Civics: Political Process, Voting, Elections, and Political Parties

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering the civics unit on voting, elections, political parties, the Electoral College, media influence, and campaign finance.

Primaries

Elections held before the General Election to select the candidate who will run for a specific political party.

General Election

The final election where voters typically choose between the Democratic and Republican candidates.

Virginia Voter Registration Requirements

The eligibility criteria requiring an individual to be at least $18$ years old, a US citizen, and a resident of Virginia, with registration completed $11$ days before the election.

12th Amendment

Constitutional amendment establishing that the presidential candidate selects a running partner to serve as their Vice President if elected.

15th Amendment

Constitutional amendment establishing popular sovereignty by granting all men the right to vote regardless of race.

19th Amendment

Constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote by specifying that anyone can vote regardless of gender.

23rd Amendment

Constitutional amendment granting Washington, D.C. $3$ Electoral votes, enabling its residents to vote for President.

24th Amendment

Constitutional amendment eliminating poll taxes, ensuring citizens do not have to pay money to vote.

26th Amendment

Constitutional amendment that officially lowered the voting age to $18$.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Federal legislation that removed several barriers to voting, such as literacy tests.

Political Party

An organized group of people sharing beliefs on how the government should be run, whose primary goals are winning elections and shaping public policy.

Democrats

A major US political party represented by the color blue and a donkey symbol, positioned on the liberal left of the political spectrum, favoring general welfare programs, civil rights, education, and equality.

Republicans

A major US political party represented by the color red and an elephant symbol, positioned on the conservative right of the political spectrum, favoring fewer economic restrictions, lower taxes, and stricter immigration.

Third Parties

Any political party in the US that is not Democrat or Republican; while they have never won the presidency, they place social pressure on the government to incorporate their ideas into public policy.

Independent

A political status indicating that an individual has no political party affiliation.

Liberal

The ideology associated with the left side of the political spectrum, encompassing Democrats and certain third parties.

Conservative

The ideology associated with the right side of the political spectrum, encompassing Republicans and certain third parties.

Senate

The upper house of Congress where every state is represented equally by two Senators.

House of Representatives

The lower house of Congress where representation is allocated according to each state's population.

Electoral College

The constitutional body that determines the winner of the presidential election, requiring a candidate to earn at least $270$ electoral votes to win.

Winner-Take-All System

A method used in most states where the presidential candidate who receives the majority of the popular vote wins all of that state's electoral votes, while the opposing candidate receives zero.

Swing State

A state that does not consistently vote for one political party and alternates between voting Democratic and Republican (e.g., Pennsylvania, Michigan).

Safe State

A state that almost always votes for a specific political party in presidential elections (e.g., California for Democrats, Texas for Republicans).

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An organization formed to raise and spend money to support or oppose political candidates or issues aligned with its values.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

A landmark Supreme Court case ruling that election spending constitutes free speech and that corporations possess free speech rights like people, eliminating spending limits against opposing candidates.