AP US Government - 1.3 - 1.4 Quiz Review Terms

15th Amendment

Prohibited denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

19th Amendment

Granted women the right to vote in all federal and state elections.

23rd Amendment

Gave residents of Washington, D.C. the right to vote in presidential elections by allocating electors to the District.

24th Amendment

Outlawed the use of poll taxes in federal elections.

26th Amendment

Lowered the legal voting age across the United States from 21 to 18.

Absentee Voting

A process allowing registered voters to cast a mail-in ballot before Election Day if they are unable to vote in person.

Gender Gap

The statistical difference in political views, party alignment, and voting behavior between men and women.

Grandfather Clause

A legal mechanism that exempted people from voter restrictions if their grandfathers could vote before 1867, disenfranchising former slaves while protecting white voters.

Jim Crow Laws

State and local laws enforced in the South that mandated racial segregation and suppressed Black political rights.

Literacy Tests

Complex administrative tests administered to prospective voters in the South to disenfranchise African Americans.

Motor Voter Laws

The National Voter Registration Act of 1993, requiring states to offer voter registration when individuals apply for or renew driver's licenses.

Poll Taxes

A mandatory fee required from voters before casting a ballot, used to disenfranchise low-income citizens and Black Americans.

Registered vs. Eligible Voters

___________ are the subset who have formally signed up with their local elections office. ___________ meet all legal qualifications to vote

"Solid South"

The historical period (1870s–mid 20th century) when Southern states consistently voted overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates.

Universal Manhood Suffrage

A voting system granting the right to vote to all adult male citizens regardless of property, income, or race.

Generational Effects

The long-lasting impact of major historical events on the political attitudes of the age demographic that experienced them during their formative years.

Poll

A systematic survey of public opinion conducted by sampling a group of individuals.

Exit Poll and Entrance Polls

Surveys conducted outside polling places where voters are questioned either right before entering (entrance) or immediately after leaving (exit).

Benchmark Polls

The initial public opinion survey conducted by a campaign early in an election cycle to establish a candidate's baseline support.

Tracking Polls

Continuous, small-scale polls conducted over consecutive short intervals to track changes in public opinion over time.

Focus Groups

Small, structured qualitative discussions led by a moderator to explore deep, detailed opinions on candidates or policies.

Approval Ratings

A measurement derived from public opinion polling indicating the percentage of respondents who approve of a public official's job performance.

Gallup Poll

One of the oldest and most prominent non-partisan public opinion polling organizations in the United States.

Push Polling

An unethical marketing technique disguised as an unbiased survey that uses biased or misleading questions to manipulate voters' opinions.

Random Sampling

A polling methodology where every individual in a target population has an equal probability of being selected.

Representative Sampling

A polling sample chosen to accurately reflect the demographic breakdown of the broader target population.

Bandwagon Effect

A psychological phenomenon where voters shift their support toward a candidate simply because that candidate appears to be winning.

Referendum

A direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a specific legislative proposal or policy.

Sampling Error

The statistical margin of error that naturally results from surveying a sample subset of a population rather than the whole population.

Straw Poll

An informal, non-binding vote or unscientific survey used to gauge general opinion.

Cross-Cutting Cleavages

Demographic divisions within a society (e.g., religion, class, region) that overlap and intersect, producing mixed political loyalties.

Delegate Model

A theory of political representation where elected officials vote strictly according to the direct preferences of their constituents.

Trustee Model

A theory of political representation where elected officials use their own judgment and conscience to make decisions.

Politico Model

A hybrid model of representation where officials act as delegates on high-profile issues and trustees on complex, less salient issues.