Unit 5 AP GOV

Electorate

people that go to the “polls” and cast votes for candidates seeking political office.

Rational-Choice Voting

a voter who examines an issue or candidate’s promises or platforms.

Retrospective Voting

When a voter considers the track record of a candidate.

Prospective Voting

when a voter considers how a candidate’s initiatives might alter their lives in the future.

Party-Line Voting

When a voter votes “down the line” for a particular party, regardless of the candidate.

Voter Turnout

a term used to describe how many people actually voted in an election and the reason why or why not.

Voter Registration

enrollment into the electorate, usually reserved for those who are at least 18, are a citizen, a resident of where they will be voting, and a non-felon.

Absentee Ballots

The ballots used when a voter cannot make it to the polls for valid reason.

No Excuse Absentee Voting

When you can’t make it to a voting place.

Voter ID Laws

laws that require voters to present some for of identification at the voting booth, typically a drivers license.

Barriers to Voting

Drivers license, utility bill, social security number, etc

Linkage Institutions

channels that allow individuals to communicate their preferences to policy-makers

Politcal Parties

an organization that works to elect particular candidates that will represent a specific ideology.

Platforms

a written list of beliefs and political goals.

National Convention

a gathering of party leaders to establish a platform.

Campaign Finance Laws

the national and state levels limit how much donors can contribute.

Candiate Centered Campaigns

election campaigns and other political processes in which candidates, not political parties, have most of the initiative and influence.

Politcal Realignment

changes in party ideology as a result of changes in underlying electoral forces

Critical Elections

Election that changed Americans future typically due to a politcal realignment

Proportional Voting Systems

You get the votes you earn instead of win all

Third-Parties

minor parties outside the typical two-party system, often centered around a specific issue or candidate.

Barriers to Third-Parties & independents

Proportional Voting Systems and Ballot Access.

Lobbying

the act of apply pressure to influence governments. Those who engage in this are called lobbyists.

Single Issue Groups

a minor party formed around a single issue of overriding interest to its followers

Incumbency Advantage Phenomenon

Incumbents that get to skip the first 1-3 steps of the the process.

Open Primaries

Primaries are a simple electoral process where people vote for candidates they wish to represent their party in the general election. (Doesn’t have to declare support)

Close Primaries

Primaries are a simple electoral process where people vote for candidates they wish to represent their party in the general election. (Must declare support first)

Caucuses (Congress)

a group that consists of a party's members in the House or Senate and that serves to elect the party's leadership, set policy goals, and plan party strategy

Caucuses

when the voters meet with other like-minded voters to discuss and then ultimately vote for a candidate at the end of the process.

National Convention

Delegates cast votes for the candidates that vote for the candidates that won primaries and caucuses.

General Elections

At this stage candidates kick their campaigns into full gear, spending on ads, holding debates, and making appearances.

Electoral College

a group of delegates representing the 50 states + Washington, D.C. that formally elects the President based on the results of the general election.

Campaign Reform Act of 2002

Made it more difficult to use Soft money (direct money) for candidates from groups. The only way to donate is through Committees which is hard money that can be tracked.

Politcal Action Committees

which are formal groups that form around a similar interest and funds campaigns.

Investigative Journalism

The use of in-depth reporting to unearth scandals, scams, and schemes at times putting reporters in adversarial relationships with political leaders.

Politcal Commentary

a type of media reporting in which “experts” give their opinions and interpretation of political events.

Ideologically Oriented Programming

news organizations that represent and report from a particular ideological base.

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

\-The BCRA law made it illegal to engage in “electioneering communications” 60 days before an election or 30 days before a primary.

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\-A conservative group made a movie that was an extended attack ad.

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\-Citizens United was fined, resulting in the group filing a lawsuit challenging the 60-day window portion of the BCRA law.

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\-CU argued: Freedom of speech and spending money on political advertisements is one way of exercising speech.

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\-FEC argued: 1st Amendment rights do not extend to corporations, as most founding documents are meant to protect ”individual liberties.”

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\-Favored Citizens United with a five vs. four decision.

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\-Money = speech, corporations can spend as much money as they want toward campaigns as limitations placed to run ads and communications were not materially different from gov’t censorship of speech.