AP U.S. Government Unit 5: Voting, Elections & Campaigns

What does the 15th Amendment address?

It prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on race, specifically for African American men.

What does the 19th Amendment guarantee?

It grants women the right to vote, regardless of race.

What is the significance of the 23rd Amendment?

It grants electoral votes to Washington D.C.

What does the 24th Amendment prohibit?

It prohibits poll taxes in federal elections.

What age group does the 26th Amendment allow to vote?

It allows 18-year-olds to vote.

What is rational choice theory in voting?

It suggests voters choose candidates that represent the greatest benefit to themselves or a broader group.

What is retrospective voting?

It evaluates how successful an incumbent has been in office and the party's performance.

What is prospective voting?

It focuses on which candidate will have the greatest impact on voters' lives in the future.

What does party-line voting indicate?

It shows alignment with one's political party, as seen in the 2020 exit polls.

What is the incumbent advantage?

Incumbents have a high re-election rate, with 96.6% in the House and 88% in the Senate.

What are the three basic strategies of election campaigns?

Candidate-centered strategy, issue-oriented strategy, and image-oriented strategy.

What is the Electoral College?

A group of people chosen in each state to elect the President, requiring 270 votes to win.

What is a primary election?

A preliminary election within a political party to nominate candidates for public office.

What is the difference between a closed primary and an open primary?

A closed primary requires participants to be party members, while an open primary allows any voter to participate.

What is a Political Action Committee (PAC)?

Organizations that raise and spend money to elect or defeat political candidates.

What is the total number of electoral votes?

There are 538 total electoral votes, with 270 needed to win.

What is the winner-takes-all system in the Electoral College?

All electoral votes go to the candidate who wins the majority in a state, except in Maine and Nebraska.

What was the outcome of the 2000 election?

George W. Bush won the electoral votes despite losing the popular vote by 537 votes.

What factors influence voter choice?

Factors include party identification, candidate personality, moral character, and economic conditions.

What is the role of incumbents in elections?

Incumbents are current officeholders who often have advantages in re-election campaigns.

What is the significance of the 2020 exit polls?

They showed a high percentage of party-line voting, with 94% of Democrats voting for Biden and 92% of Republicans for Trump.

What was the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)?

Legislation enacted to regulate campaign spending, with 1972 enforcement seeing $88.9 million spent compared to $8.5 million in 1968.

What did the 1974 amendments to FECA create?

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) to enforce campaign finance laws.

What is the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act?

Legislation aimed at reforming campaign finance and regulating political advertising and contributions.

What are the rules governing Super PACs?

They cannot give money directly to candidates, cannot coordinate with candidates, and must disclose their contribution amounts.

What was the ruling in Citizens United v. FEC?

The Supreme Court ruled that restrictions on independent corporate expenditures violate the 1st Amendment, equating money with speech.