Chapter 7 Test AP GOV

Why is voter registration important?

It prevents people from voting more than once or claiming to be someone else when they vote.

Why are voting restrictions bad?

Can limit voter turnout

How does/did the government limit voter turnout?

poll taxes, literacy tests, violence

What is the grandfather clause?

Laws that stated that if a voter's farther or grandfather had been eligible to vote on January 1st, 1867 the voter did not have to take a literacy test.

What did the 24th amendment do?

outlawed poll taxes

What is the VRA and what do they do?

Voting Rights Act in 1965. Protects rights of minority voters by denying state laws based on race.

What is Shelby County v Holder

Removed the state requirement to have federal preclearance before changing voting laws

Was the change under VRA positive?

Yes, voting registration in black voters jumped 40-50+% higher.

How are states currently limiting voting methods?

photo ID, specific day to vote, in person

Why do some states dislike online voting?

It can cost 250-750k to implement and increases chance of online fraud.

What is the residency requirement?

how long a citizen must live in a state to vote

National Voter Registration Bill ("Motor Voter Act"), 1993

allows people to register to vote when they get their driving license

Phantom Voters

when people who move/die but are still registered to a state

What did the Help America Vote Act of 2002 do?

replace punchcard and lever-based voting systems; create the Election Assistance Commission to assist in the administration of federal elections; and. establish minimum election administration standards

Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program

program that allows states to check for duplicate registrations in different locations

What is the purpose for The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program?

enables federal, state, local government agencies and licensing bureaus to obtain immigration status information needed to determine a noncitizen applicant's eligibility for many public benefits.

What are some of the requirements a person needs to vote?

Over 18, not in jail (sometimes can't ever be in jail), other state-specific laws)

white primary

the practice of keeping black people from voting in the southern states' primaries through arbitrary use of registration requirements and intimidation

Under which case were white primaries declared unconstitutional?

Smith v Allwright in 1949

How does one calculate voter turnout?

Calculate how many people voted over how many people COULD have voted

What are some factors influencing the voter turnout?

Age, income, education, gender, race

What does the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) do?

advocate for low- and moderate-income families by working on neighborhood safety, voter registration, health care, affordable housing, and other social issues

What are some groups trying to encourage younger age voter turnout?

When We All Vote, Rock the Vote

What decreases voter turnout?

The polls are only on election day (some people can't take the day off), negative stories about the candidates, lack of knowledge, apathy, being a chronic minority, and voter fatigue

Why are photo ID laws difficult?

Texas doesn't allow student IDs as a proper ID, not everyone has a photo ID, the IDs have to have specific information or you are denied the ability to vote

What is the Tillman Act?

banned corporations from giving money to politicians

What is the Federal Elections Campaign Act?

Candidates have to report how much they are spending on their campaigns

What is the Federal Elections Committee?

enforces election laws

Buckley v. Valeo

A case in which the Supreme Court of the United States upheld federal limits on campaign contributions and ruled that spending money to influence elections is a form of constitutionally protected free speech. The court also stated candidates can give unlimited amounts of money to their own campaigns.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold Act)

requires ads to have a personal endorsed message, restricts money given to parties, blocks ads 30 days before a primary and 60 days before a general election

McConnell v. FEC

the supreme court upheld all major elements of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, including those permitted regulation of soft money and issue ads.

Citizens United v. FEC

A 2010 decision by the United States Supreme Court holding that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts can't be limited. started the. formation of Super PACS.

What are the campaign contribution limitations? Individual

Individuals can donate 2900 per candidate per election, 5000 to PACS, and 36500 to parties

What are the campaign contribution limitations? PACs

5000 per candidate, 15000 nationally

Why did Citizens United challenge BCRA

Citizens United wanted to release a film about Clinton, but it would fall within the NO ADs timeframe.

Why is the Iowa Caucus important?

The first big thing in the elections and can give the winner huge publicity.

Why are caucuses less common than primaries?

it takes 2-3 days, is transparent, and intimidating for less-experiences voters

When do national elections hold primaries?

March and later. Only Iwoa, New Hampshire, and South Caroline hold theirs in January or February.

Why is frontloading important

Helps leading candidate win by eliminating time for voters to be swayed, secondly helps the candidate who won the "invisible primary" (Spent more money)

How do parties prevent frontloading?

Offering extra delegates to states with later nominations

What are conventions?

Held between June-September and last 4-5 days. That is when candidates introduce their platform.

Permanent Apportionment Act of 1929

-caps house at 435: one of the other states has to lose a seat
-creates a zero sum game
-no one can win something unless all others lose
-fixed outcome

What happens if their is a tie in the presidential election?

If their is a presidential tie, the House decides the president

What is political efficacy

the citizens' faith and trust in government and their belief that they can understand and influence political affairs

What is civic duty?

the idea that citizens have a responsibility to help their country

Why are civic duty and political efficacy important?

the lack or have of it determines voter turnout

What are the three primaries?

blanket, closed, and open

what is soft news

A soft news story tries instead to entertain or advise the reader. You may have come across newspaper or TV stories that promise "news you can use." Examples might be tips on how to stretch properly before exercising, or what to look for when buying a new computer.

How are online ads presented

via social media or under search engines

what happens to non-partisan candidates if you straight ticket vote?

they will not receive any votes

What is retrospective voting?

voting based on the past performance of a candidate

What is pocketbook voting?

applying incumbent past behavior to predict the future

What is strategy voting

Voting for the 2nd or 3rd choice to waste votes or prevent another candidate from winning

What is the incumbent's franking privilege

Incumbent is allowed to send a certain amount of free mail to district voters

Why is gerrymandering so controversial?

Gerrymandering or drawing district lines to achieve favorable political results for one political party

Other than the presidential election, US elections follow the plurality vote system. What is that?

It means that in most elections, you only need past 50% of the votes to win

Why was the 1968 Democratic National Convention significant?

It formed the McGovern-Fraiser Commission