unit 5 apgov

Linkage Institutions

Channels that connect individuals with government, including elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

Franchise

The right to vote.

26th Amendment

Allows 18-year-olds and older to vote.

24th Amendment

Prohibits Congress from imposing poll taxes as a condition for voting in federal elections.

Voter Turnout

The percentage of eligible voters who participate in an election.

SES (Socioeconomic Status)

A measure of an individual's wealth, income, occupation, and educational attainment.

GOTV

Get out the vote; efforts to mobilize supporters.

Rational Choice Voting

Voting based on what a citizen believes is in their best interest.

Retrospective Voting

Voting based on an assessment of an incumbent's past performance.

Prospective Voting

Casting a ballot for a candidate promising to enact favored policies in the future.

Party-Line Voting

Voting for candidates who belong only to one political party for all offices on the ballot.

Electoral College

A constitutionally required process for selecting the president through states of electors pledged to vote for a nominee.

Winner-Take-All System

A system where the candidate who wins the plurality of votes within a state receives all of that state's votes in the electoral college.

Swing State

A state where levels of support for the parties are similar and elections swing back and forth between Democrats and Republicans.

Open Primary

A primary election in which all eligible voters may vote, regardless of party affiliation.

Closed Primary

A primary election in which only registered party members may vote.

Caucus

A process where a state’s eligible voters meet to select delegates for the nomination process.

Proportional Representation System

An election system for a legislature where citizens vote for parties and parties are represented according to the percentage of the vote they receive.

Single-Member Plurality System

An election system for choosing members of the legislature where the winner is the candidate who receives the most votes.

Third Parties

Minor political parties competing with the two major parties.

Free Rider Problem

Individuals who enjoy collective goods and benefit from the actions of an interest group without joining.

Economic Interest Groups

Groups advocating on behalf of the financial interests of their members.

Public Interest Groups

Groups that act on behalf of the collective interests of a broad group of individuals.

Amicus Curiae Brief

A brief filed by someone who is not a party to a case to persuade the court.

Iron Triangles

The coordinated activities of the bureaucracy, Congress, and interest groups to achieve shared policy goals.

Selective Benefits

Benefits only available to those who join a group.

Agenda Setting

The media's ability to highlight certain issues and bring them to the attention of the public.

Horse-Race Journalism

Focuses on the competition between candidates rather than on policy issues.

Media Bias

Occurs when journalists' personal or organizational preferences influence news coverage.

Super PACs

Political action committees that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections, often supporting specific candidates.

Soft Money

Funds raised by political parties for general purposes, not directly for candidates, often used for party-building activities.

First Amendment

The constitutional amendment that protects freedoms concerning religion, expression, assembly, and the right to petition.

The Citizens United decision

was a landmark Supreme Court case that ruled that restrictions on independent political expenditures by corporations and unions violate the First Amendment.

campaign finance laws

regulate the funding of political campaigns and limit contributions to candidates and parties to ensure transparency and fairness in elections.

Incumbency advantage

refers to the benefits that current officeholders have over challengers in elections, such as name recognition, access to funding, and established voter relationships.

National convention

a gathering of party delegates to nominate a presidential candidate and establish the party platform.

party identification

the political party with which an individual aligns or identifies, influencing their voting behavior and political preferences.

party platform

a formal set of principles and policies adopted by a political party during its national convention, outlining its positions on various issues.

Political action committees (PACs)

organizations that raise and spend money to elect candidates or influence legislation, often representing specific interest groups.

Political efficacy

the belief that one's participation in politics can make a difference, influencing political engagement and voter turnout.

Rational-Choice Voting

a theory suggesting that voters make decisions based on their personal preferences and the perceived benefits of each candidate's policies.

14th amendment

An amendment to the US Constitution that grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States and ensures equal protection under the law.

17th amendment

An amendment to the US Constitution that established the direct election of United States Senators by popular vote.

15th amendment

An amendment to the US Constitution that prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude."

19th amendment

An amendment to the US Constitution that granted women the right to vote, prohibiting any U.S. citizen from being denied the right to vote on the basis of sex.

voting rights act of 1965

A landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It aimed to enforce the voting rights guaranteed by the 14th and 15th amendments.

straoght ticket voting

The practice of voting for all candidates of one party in an election.

functions of political parties

The roles that political parties play in the political system, including candidate nomination, voter mobilization, and policy formulation.

commerce clause

A constitutional provision granting Congress the power to regulate commerce among the states and with foreign nations, serving as a basis for federal legislative authority.