Brooke Etter - APGovernmentPoliticsAMSCOUnit5Chapter12ReadingGuide-1

What is suffrage?

The right to vote in political elections.

Who were traditionally qualified to vote before reforms?

Only property-owning white men.

What does franchise refer to?

The right to vote.

Who is included in the voting-eligible population?

Citizens over the age of 18 who are non-felons in almost all states.

What is the meaning of the term electorate?

A large percentage of Americans who go to the polls to vote.

What amendment established popular elections for senators?

Seventeenth Amendment (1913).

Which amendment prohibited the denial of voting rights based on race?

Fifteenth Amendment (1870).

What was a literacy test?

A requirement for citizens to demonstrate reading ability before registering to vote.

What is a poll tax?

A fee required to vote.

What was the purpose of the Grandfather Clause?

To prevent black citizens from voting while allowing illiterate white citizens to do so.

What were white primaries?

Elections held in the South where only white voters could participate.

What did the 1957 Civil Rights Act address?

Discrimination in voter registration.

What was significant about the 1964 Civil Rights Act?

It was the most comprehensive civil rights legislation ever enacted by Congress.

What amendment outlawed poll taxes in federal elections?

Twenty-Fourth Amendment (1964).

What did the Voting Rights Act achieve?

It outlawed literacy tests and increased black voter participation.

What is preclearance in relation to voting?

A requirement for some states to gain federal approval before changing voting laws.

What did the Nineteenth Amendment guarantee?

The right of American women to vote.

What did the Twenty-Third Amendment do?

Extended the right to vote to residents of the District of Columbia.

What age did the Twenty-Sixth Amendment lower the voting age to?

From 21 to 18.

What is voter turnout?

The percentage of voters who actually cast votes compared to the voting-age population.

What is voter apathy?

People who have the right to vote but do not exercise it.

What is political efficacy?

The belief that one's vote makes a difference.

What does the gender gap refer to?

The difference in political views and voting behavior between men and women.

Who has historically had the lowest voter turnout?

Youngest voters, particularly those aged 18-29.

What is significant about the Asian American voting trend?

They have rarely voted for Democrats despite having similar concerns as other minorities.

What is rational-choice voting?

Voting based on a conscious evaluation of how a candidate's policies will benefit the voter.

What is retrospective voting?

Voting based on a candidate's past performance.

How did the National Voter Registration Act aim to increase voter participation?

By easing the process of voter registration.

What must voters show to register under voter registration laws?

The last four digits of their Social Security or their driver's license.

What is the purpose of provisional ballots?

To set aside a vote until a voter can provide confirmation of their eligibility.

What controversy surrounds online voting?

It could be easier but raises concerns about hacking and digital access.

What voter ID laws have been implemented in the U.S.?

34 states require voters to show some form of identification.

What impact does waiting in line have on voter turnout?

Every hour spent in line decreases the likelihood of voting by 1%.