Voting Rights and Legislation

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key amendments, legislation, voting rights, and related terms discussed in the lecture.

Fifteenth Amendment

Prohibited states from denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude (1870).

Nineteenth Amendment

Guaranteed women the right to vote (1920).

Twenty-third Amendment

Granted residents of Washington, D.C. the right to vote for representatives in the Electoral College (1961).

Twenty-fourth Amendment

Abolished the poll tax in federal elections (1964).

Twenty-sixth Amendment

Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 (1971).

Literacy Test

A requirement that citizens pass a reading/writing test to vote, historically used in the South to disenfranchise African Americans.

Grandfather Clause

A rule that allowed poor/illiterate whites to vote if their ancestors had voted before 1867, while excluding Black voters.

White Primary

A practice in Southern states where only white voters could participate in primary elections; ruled unconstitutional in Smith v. Allwright.

Civil Rights Act of 1957

The first federal civil rights legislation since Reconstruction; established the Civil Rights Commission to investigate voter discrimination.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Broad legislation that prohibited unequal application of voter registration requirements.

Voting Rights Act (1965)

A landmark law that outlawed literacy tests and authorized federal oversight in areas with a history of discrimination.

Preclearance

A provision of the Voting Rights Act requiring certain states to get federal approval before changing their voting laws.

Australian Ballot

A secret ballot printed by the state to ensure privacy and reduce intimidation.

Absentee Ballot

A ballot completed and typically mailed by a voter who is unable to go to the polls.

Voter Registration

A system requiring voters to register prior to voting, intended to prevent fraud but often lowers turnout.

National Voter Registration Act (1993)

Often called the 'Motor Voter Act,' requires states to allow people to register to vote when applying for a driver's license.

Help America Vote Act (2002)

Passed after the 2000 election to modernize voting systems and mandate provisional ballots.

Precinct

The smallest unit of election administration; a local voting district.

Ward

A unit into which cities are often divided for election purposes; contains several precincts.

Polling Place

The physical location where voters in a specific precinct go to cast their ballots.

Electorate

All of the people in a country or area who are entitled to vote in an election.

Franchise / Suffrage

Both terms mean 'the right to vote.'

Political Efficacy

The belief that one's political participation matters—that one's vote can make a difference.

Voter Apathy

A lack of interest or concern regarding politics and voting.

Voter Turnout

The percentage of eligible voters who actually cast a ballot in an election.

Voting-Age Population

All residents age 18 and older, regardless of citizenship or felony status.

Party Identification

An informal and subjective affiliation with a political party.

Gender Gap

The consistent pattern where women are more likely to support Democrats and men Republicans.

Voting Blocs

Groups of voters that tend to vote together for a specific candidate or party.

Initiative

A process that permits voters to put legislative measures directly on the ballot.

Referendum

A procedure enabling voters to reject a measure passed by the legislature.

Recall

A procedure to remove an elected official from office before their term has expired.

Minor v. Happerset (1875)

A Supreme Court case ruling that the right of suffrage was not a privilege of citizenship, allowing states to deny women the vote.