Waples, American Government: Stories of a Nation for the AP® Course, 2E, Chapter 13

political participation

the different ways in which individuals take action to shape the laws and policies of a government.

linkage institution

channels that provide a way for individuals to communicate their preferences to policymakers, including elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

social movement

people who come together for a common purpose or goal of educating the public and making social and political change by pressuring policymakers and placing issues on the policy agenda.

franchise or suffrage

the right to vote.

Twenty-sixth Amendment

allows those eighteen years old and older to vote.

Twenty-fourth Amendment

prohibits Congress from imposing poll taxes as a condition for voting in federal elections.

poll tax

a payment required by a state government before a citizen is allowed to vote.

rational choice voting

voting based on what a citizen believes is in their best interest.

retrospective voting

deciding whether a candidate should be reelected based on their recent past performance.

prospective voting

voting based on predictions of how a party or candidate will perform in the future.

straight ticket voting

voting for all of the candidates on the ballot from one political party.

registration requirements

rules requiring eligible voters to register on an official list prior to voting.

mail-in or absentee ballot

voting completed and submitted by a voter by the day of an election without the voter going to the polls.

voter turnout

the number of eligible voters who participate in an election as a percentage of the total number of eligible voters.

demographic characteristics

measurable characteristics of a population, such as economic status, education, age, race or ethnicity, and gender.

political efficacy

an individual’s belief that their participation in the political process will make a difference.

political mobilization

efforts by political parties to encourage their members to vote.

Electoral College

a constitutionally required process for selecting the president through slates of electors chosen in each state.

winner-take-all system

a system of elections in which the candidate who wins the plurality of votes within a state receives all of that state’s votes in the Electoral College.

battleground or swing state

a state where the polls show a close contest between the Republican candidate and the Democratic candidate in presidential election.

political action committee (PAC)

an organization that raises money for candidates and campaigns and may donate money directly to a candidate’s campaign, subject to limits.

super PAC

an organization that may spend an unlimited amount of money on a political campaign, as long as the spending is not coordinated with a campaign.