supporters of Thomas Jefferson who favored limited government and states’ rights

divided government

A situation where different political parties control different branches of government

Grand Old Party (GOP)

Another name for the Republican Party

New Deal Coalition

A group of voters brought together by Franklin D. Roosevelt that supported Democrats for many years

party dealignment

A decline in party loyalty where more voters identify as independent

party realignment

A major shift in party support by voters

Whig Party

An early political party that opposed strong presidential power and supported Congress

economic-protest parties

Parties that form to protest economic conditions or policies

single-issue parties

Parties that focus on one specific issue

splinter parties

Parties that break away from a major party due to disagreement

third parties (minor parties)

Parties other than the two major parties that try to influence elections and policy

two-party system

A political system where two major parties dominate elections

winner-take-all voting

An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins all representation

ballot access

The process of getting a candidate’s name on the election ballot

ideological parties

Parties based on a set of beliefs about politics and policy

swing states

States where either major party has a good chance of winning

single-member districts

Districts that elect one representative to office

free-rider

rider

iron triangles

Close relationships between Congress, agencies, and interest groups that support each other

issue networks

Loose groups of individuals and organizations that come together around a policy issue

pluralism

The idea that many groups compete to influence government and policy

501 (c) (3)

A nonprofit organization that can engage in limited lobbying but cannot support or oppose candidates

501 (c) (4)

A nonprofit organization that can engage in lobbying and some political activities

direct lobbying

Attempting to influence lawmakers through direct contact

endorsement

Publicly supporting a candidate or policy

grassroots lobbying

Mobilizing the public to contact government officials

grasstops

Influencing policy through people with strong connections or influence

insider strategies

Working closely with lawmakers and officials to influence policy

lobbying

Attempting to influence government decisions

lobbyist

A person who represents an interest group and tries to influence policy

outsider strategies

Using public pressure, media, and protests to influence policy

ideological groups

Interest groups based on shared political beliefs or values

intergovernmental lobby

Groups that represent the interests of state and local governments

material incentives

Benefits like money or services offered to attract members

professional associations

Groups that represent people in a specific profession

public interest groups

Groups that promote the interests of the general public

purposive incentives

Benefits based on supporting a cause or belief

think tanks

Organizations that research and develop policy ideas

upper-class bias

The tendency for wealthier groups to have more influence in politics

bundling

Collecting contributions from many donors and giving them as one large donation

revolving door

The movement of people between government jobs and private sector lobbying

trade associations

Groups that represent businesses in a specific industry

Sixteenth Amendment (1913)

An amendment that allows the federal government to collect income tax

blanket primary

A primary where voters can choose candidates from different parties on the same ballot