AP U.S. Government & Politics - Unit 5: Political Participation Vocabulary

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from AP U.S. Government & Politics Unit 5: Political Participation.

Fifteenth Amendment

Extended suffrage to African-American men.

Seventeenth Amendment

Established the popular election of US Senators by the people.

Nineteenth Amendment

Extended suffrage to women.

Twenty-Fourth Amendment

Abolished poll taxes in federal elections.

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

Extended suffrage to people 18-20; lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation that made it easier for African-Americans to vote. Broke down barriers such as the poll tax and literacy tests.

National Voter Registration Act of 1993

Also known as the “Motor Voter Act,” made it easier for people to register to vote by being able to register when applying/renewing their driver’s license.

Rational-Choice Voting

Voting on what is in the citizen’s best interest.

Retrospective Voting

Voting based on a candidate’s past.

Prospective Voting

Voting based on a candidate’s future performance.

Party-Line Voting

Supporting a party by voting for all members of the political party.

Voter Turnout

Number of registered voters that vote in an election.

Compulsory Voting

Laws that require a citizen to register and vote in elections.

Political Efficacy

Belief that your vote matters and can influence policy; belief that our actions have an influence over the government.

Presidential Elections

Election for the President and Vice-President that occurs every four years.

Midterm Elections

Elections for Congress that occur during the middle of a President’s term.

Demographics

Characteristics of a population. Information is used to study the population.

Political Party

An organization of people with the same ideologies that influence public policy through elected officials.

Linkage Institutions

Informal organization that connects the people to the government and can influence the political agenda.

Campaign Finance

Funds raised to support various political positions (ie. candidates, political party, etc.) that are regulated/limited by laws.

Candidate-Centered Campaigns

Campaigns revolving around a candidate and their personality and political agenda rather than their party.

Critical Election

Election that leads to a major party realignment, where supporters of one party may switch to another.

Direct Primary

Process of voters choosing a candidate to represent their party in the Presidential election.

Dealignment

An individual loses interest or loyalty to their political party and does not realign with another party, becoming independent.

Realignment

An individual switches voter preference from one political party to another.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

Organization representing an interest group or corporation that raises money in support of their interest. There are limits on how much money a PAC can donate during an election.

Super PAC

“independent expenditure-only committee” that can raise unlimited funds for a candidate or party but cannot interact with those that funds are donated to.

Third Party

Minor party that are not the major parties (Republican & Democratic). They rarely win elections but tend to have an influence by drawing attention to specific issues.

Independent Candidate

Candidate for office with no formal affiliation to a party.

Proportional System

Political parties earn legislative seats proportional to the number of votes they receive during an election.

Two-Party System

Two-major parties dominate voting at all levels.

Winner-Take-All System

Legislative seats are awarded to the party that received the most votes during an election.

“Free Rider” Problem

An individual uses a service or receives benefits without making a personal contribution (money or time), assuming others will pay for that service.

Interest Groups

Formal or informal group of people with the same interests attempting to influence policy.

Iron Triangle

Relationship between congressional committees, federal bureaucracy, and interest groups that is mutually beneficial and maximizes gain over similar issues.

Iron Network

Group of people, interest groups, and public officials that rally around a specific issue/subject that they intend to support or defeat.

Lobbying

Seeking to influence a politician on a specific issue.

Direct Lobbying

Seeking to influence a politician on a specific issue by directly talking to bureaucrats or elected officials.

Protest Movement

Public demonstrations or direct actions that raise awareness and bring attention to an issue.

Social Movements

Groups that bring about and influence change in society (Ie. Civil Rights Movement).

Inside Strategies

Interest groups attempt to influence policy by working inside Washington D.C (Ie. direct lobbying and drafting legislation).

Outside Strategies

Interest groups attempt to influence policy by working outside Washington D.C (Ie. campaign contributions and reaching out to constituents).

Single-Issue Groups

Interest group devoted to a singular, specific issue.

Closed Primary

Primary election limited to registered party voters.

Open Primary

Primary election not limited to registered party voters.

Caucus

Meeting of members of a political party to choose nominees for political office.

Electoral College

Electors chosen by the states to formally vote in the Presidential election. Electors vote based on the results of their state elections.

Incumbent

Official who already holds office that has an advantage due to experience, staff, and media exposure.

General Election

Election to decide which candidates will hold office.

Popular Vote

Total or % of votes won by each candidate.

Primary Election

Election to determine which candidate a party will send to the General Election.

Presidential Election

Candidates run for President and Vice President and occurs every four years.

Campaign Finance

Fundraising to support a candidate during their campaign. Campaign costs have increased since 1970.

Political Consultants

Advisers to candidates that help promote the election of a candidate.

Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010)

Supreme Court case that ruled that political spending is a form of free speech and is protected by the first amendment.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (2002)

McCain-Feingold Act that banned soft money & reduced attack ads, and established the “Stand by Your Ad” provision.

Soft Money

Money spent on a campaign rather than directly donating (Ie. Paying for ads).

“Horse Race” Journalism

Focuses on reporting who is winning the polls or ahead in the election rather than actual policy agendas or candidate information.

Investigative Journalism

Deep investigation into a specific subject over a long period of time; can reveal/expose a secret.

Role of the Media

Draws public attention to certain topics or issues and influences what the public cares about and similarly what politicians will carry out on their agenda.