AP government unit 5 study guide

political parties- key functions

• Recruit & nominate candidates

• Organize government

• Mobilize voters

• Provide policy platforms

political parties- modern changes

• Parties now focus heavily on:

  • Data analytics

  • Targeted messaging

  • Candidate branding

political parties- important concept

• Parties are less powerful than before → candidates run more candidate-centered campaigns

voting & suffrage- key amendments

• 15th Amendment → African American men can vote

• 19th Amendment → Women can vote

• 26th Amendment → Voting age lowered to 18

voting & suffrage- voting trends

• Women vote at higher rates than men (since 1980s)

• Campaigns increasingly target women voters

voting & suffrage- types of elections

• Highest turnout: Presidential elections

• Lower turnout: Midterms, local elections

elections & campaigns- incumbency advantage

• High name recognition

• Established donor networks

• Easier media access

elections & campaigns- campaign tools

• Consultants → manage media + strategy

• Polling → track public opinion

• Microtargeting → reach specific voter groups

electoral college

• Winner must receive:

  •  Majority of electoral votes (270)

• NOT required:

  • Popular vote majority

electoral college- key feature

• Winner-take-all system (in most states)
  → makes it hard for third parties to win

third parties- barriers

• Winner-take-all elections

• Lack of media coverage

• Debate exclusion

third parties- key idea

• Even strong regional support ≠ national success

campaign finance- key case

• Citizens United v. FEC

  • Allowed unlimited independent spending by corporations/unions

campaign finance- key terms

• Super PACs

  • Can raise unlimited money

  • Cannot coordinate with candidates

campaign finance- major debate

• Critics argue:

  • Too much influence from wealthy donors

  • Reduces political equality

media & politics- roles of media

• Gatekeeping → decides what news is covered

• Agenda-setting → influences what people think about

• Framing → shapes how issues are presented

media & politics- social media impact

• Politicians can:

  • Speak directly to voters

  • Bypass traditional media filters

voting behavior- rational choice voting

• Voters choose candidates based on:

  • Personal benefit

  • Cost vs. benefit analysis

voting behavior- other influences

• Party identification

• Candidate performance

• Demographics (age, education, income)

interest groups- methods of influence

• Lobbying

• Drafting legislation

• Testifying at hearings

• Amicus curiae briefs

interest groups- after laws pass

• Influence bureaucratic rulemaking

political structures- iron triangles

• Stable relationships between:

  • Congress

  • Bureaucracy

  • Interest groups

political structure- issue networks

• Looser, temporary alliances

• Include:

  • Experts

  • Media

  • Interest groups

political realignment- what it means

• Shifts in:

  • Party support

  • Voter coalitions

Example Trend

• Parties gaining support from new demographic groups

political realignment- impact

• Can lead to:

  • New party identities

  • Changes in policy priorities

barriers to voting- structural barriers

• Voter ID laws

• Long wait times

• Registration deadlines

barriers to voting- demographic influences

• Age

• Education level

• Political trust

primaries

Secret ballot

Higher turnout

Run by states

caucuses

Public discussion

Lower turnout

Run by parties

electoral college mechanics

the indirect system used to elect the U.S. President, where citizens vote for slates of electors pledged to a candidate rather than directly for the candidate.

campaign finance

The 2010 Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court decision revolutionized campaign finance by ruling that corporate and union funding of independent political broadcasts cannot be limited, as it violates First Amendment free speech rights. This enabled the creation of Super PACs, which can accept unlimited contributions from individuals, unions, and corporations to spend on campaigns, provided they do not coordinate directly with candidates.

party functions

Political parties in AP U.S. Government serve to win elections and influence policy by mobilizing voters, recruiting candidates, and structuring legislative action. Key functions include educating the public via party platforms, managing campaigns through fundraising and data, and organizing government leadership, such as floor leaders in Congress.

voting behavior (rational choice, demographic)

motivation for voters