APGOV Unit 5 Flashcards- Voting and Suffrage

Flashcards about Voting and Elections

Suffrage

The right to vote; sometimes called being enfranchised.

Universal Suffrage

Everyone who ought to have the right to vote is allowed to vote in a country.

Disenfranchisement

Denying someone the right to vote.

Jim Crow laws

Laws that began popping up all over the South after the Civil War, that discriminated against Black voters.

Grandfather Clause

Southern states passed laws after the Civil War; these laws didn’t apply to anyone whose grandfather was eligible to vote, or his future descendants. These laws were meant to prevent Black people from voting

Poll tax

A tax required to vote. These taxes were outlawed with the 24th Amendment

Literacy tests

Tests required to vote. Literacy tests were outlawed in the National Voting Rights Act of 1965 for those regions where fewer than 50% of African-Americans were registered to vote.

Off-year elections

Elections between presidential elections.

Apathy

Having no interest (in voting).

Disaffected Voters

People who don’t believe that their vote matters or who believe there is really no difference between the candidates running so they have no real choice.

Political Efficacy

The belief that you have an impact on the political system and its effectiveness.

Australian Ballot

A ballot that is given out at the polls, lists all the candidates on one ballot, is paid for by the public, and it is cast in secret.

Party-column ballot

A ballot that allows voters to pull, push, or make one mark to vote for all of one political party’s candidates on that ballot; also called the Indiana ballot.

Straight-ticket voting

Voting for only one political party’s candidates on a ballot

Coattail effect

When a popular candidate at the top of the ballot for one party encourages voters to vote for all candidates from that party and thus vote a straight-ticket.

Office-group ballot

A ballot that lists the candidates by office and the voter must go through and vote for each office separately; also called the Massachusetts ballot

Split-ticket voting

When a person votes for candidates from more than one party on the same ballot.

Ballot fatigue

When voters become tired of all the offices they have to vote for and quit voting (voter drop-off).

Voter drop-off

When voters become tired of all the offices they have to vote for and quit voting (ballot fatigue).

Sample ballot

A ballot that is published before the election to allow voters to preview the ballot before voting.

Motor Voter Act

Officially known as the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. This law requires all states to allow people to register to vote at the same place they apply for driver’s licenses or apply for social services.

Precinct

The lowest level of government division, where elections are actually conducted.