Unit 5 AP Gov & Politics vocab

Political efficacy

how much people believe they can influence or understand politics and the government’s actions.

Rational-choice model

to a theory of voting behavior that assumes people vote based on their own self-interest, they choose the candidate or party that they believe will most benefit them personally.

15th amendment

prohibits denial of vote becaue of race, color, or previous condition of slavery

19th amendment

right to vote for women

26th amendment

minimum age for voting set at 18

voting rights act of 1965

federal law that banned racial discrimination in voting

mid-term election (off-year election)

elections held midway between presidential elections

interest group

organization of people who share common goals and work together to influence government policies and decisions

iron triangle

close, stable relationship between Congressional committees, bureaucratic agencies, and interest groups that work together to shape policy

issue networks

loose and informal alliance of people and organizations (such as interest groups, government officials, media, and policy experts) who come together to influence policy

third-party (minor-party)

A political party other than the two major parties (Democratic and Republican) that competes in elections, often to promote specific issues or alternative ideologies

plurality voting

system in which the candidate who receives the most votes wins, even if they do not receive a majority (more than 50%) of the votes

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold Act)

2002 law that banned soft money contributions to parties and restricted certain campaign ads to reduce the influence of money in federal elections.

Incumbency advantage

the electoral edge that current officeholders (incumbents) have over challengers, due to factors like name recognition, easier access to campaign finance, and constituent services

primary election

elections in which voters determine party nominees

political action committee

political arm of an interest group that is legally entitled to raise funds on a voluntary basis from members, stockholders, or employees to contribute funds to candidates or political parties

sound bite

30 second statements on the evending news shows

horse race journalism

news coverage of elections that focuses on who is ahead or behind in the polls rather than on candidates’ policies, issues, or qualifications.

narrowcasting

practice of targeting media programming or news to specific segments of the population based on their interests, beliefs, or demographics, rather than addressing a broad, general audience.

social media

online platforms that allow users to create, share, and interact with content, which can be used to influence public opinion, mobilize voters, and communicate political messages.

hard money

political contributions given to a part, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amounts and fully disclosed

soft money

money raised in unlimited amounts by political parties for party building purposes