AP Gov Unit 5 - Political Participation

Franchise/Suffrage

the right to vote

voting-eligible population

citizens who have reached the minimum age to be eligible to vote, excluding those who are not legally permitted to cast a ballot

voting-age population

the number of citizens over eighteen

electorate

All of the people entitled to vote in a given election

Seventeenth Amendment

Direct election of senators

Fifteenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment adopted in 1870 to extend suffrage to African Americans.

structural barriers

structural features of society that prevent people from being able to vote

poll tax

A requirement that citizens pay a tax in order to vote

Grandfather Clause

allowed people to vote if their father or grandfather had voted before Reconstruction

white primary

the practice of keeping blacks from voting in the southern states' primaries through arbitrary use of registration requirements and intimidation

1957 Civil Rights Act

provided federal protection for blacks who wished to register to vote

1964 Civil Rights Act

This act prohibited discrimination because of race, color, sex, religion, or national origin by employers or labor unions

Twenty-fourth Amendment

Prohibits poll tax in federal elections

Voting Rights Act of 1965

a law designed to help end formal and informal barriers to African-American suffrage

Preclearance

mandated by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the prior approval by the Justice Department of changes to or new election laws by certain States (no longer applicable; unconstitutional)

Nineteenth Amendment

granted women the right to vote in 1920

Twenty-Third Amendment

amendment that gives the right of voting to citizens in Washington D.C. and that they get votes in the electoral college

Twenty-sixth Amendment

lowered the voting age to 18

voter turnout

The number of eligible voters who actually vote in an election

voter apathy

The lack of interest among the citizenry in participating in elections

political efficacy

The belief that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can actually make a difference

voting bloc

a group of voters that are strongly motivated by a specific common concern or group of concerns to the point that such specific concerns tend to dominate their voting patterns, causing them to vote together in elections

gender gap

Difference in political views between men and women

rational choice voting

voting based on what one believes will most benefit them

retrospective voting

voting based on the past performance of a candidate

prospective voting

voting based on the imagined future performance of a candidate

party identification

a citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other (doesn't consider their registered affiliation)

National Voter Registration Act of 1993

frequently called the "Motor Voter Act", it is a piece of legislation that includes a provision that makes it possible to register to vote when applying for or renewing your drivers license.

Help America Vote Act of 2002

regulates federal elections and helps poorer counties acquire more modern voting machines.

absentee ballot

a ballot completed and typically mailed in advance of an election by a voter who is unable to be present at the polls.

two-party system

A political system dominated by two major parties

Robocalls

an automated telephone call that delivers a recorded message, typically on behalf of a political party or telemarketing company

platform

a political party's formal statement of basic principles, stands on major issues, and objectives

National Convention

The meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party's platform.

realignment

A process in which a substantial group of voters switches party allegiance, producing a long-term change in the political landscape.

Superdelegates

National party leaders who automatically get a delegate slot (vote) at the Democratic national party convention.

New Deal Coalition

forged by the Democrats who dominated American politics from the 1930's to the 1960's. its basic elements were the urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals.

party dealignment

the gradual disengagement of people and politicians from the parties, as seen in part by shrinking party identification.

divided government

one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress

hard money

campaign money that is subject to regulations by the FEC

soft money

funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party activities, such as get-out-the-vote drives, but not on behalf of a specific candidate

issue ads

ads that focus on issues and do not explicitly encourage citizens to vote for a certain candidate

Super PAC (Political Action Committee)

political-action committee that is allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from corporations, unions, individuals and associations

independent expenditures

Money spent by individuals or groups not associated with candidates to elect or defeat candidates for office.

minor/third parties

Any political party which is not one of the two major political parties

ideological parties

parties based on a particular set of beliefs

single-member district

An electoral district in which voters choose one representative or official.

winner-take-all

an election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins

Swing/battleground states

states in a presidential election that are closely contested

precincts

Local voting districts in a county, city, or ward

polling place

a place where voters go to cast their votes in an election

initiatives

procedures available in some states for citizens to put proposed laws and constitutional amendments on the ballot for voter approval or rejection

Referendum

a legislative act is referred for final approval to a popular vote by the electorate

Recall

procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office

incumbent advantage phenomenon

Because the officeholder has name recognition, casework, campaign financing, and usually redistricting on their side, the current office occupant usually has an advantage over their challenger.

primary election

election in which voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election

open primary

A primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place

closed primary

a primary election in which voting is limited to already registered party members

semi-open primary

Registered party members AND registered independents can participate in the election

caucus

a meeting of party members to discuss candidates and cast votes which will help determine the number of delegates awarded

Electoral College

the body of electors who formally elect the United States president and vice-president

Electors

people elected by the voters in a presidential election as members of the Electoral College; they are supposed to reflect the will of the people in their respective states

midterm election

held midway between presidential elections

Federal Election Campaign Act

A law passed in 1971 (and amended in 1974) for reforming campaign finances. The act created the Federal Election Commission (FEC), provided public financing for presidential primaries and general elections, limited presidential campaign spending, required disclosure, and attempted to limit contributions.

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

a bipartisan body charged with administering campaign finance laws.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

Establishes campaign money limits but also holds that contributions are a form of speech

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (McCain-Feingold)

banned soft money contributions to national political parties from corporations and unions; independent expenditures by corporations, labor unions, trade associations, and nonprofit organizations are sharply restricted

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

held that independent expenditures are free speech protected by the 1st Amendment and so cannot be limited by federal law. Led to creation of SuperPACs & massive rise in amount of third party electioneering

investigative reporting

The pursuit of information that has been concealed, such as evidence of wrongdoing

broadcast network

A corporation that provides live or recorded content over a group of radio stations or television stations.

affiliates

Local television stations that carry the programming of a national network

Big Three Networks

The original television broadcast networks: NBC, CBS, and ABC.

CNN (Cable News Network)

first 24 hour television news service launched by Ted Turner in 1980

political reporting

standard "just-the-facts" kinds of stories

sound bites

Quote or "snippet" from politician's speech used by media to represent whole speech. Used by candidates to spread message (slogan); Used by media to avoid serious (boring) discussion of issues.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

1966 law that allows citizens to obtain copies of most public records

C-SPAN (Cable Satellite Public Affairs Network)

a television network that broadcasts political events from all political parties (except for extreme fringe groups) without commentary

press conference

meetings of public officials with reporters

Scorekeeper

The role the press plays by keeping track of and helping make political reputations, note who is being mentioned as a presidential candidate, and help decide who is winning and losing in Washington politics.

horse race journalism

news coverage that focuses on who is ahead rather than on the issues

editorial board

a group of veteran journalists who guide the editorial philosophy of the organization

Gatekeeper

The media can influence what subjects become national political issues and for how long.

watchdog

the role played by a media organization that exposes illegal practices or wasteful spending in government

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

An independent federal agency that regulates interstate and international communication by radio, television, telephone, telegraph, cable, and satellite.

Fox News Channel (FNC)

Started in 1996, it was an alternative news channel that drastically altered cable news and favored conservatives.

mainstream media

Media sources that predate the Internet, such as newspapers, magazines, television, and radio.

confirmation bias

a tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence

consumer-driven media

media whose content is influenced by the actions and needs of consumers

echo chamber

The idea that people pay attention to media that conforms to their ideological view to the exclusion of media that offer alternative perspectives.