AP Gov, Political Participation

Political Participation

The ways that voters get involved in the political process.

15th Amendment

Extended suffrage to African American men.

17th Amendment

Established the popular election of US senators.

19th Amendment

Extended suffrage to women.

24th Amendment

Declared poll taxes void in federal elections.

26th Amendment

Lowering voting age from 21 to 18.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation designed to help end formal and informal barriers to African American suffrage.

National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (Motor Voter Act)

Makes it easier for voters to register to vote by requiring states to allow citizens to register when applying for or renewing their driver's license.

Poll Tax

A fixed-sum tax payable by all relevant individuals, such as all residents of a state; used historically by some US states as a precondition to registering to vote in order to discourage certain groups from participation.

Rational Choice Theory

Describes someone voting in their best interest, supporting the candidate whose platform will give them the most favorable outcomes.

Retrospective Voting

Describes voting based on the recent record in office of a candidate or others in their party.

Prospective Voting

Describes voting based on how a citizen thinks a candidate will act and perform if elected to office.

Party-Line Voting

Describes consistently voting for candidates of the same political party at all levels of government.

Compulsory Voting

Laws that require citizens to register and vote in local and national elections.

Midterm Election

The congressional elections that occur in even-numbered years between presidential elections, in the middle of each presidential term.

Political Efficacy

A citizen’s belief that their vote matters and can influence government policies.

Presidential Elections

Elections that take place every four years, in which voters elect the president and the vice-president.

Voter Registration

A requirement that eligible voters enroll on an electoral roll before they can vote.

Voter Turnout

The number of registered voters who vote in an election.

Demographics

Characteristics of a population, like age, race, and education. Political scientists use demographic information to study changes in the makeup of a population.

What influences voter turnout?

State laws. Some state laws can make it more difficult to vote, whereas, others make it easier to vote.

What helps predict voter turnout?

Demographics.

Linkage Institutions

Groups in society that connect people to the government and facilitate turning the people’s concerns into political issues on the government’s policy agenda.

Political Party

An organization of people with similar political ideologies seeks to influence public policy by getting its candidates elected. Its primary function is to link people to the government and its policies.

Party Organization

Is the structure of national, state, and local parties that creates a platform, recruits candidates, and helps to manage candidates’ campaigns by providing a fundraising and media strategy. The party organization is also responsible for educating and mobilizing voters to support candidates.

Party In Government

Consists of the elected officials who belong to the party. These politicians are responsible for proposing, debating, voting on, and signing legislation that meets the party’s platform goals.

Party In Electorate

Is made up of all citizens who identify with that party; it supports the party organization and its candidates by mobilizing voter support and turnout, and by donating to candidate campaigns.

Party Platform

A list of goals outlining a party’s positions on issues and political priorities.

Campaign Finance

Funds raised to promote candidates, political parties, or policy initiatives. There are complex laws regulating who can contribute to campaigns and how much they can contribute.

Critical Election

An election that leads to a major party realignment. After a critical election, a number of key supporters of one party (for example, southern white voters) switch to the other party.

Dealingment

The process by which an individual loses his or her loyalty to a political party without developing loyalty to another party.

Political Machine

A party organization with the goal of enriching party leaders, party workers, and citizen supporters through government contracts and jobs.

Political Action Committee

An organization, usually representing an interest group or corporation, that raises money with the goal of supporting or defeating candidates, parties, or legislation. There are limits to the amount of money a PAC can donate to a candidate or party in each election.

Realignment

A major change in the composition of party coalitions, often brought on by a new or pressing issue (often economic trouble or war). 

Super PAC

A super PAC may raise unlimited funds in support of a candidate or party as long as they do not coordinate in any way with the candidate or party.

Direct Primary

The current process by which voters choose their party’s candidate for national office. Direct primaries make the process of choosing candidates more democratic.

Citizens United v FEC

A Supreme Court case which ruled that political spending by corporations, associations, and labor unions is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment. New “super PACS” can raise unlimited funds from virtually any source as long as the money is used as an independent expenditure for the campaign and is not given directly to the candidate

Candidate Centered Campaigns

Political campaigns that focus on the candidates for office—their personalities and issues—rather than the parties they represent. 

Independent Candidate

A candidate for office who does not have a formal affiliation with a political party.

Proportional System

An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded in proportion to the percentage of votes garnered by a party in an election. 

Third Party

A third party is a US political party other than the two major parties. Third parties rarely win elections in the United States, but frequently influence national politics by drawing attention to issues previously neglected by the major parties.

Winner-Take-All System

An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the party who received the most votes in an election.

“Free Rider” Problem

A problem of group behavior that occurs when an individual can receive a public benefit without making a personal contribution of money or effort.

Interest Group

A formal or informal association of people seeking to influence governmental policy in favor of their interests; interest groups may represent social causes, economic and corporate interests, or religious and ideological interests.

Iron Triangle

A longstanding, mutually-beneficial relationship between an interest group, congressional committee, and bureaucratic agency devoted to similar issues

Issue Network

A group of individuals, public officials, and interest groups that form around a particular issue, usually a proposed public policy that they wish to support or defeat.

Lobbying

Seeking to influence a public official on an issue.

Inside Strategies

Interest groups' attempts to influence policy by working within Washington DC. This includes strategies like direct lobbying, drafting pieces of legislation for elected officials, and suing the government.

Outside Strategies

Interest groups' attempts to influence policy outside of Washington DC, by using strategies like campaign contributions, media coverage, or encouraging constituents to contact their elected officials.

Salience

The degree to which the general public is aware of a policy issue. Policymakers are less likely to accommodate the demands of interest groups on issues with high salience, like gun rights or abortion rights, as they risk alienating voters.

Single-Issue Group

An interest group devoted to one particular issue rather than a larger category of interests.

Social Movements

Groups that work to bring about change in society, such as the Civil Rights Movement or the Environmental Movement.

Caucus

A meeting in a voting precinct at which party members choose nominees for political office after hours of speeches and debates; caucuses tend to promote the views of dedicated party members since participating requires a large time commitment**.**

Closed Primary

A primary election limited to registered members of a political party.

Electoral College

The group of electors chosen by each state to formally vote for the next U.S. president based on the result of voting in the state.

General Election

An election that decides which candidate will fill an elective.

Incumbency Advantage

The tendency of incumbents (officials already holding a political office) to win reelection; incumbents have advantages in media exposure, fundraising, and staff.

Open Primary

A primary election that is not limited to registered party members.

Party Convention

A meeting of delegates from one political parties to vote on policy and select party candidates for public office.

Popular Vote

The total or percentage of votes won by each candidate.

Primary Election

An election that decides which candidate a party will send on to a general election; primary elections pit candidates from the same party against one another.

BCRA

Also known as the McCain-Feingold Act. Banned soft money and reduced attack ads.

“Stand by Your Ad” provision

A provision of the BCRA which requires ads used to support or oppose a candidate to include “Im (name) and I approve this message.

Soft Money

Money spent in support of a candidate without directly donating to their campaign, such as paying for ads or campaign events, or giving to the candidate’s party.

“Horse Race” Journalism

Journalism that focuses on -who is winning or ahead in the polls rather than on candidates' policy agenda or debates.

Investigative Journalism

Deep, original investigation on a specific topic, often conducted over a long period of time and sometimes involving the exposure of secret information.

“Media as a Gatekeeper”

The media’s role in setting the political agenda by drawing public and government attention to certain issues.

Agenda-Setting

The way the media influences what issues the public considers important enough to address through the government.

Framing

The way the media defines and portrays an issue, which affects public perception of that issue.