AP Gov Ch 12 - Political Engagement and Voting Rights

1. Americans With Disabilities Act (1990)

A federal civil rights law that bans disability-based
discrimination in public life (jobs, schools, government services, and public accommodations).

2. Political Participation

Any action by citizens meant to influence government or politics.

3. Voting-Age Population (VAP)

The number of people 18 and older living in an area.

4. Voting-Eligible Population (VEP)

The number of people who are legally eligible to vote, usually
calculated by taking VAP and subtracting non-citizens and ineligible felons.

5. Voter Turnout as % of Registered Voters

A turnout measure that compares how many people
voted to how many were registered.

6. Federalism and Voting

The Constitution sets up shared power between national and state governments regarding voting rules.

7. Article I (Elections Clause)

The Constitution gives state legislatures primary control over the 'Times, Places and Manner' of congressional elections.

8. 10th Amendment

Powers not given to the federal government are reserved to states/people.

9. 12th Amendment

Created seperate ballots for President and VP.

10. 14th Amendment

Defines citizenship, requires due process and equal protection.

11. 15th Amendment

The federal government and states cannot deny voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

12. 17th Amendment

Established direct election of U.S. Senators by voters.

13. 19th Amendment

Prohibits denying the right to vote based on sex.

14. 23rd Amendment

Gave Washington, D.C. the right to appoint electors for President/VP.

15. 24th Amendment

Banned poll taxes in federal elections.

16. 26th Amendment

Lowered the voting age to 18 nationwide.

17. Complete Activists

People who are highly engaged in many political activities.

18. Voting Specialists

People who reliably vote but usually do little else.

19. Campaigners

People who are active in politics mostly through campaign-related activities. Usually partisan.

20. Communalists

People active in community life and may sometimes get involved politically. Usually nonpartisan.

21. Parochial Participants

People who are generally inactive in politics except for issues that directly impact them.

22. Completely inactive

People who do no political participation at all.

23. Reasons for Nonvoting

low political efficacy, low political interest/knowledge, registration barriers, time/cost barriers, disillusionment, structural barriers, and legal barriers.

24. Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV)

Strategies used to increase turnout, especially among likely supporters.

25. Rational Choice Model

Citizens vote based on values and interests.

26. Prospective Model

Voting based on future predictions of how candidates/parties will perform.

27. Retrospective Model

Voting based on the past- 'How have the incumbents done?'

28. Party-Line Voting Model

Voting primarily based on party identification rather than individual candidate traits. Aka "straight ticket" voting.

29. Jacksonian Democracy

A period emphasizing expanded participation for the 'common man'—especially expanding voting rights for white men.

30. Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)

Prevents people of Chinese ancestry from becoming citizens, therefore
eliminating their right to vote.

31. Australian ballot

The government-printed secret ballot that reduced bribery and intimidation.

32. Indian Citizenship Act (1924)

Granted U.S. citizenship to all Native Americans born in the United States.

33. Guinn and Beall v. U.S. (1915)

The Supreme Court struck down 'grandfather clauses' used to bypass the 15th Amendment.

34. Smith v. Allwright (1944)

The Court ruled the 'white primary' unconstitutional, stating it violated the Constitution.

35. Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA)

A landmark federal law removing restrictions that kept African
Americans from voting (loopholes like literacy tests). Authorized federal voter registrars to observe counties with high levels of discrimination.

36. Extensions/updates (1975, 1982, 1992, 2006)

The VRA was repeatedly renewed, strengthening protections and expanding language assistance.

37. National Voter Registration Act (Motor-Voter Bill) (1993)

Law that encouraged people to register to vote when they applying for or renewing their drivers license.

38. Help America Vote Act (HAVA) (2002)

Law creating federal agency for election info and providing money for the modernization of election technology.

39. Factors Influencing Who Votes

Age, gender, race/ethnicity, SES, religion, etc. influence voting
patterns.

40. Barriers to Voting

Anything that increases the 'cost' of voting can reduce turnout. Disability, lack of resources, complicated registration process, strict ID laws, etc.

41. Florida Amendment 4

A 2018 amendment that restored voting rights to many people with felony convictions.

42. Expansive and Restrictive 2025 Voting Laws

Series of state laws with primary focus on decreasing election fraud but some expansions of voting rights. Includes increasing voter list maintenance, eliminating mail-in ballots, increasing ID requirements etc.

43. Solutions for low voter turnout

Automatic registration, no-fault mail in ballots, looser ID laws,
making election day a national holiday, GOTV campaigns.

44. National Election Day Holiday

Making Election Day a federal holiday to reduce time/work barriers.

45. Early Voting

Allowing voting before Election Day to reduce lines and increase convenience.

46. Absentee Voting

Voting by mail when you can't vote on Election Day. Requires an excuse.

47. Mail Voting

Voting by ballot sent and returned by mail, with varying state rules. Usually does not require excuse (no fault).

48. Shelby County v. Holder

SCOTUS case that decided changes to state/local voting legislation no longer need to be cleared by fed gov. Struck down Section 4 of VRA which determined preclearance formula, making VRA
nearly impossible to enforce