Ap Gov - Unit 5 : Political Participation

Electorate

People qualified to vote

Franchise

The right to vote

Suffrage

The right to vote

15th Amendment

Freed male slaves can vote

17th Amendment

Senators now elected by popular vote

19 Amendment

Women can vote

23rd Amendment

Washington, D.C. given three electoral college votes

24th Amendment

Can’t charge money to vote

Literacy Tests + Grandfather Clause

Stopped freed slaves from voting

26th Amendment

Gave 18-20 yr olds right to vote

Rational Choice Voting

Voters seek info about candidates - go off what is in their interest

Retrospect Voting

Voters see track record of past leaders/parties to see if they should be reelected

Prospective Voting

Voters look at what candidates promise - how will they be affected?

Party Line Voting

Voters vote for candidates from their own party, no questions asked

Political Efficacy

Believing your vote will matter

Score Keeper

Report on what candidates is winning - horse race journalism

Gate Keeper

Media chooses what they think is most important

Watch Dog

Reporters can expose corruption

Closed Primary

Voters have to say what party they belong to before the election

Open primary

Voters can declare what party they belong to on election day

Blanket Primary

Voters can vote for candidates in multiple parties

Jungle Primary

Winners emerge through survival of the fittest

Caucus

when party members meet to discuss and listen to candidates

Delegates

People who vote on a parties candidate - chosen by the ppl

Coattail Effect

Congressional candidates can ride the popularity of the parties presidential candidate

War Chest

Funds a candidate has to spend

Party Realignment

Changes party

Critical Elections

Contest that show lasting changes in loyalties to political parties

FECA

limited candidate expenditures

FEC

monitors and enforces campaign finance regulations

Hard Money

Donations given directly to candidate - can be traced

Soft Money

Donation given to party / interest group - not tracked

BCRA

limited donations of hard money

PAC

private organization that raises and spends money to influence elections / legislation

Narrowcasting

Constant news cycles

FCC

regulates electronic media - controls content of radios, TV, wire, satellite broadcasts