Chapter 13 flashcards

Political Participation

Political Participation

Involvement in activities intended to influence public policy and leadership, such as voting, campaigning, or participating in protests.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An organization that raises money privately to influence elections or legislation, particularly at the federal level.

Linkage Institution

Structures within society, such as political parties, media, and interest groups, that connect the public to the government.

Franchise (Suffrage)

The right to vote in public, political elections.

Political Efficacy

The belief that one's political participation can make a difference in government and that they have the ability to influence political affairs.

Political Mobilization

Efforts by political parties or interest groups to encourage people to participate in the political process, often through voting.

Registration requirements

the set of rules that govern who can vote and how, when, and where they vote.

Abstantee ballot

voting completed and submitted by a voter before the day of an election without going to the polls.

Demographic Characteristics

The traits of a population, such as age, gender, race, income, and education, which often influence voting behavior.

Socioeconomic Status (SES)

A person's economic and social position, often measured by income, education, and occupation.

Rational-Choice Voting

Voting based on a logical assessment of which candidate will best serve the voter's personal interests.

Retrospective Voting

Voting to reward or punish a candidate or party based on past performance in office.

Prospective Voting

Voting based on predictions of how a candidate or party will perform in the future.

Party-Line Voting

Voting in which a voter selects candidates solely from one political party for all offices on the ballot.

Electoral College

The U.S. body established by the Constitution to elect the president and vice president, composed of electors from each state based on its congressional representation.

Winner-Take-All System

An electoral system in which the candidate with the most votes wins all of a state's electoral votes or representation, leaving no seats for runners-up.

Battleground State (Swing State)

A state in which neither political party holds a clear advantage, making it a focus of campaigning.

Get Out the Vote (GOTV)

Efforts to encourage people to vote in an election, especially among those who may not otherwise participate.

Super PAC

A type of political action committee that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to advocate for or against candidates but cannot directly coordinate with the candidate's campaign.

Linkage institution

Channels that connect individuals either the government, including elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

Social Movement

The collective action of individuals seeking social or political change, aimed at placing issues on the policy agenda.

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

Grants voting rights to individuals 18 years old and older.

Twenty-Fourth Amendment

Prohibits poll taxes as a condition for voting in federal elections.

Poll Tax

Payment required by the government as a condition for voting, now unconstitutional in federal elections.

Voter Turnout

The percentage of eligible voters who participate in an election.