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15th Amendment

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

17th Amendment

Established the direct election of Senators by popular vote.

19th Amendment

Prohibits denying the right to vote based on sex.

24th Amendment

Abolished poll taxes in federal elections.

26th Amendment

Lowered the voting age to 18.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Prohibited racial discrimination in voting.

Retrospective voting

Voting based on a candidate's past performance.

Prospective voting

Voting based on a candidate's future plans.

Party-line voting

Voting for all candidates of one's own party.

Rational choice voting

Voting based on what is perceived to be in one's best interest.

Voting patterns of different demographics

Refers to how voting choices differ among groups based on gender, race, income, age, and education.

Split-ticket voting

Voting for candidates of different parties in the same election.

Voter turnout

The percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election.

Voting trends

Patterns in voter participation over time.

Candidate-centered elections

Modern presidential elections often focus on the individual rather than the party.

Role and purpose of parties

To organize government, mobilize voters, and articulate policy.

Third parties

Political parties other than the two major ones; they often struggle to compete due to electoral systems and funding.

Open primaries

Voters do not need to be affiliated with a party to vote in its primary.

Closed primaries

Voters must be registered with a party to vote in its primary.

Caucus

A meeting of party members to choose candidates.

Incumbent advantage

The tendency for an incumbent to win re-election.

Critical elections

Elections that signal a sharp change in the existing party system.

Winner-takes-all system

The candidate with the most votes wins all the electoral votes in a state.

Electoral College

A body of electors chosen by voters to cast votes for President and Vice President.

Hard money

Contributions directly to a candidate or party.

Soft money

Money used for party-building activities, not directly for candidate campaigns.

PACs

Organizations that pool campaign contributions from members and donate to campaigns.

Super PACs

Independent expenditure-only committees that can raise unlimited sums from corporations, unions, and individuals.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA)

Also known as McCain-Feingold, it aimed to limit the influence of money in politics.

Citizens United v. FEC

Supreme Court case that ruled that the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent expenditures for political communications.

The media

Plays a significant role in shaping public opinion and influencing elections.