AP US Government and Politics Unit 5

15th Amendment

Extended suffrage to African American men.

17th Amendment

Established the popular election of United States senators as opposed to the selection by state legislatures.

19th Amendment

Extended suffrage to women.

24th Amendment

Declared poll taxes illegal in federal elections.

26th Amendment

Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Designed to help end formal and informal barriers to African American suffrage.

National Voter Registration Act of 1993

Made it easier for voters to register to vote by requiring states to allow citizens to register when applying for or renewing their driver’s license. This is also called the Motor Voter Act,

Rational Choice Voting

Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen’s individual interest.

Retrospective Voting

Voting to decide whether the party or candidate will perform in the future.

Party-Line Voting

Supporting a party by voting for candidates from one for all political offices at the same level of government.

Poll Tax

A fixed sum tax payable by all relevant individuals, such as all residents of a state; used historically by some US states as a precondition to registering to vote in order to discourage certain groups from participation.

Compulsory Voting Laws

Require citizens to register and vote in local and nation elections.

Midterm Elections

The congressional elections that occur in even-numbered years between presidential elections, in the middle of each presidential term.

Political Efficacy

A citizen’s belief that their vote matters and can influence government policies.

Presidential Elections

Take place ever four years and determine the president and vice-president.

Voter Registration

A requirement that eligible voters enroll on an electoral roll before they can vote.

Voter Turnout

The number of registered voters who vote in an election. State laws influence voter turnout. Policies make it more difficult to vote or more easy to vote.

Demographics

The characteristics of a population like age, race, and education. Political scientists use demographic information to study changes in the makeup of a population.

Linkage Institutions

Groups in society that connect people to the government and facilitate turning the people’s concerns into political issues on the government’s policy agenda such as the media, interest groups, political parties, and elections.

Political Party

An organization of people with similar political ideologies that seeks to influence public policy by getting its candidates elected.

Party Organization

The structure of national, state, and local parties that creates a platform, recruits candidates, manages candidates’ campaigns by providing a fundraising and media strategy, and educates and mobilizes voters.

Party in Government

Consists of the party’s elected officials who propose, debate, vote on, and sign legislation that meets the party’s platform goals.

Party in the Electorate

Composed of all citizens who identify with that party; it mobilizes voter turnout and donates to candidate’s campaigns.

Party Platform

A list of goals outlining a party’s positions on issues and political priorities.

Campaign Finance

Funds raised to promote candidates, political parties, or policy initiatives. There are complex laws regulating who can contribute to campaigns and ow much they can contribute.

Candidate-Centered Campaigns

Political campaigns that focus on the candidates for office—their personalities and issues—rather than the parties they represent. Since the 1930s, candidate-centered campaigns have predominated in American politics.

Critical Election

An election that leads to a majority party realignment. After the critical election, a number of key supporters of one party switch to another party.

Dealignment

The process by which an individual loses his or her loyalty to a political party without developing loyalty to another party.

Realignment

A major change in the composition of party coalitions, often brought on by a new or pressing issue like economic trouble or war. The Great Depression led many African Americans to leave the Republican Party for the Democratic Party.

Micro-Targeting

The growing practice of using computer models to identify voters who might support a candidate. Campaigns pay firms to mine consumer data, census records, and voting behavior in order to supply them with names of potential voters.

Political Machine

A party organization with the goal of enriching party leaders, party workers, and citizen supporters through government contracts and jobs.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An organization, usually representing an interest group or corporation that raises money with the goal of supporting or defeating candidates, parties, or legislation. There are limits to the amount of money a PAC can donate to a candidate or party in each election.

Super PAC

Also called an independent expenditure-only committee, may raise unlimited funds in support of a candidate or party as long as they do not coordinate in any way with the candidate or party.

Independent Candidate

Candidate for office who does not have a formal affiliation with a political party.

Party Platform

A set of goals supported by a political party. Parties design their platforms to appeal to the concerns of the public and to encourage voters to support the party.

Proportional System

An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded in proportions to the percentage of votes garnered by a party in an election. This system is common in Europe and benefits minor political parties, who may win a small number of legislative seats even if a mainstream party wins most seats.

Third Party

A US political party other than the two major parties (the Republican Party and the Democratic Party). Third parties rarely win elections in the United States, but frequently influence national politics by drawing attention to issues previously neglected by the major parties.

Two-Party System

An electoral system in which two major parties dominate voting at all levels of government.

Winner-Takes-All System

An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the party who received the most votes in an election. This is the most common system in the United States, and it does not benefit minor political parties, since third-party candidates rarely win the majority of votes in an election.

Free Rider Problem

A problem of group behavior that occurs when an individual can receive a public benefit without making a personal contribution of money or effort. For example, a person might listen to public radio but never contribute to the station, assuming that other doners will pay to keep it operating.

Interest Group

A formal or informal association of people seeking to influence governmental policy in favor of their interests. Interest groups may represent social causes, economic and corporate interests, or religious and ideological interests.

Iron Triangle

A longstanding, mutually-beneficial relationship between an interest group, congressional committee, and bureaucratic agency devoted to similar issues. For example, the American Association of Retired Persons, the Congressional Subcommittee on Aging, and the Social Security Administration all work closely together on issues related to senior citizens.

Issue Network

A group of mass media, local government, interest groups, bureaucratic agencies, universities, and congressional committees that unite to promote a common cause, usually a proposed public policy that they wish to support or defeat.

Lobbying

Seeking to influence a public official on an issue. An interest group with a particular agenda may be known as its lobby.

Direct Lobbying

An interest group’s attempt to influence policy by speaking directly with bureaucrats or elected officials.

Inside Strategies

Interest group attempts to influence policy by working within Washington DC. This includes strategies like direct lobbying, drafting pieces of legislation for elected officials, and suing the government.

Outside Strategies

Interest group attempts to influence policy outside of Washington DC by using strategies like campaign contributions, media coverage, or encouraging constituents to contact their elected officials.

Protest Movement

A group that brings attention to a social problem through public demonstrations or other forms of direct action.

Salience

The degree to which the general public is aware of a policy issue. Policymakers are less likely to accommodate the demands of interest groups on issues with high salience, like gun rights or abortion rights, as they risk alienating voters.

Single Issue Group

An interest group devoted to one particular issue rather than a large category of interests. For example, the National Rifle Association (NRA) opposes gun regulations.

Social Movements

Groups that work to bring about change in society, such as the Civil Rights Movement or the Environmental Movement. These groups support policies and elected officials that align with their beliefs.

Caucus

A meeting in a voting precinct at which party members choose nominees for political office after hours of speeches and debates. Caucuses tend to promote the views of dedicated party members since participating requires a large time commitment.

Closed Primary

A primary election limited to only registered members of a political party. For example, in a state with closed primaries, only registered Democrats can vote in the Democratic primary to choose candidates for local, state, and national office.

Open Primary

A primary election that is not limited to registered party members. For example, in a state with open primaries, independent voters or Republicans can vote in the Democratic primary to choose candidates for local, state, and national office.

Electoral College

A group of electors chosen by each state to formally vote on the next US president based on the result of voting in the state.

General Election

An election that decides which candidate will fill an elective.

Incumbency Advantage

The tendency of incumbents (officials already holding a political office) to win reelection. The incumbents have advantages in media exposure, fundraising, and staff.

Party Convention

A meeting of delegates from one political party to vote on policy and select party candidates for public office.

Popular Vote

The total or percentage of votes won by each candidate.

Primary Election

An election that decides which candidate a party will send on to a general election. Primary elections pit candidates from the same party against one another.

Winner Takes All

An electoral system in which the candidate with the most votes is elected or, in the case of the US Electoral College, gains all the votes of a state or district’s electors.

Midterm Election

An election that takes place in the middle of a presidential term. Midterm elections tend to have much lower voter turnout that presidential elections and often result in the loss of congressional seats for the president’s party.

Campaign Finance

The fundraising to support a candidate to run for political office.

Political Consultants

People who promote the election of candidates for political office by helping advise them on how to best present their ideas to the public.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

Banned soft money and reduced attack ads.

Stand by Your Ad Provision

Part of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act and required ads used to support or oppose a candidate to include this line: “I’m [candidate’s name] and I approve this message.”

Soft Money

Money spent in support of a candidate without directly donating to their campaign, such as paying for ads or campaign events, or giving to the candidate’s party.

Hard Money

Cash contributed directly to a political candidate that may only come from a PAC and follow rules set by the FEC.

Citizens United v. FEC

A Supreme Court case which ruled that political spending by corporations, associations, and labor unions is a form of protected speech under the 1st Amendment. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United and similar cases have reduced the limits on campaign contributions, encourages the creation of Super PACs, and increased debate over the role money can and should play in elections.

Horse Race Journalism

Focuses on who is winning or ahead in the polls rather than on candidates’ policy agenda or debates.

Investigative Journalism

Deep, original investigation on a specific topic, often conducted over a long period of time and sometimes involving the exposure of secret information.

Media as a Gatekeeper

Indicates the media’s role in setting the political agenda by drawing public and government attention to certain issues.

Agenda Setting

The way the media influences what issues the public considers important enough to address through the government.

Citizen Journalist

A person who reports on current events who is not trained in journalism or affiliated with a news outlet. Social media and smartphones have facilitated the rise of citizen journalists.

Framing

The way the media defines and portrays an issue, which affects public perception of that issue.

Ideologically Oriented Programming

TV and radio news programs that cater to audiences with a particular ideological perspective.

Media Consolidation

The process by which a few large companies have acquired the majority of news sources in the United States.

Partisan News Sites

Websites and blogs that cater to audiences with a particular ideological perspective.