Political Participation and Voting Rights

A set of flashcards covering key concepts related to political participation, voting rights, and the electoral process.

political participation

The different ways in which individuals take action to shape the laws and policies of a government.

linkage institution

Channels that provide a way for individuals to communicate their preferences to policymakers, including elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

social movement

People who come together for a common purpose or goal of making social and political change and placing issues on the policy agenda.

Fifteenth Amendment

Prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Nineteenth Amendment

Prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on sex.

Twenty-sixth Amendment

Prohibits the denial of the right to vote to citizens 18 years old or older based on age.

franchise

The right to vote.

rational choice voting

Voting based on what a citizen perceives to be in their best interest.

retrospective voting

Deciding whether a candidate should be reelected based on their recent past performance.

prospective voting

Voting based on predictions of how a party or candidate will perform in the future.

party line voting

Voting for all of the candidates on the ballot from one political party for all public offices at the same level of government.

voter turnout

The number of eligible voters who participate in an election as a percentage of the total number of eligible voters.

political efficacy

A person’s belief that an individual’s participation in the political process will make a difference.

political mobilization

Efforts by political parties to encourage their members to vote.

Electoral College

A constitutionally required process for selecting the president through slates of electors chosen in each state.

winner-take-all system

A system of elections in which the candidate who wins the plurality of votes within a state receives all of that state’s votes in the Electoral College.

super PAC

An organization that may spend an unlimited amount of money on a political campaign, as long as the spending is not coordinated with a campaign.

political action committee

An organization that raises money to elect and defeat candidates and may donate money directly to a candidate’s campaign, subject to limits.

demographic characteristics

Measurable characteristics of a population, such as economic status, education, age, race, or ethnicity, and gender.