gov final rev

Term 1: Voting-age population
Definition 1: The set of individuals that have reached the minimum voting age.
Term 2: Voter turnout
Definition 2: The percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in the election.
Term 3: Electorate
Definition 3: All of the people in a country who are eligible to vote in an election.
Term 4: Suffrage (franchise)
Definition 4: The right to vote in elections.
Term 5: Initiative
Definition 5: Citizens gather the necessary number of signatures of registered voters to place a proposal on the ballot.
Term 6: Referendum
Definition 6: A general vote by the electorate on a single political question referred to them for a direct decision.
Term 7: Recall
Definition 7: Procedure where an elected official can be voted out of office.
Term 8: Voter registration
Definition 8: Process of getting qualified to vote.
Term 9: Ward
Definition 9: First-order division of counties/cities.
Term 10: Precinct
Definition 10: Second-order division of cities/counties.
Term 11: Polling place
Definition 11: A place where people can vote.
Term 12: Andrew Jackson
Definition 12: Presidential advocate for expansion of voting rights, often to his own political party's advantage.
Term 13: 15th Amendment
Definition 13: Gave African Americans the right to vote.
Term 14: Literacy test
Definition 14: An exam used to suppress African American voting under the guise of testing reading ability.
Term 15: Poll tax
Definition 15: A fee required to vote, outlawed by the 24th Amendment.
Term 16: Grandfather clause
Definition 16: You could only vote if your grandparents were free citizens; used to suppress African American voting.
Term 17: White primary
Definition 17: Method to keep African Americans from voting by excluding them from primary elections.
Term 18: Civil Rights Acts (1957, 1964)
Definition 18: Addressed issues with racial discrimination in voting.
Term 19: 24th Amendment
Definition 19: Outlawed poll taxes.
Term 20: Preclearance
Definition 20: Federal approval required before certain states can change voting laws.
Term 21: 19th Amendment
Definition 21: Granted women the right to vote.
Term 22: 23rd Amendment
Definition 22: Gave Washington D.C. citizens the right to vote in presidential elections.
Term 23: 26th Amendment
Definition 23: Lowered the voting age to 18.
Term 24: Australian ballots
Definition 24: Secret ballot system listing candidates' names to ensure privacy.
Term 25: Voter apathy
Definition 25: Lack of concern or interest in voting.
Term 26: Political efficacy
Definition 26: The belief that one’s vote makes a difference.
Term 27: Party identification
Definition 27: The political party with which an individual identifies.
Term 28: Voting blocs
Definition 28: Demographic groups that tend to vote in similar patterns.
Term 29: Gender gap
Definition 29: Differences in voting preferences between men and women.
Term 30: Voting Rights Act (1965)
Definition 30: Major law increasing African American voter registration.
Term 31: Help America Vote Act (2002)
Definition 31: Reformed the U.S. election system following issues in the 2000 election.
Term 32: National Voter Registration Act (1993)
Definition 32: Allowed voter registration at DMV offices (Motor Voter Law).
Term 33: Minor v. Happerset (1875)
Definition 33: Ruled that the 14th Amendment did not grant women the right to vote.
Term 34: Access
Definition 34: Ability to approach politicians to influence policy.
Term 35: Amicus curiae
Definition 35: A person or group who is not a party to a case but offers information relevant to the case.
Term 36: Citizens United v. FEC (2010)
Definition 36: Allowed unlimited campaign spending by corporations and unions.
Term 37: 501(c)(4)
Definition 37: Nonprofit groups that can lobby and campaign.
Term 38: 501(c)(3)
Definition 38: Tax-exempt nonprofits like churches that cannot campaign for or against candidates.
Term 39: Direct lobbying
Definition 39: Direct interaction with lawmakers to influence legislation.
Term 40: Free rider
Definition 40: Someone who benefits from a group's actions without joining.
Term 41: Grassroots lobbying
Definition 41: Mobilizing the public to contact lawmakers.
Term 42: Grasstops
Definition 42: Influential community members who can sway policymakers.
Term 43: Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (2007)
Definition 43: Strengthened lobbying disclosure rules.
Term 44: Insider strategies
Definition 44: Quietly persuading policymakers behind the scenes.
Term 45: Intergovernmental lobby
Definition 45: Lobbying by state and local officials for federal funding.
Term 46: K Street
Definition 46: Symbolic location for lobbying firms in Washington, D.C.
Term 47: Leadership PACs
Definition 47: PACs formed by politicians to support other candidates.
Term 48: Lobbying
Definition 48: Efforts to influence policy decisions.
Term 49: Lobbyist
Definition 49: A person who lobbies government officials.
Term 50: Material incentives
Definition 50: Tangible rewards for joining interest groups.
Term 51: Nineteenth Amendment
Definition 51: Guaranteed women the right to vote.
Term 52: Outsider strategy
Definition 52: Using media and public pressure instead of direct lobbying.
Term 53: Pluralism
Definition 53: A theory that many groups compete for power in a democracy.
Term 54: Political action committees (PACs)
Definition 54: Organizations that raise money to support candidates and causes.
Term 55: Professional associations
Definition 55: Organizations that represent specific professions.
Term 56: Public interest group
Definition 56: Focus on promoting general welfare.
Term 57: Purposive incentives
Definition 57: Joining a group for ethical or ideological reasons.
Term 58: Revolving door
Definition 58: Movement of personnel between government and lobbying jobs.
Term 59: Seventeenth Amendment
Definition 59: Direct election of U.S. senators by voters.
Term 60: Single-issue group
Definition 60: Focused on one specific issue.
Term 61: Sixteenth Amendment
Definition 61: Allowed the federal government to collect income tax.
Term 62: Solidary incentives
Definition 62: Social benefits from group membership.
Term 63: Super PAC
Definition 63: Can raise and spend unlimited money but can't coordinate with candidates.
Term 64: Think tanks
Definition 64: Research organizations that influence public policy.
Term 65: Thirteenth Amendment
Definition 65: Abolished slavery in the United States.
Term 66: Trade associations
Definition 66: Interest groups representing businesses in specific industries.
Term 67: Twenty-sixth Amendment
Definition 67: Gave 18-year-olds the right to vote.
Term 68: United States v. Harriss (1954)
Definition 68: Upheld the right to lobby.
Term 69: Upper-class bias
Definition 69: Tendency for interest group influence to favor wealthier individuals.
Term 70: Wagner Act (1935)
Definition 70: Guaranteed labor union rights to strike and collectively bargain.
Term 71: Two-party system
Definition 71: A system where two major political parties dominate.
Term 72: Minor parties
Definition 72: Smaller political parties with less influence.
Term 73: Democrat-Republicans
Definition 73: Early U.S. party favoring state power and strict constitutional interpretation.
Term 74: Realignments
Definition 74: Shifts in political party loyalty.
Term 75: Critical election
Definition 75: Reveals major shifts in political alignment.
Term 76: Caucus
Definition 76: A meeting of party members to select candidates or decide policy.
Term 77: Republicans
Definition 77: Conservative party, originally anti-slavery.
Term 78: Coalition
Definition 78: An alliance for combined action.
Term 79: Whigs
Definition 79: 19th-century party opposed to Andrew Jackson.
Term 80: Party convention
Definition 80: Formal gathering to nominate candidates and set platforms.
Term 81: Popular sovereignty
Definition 81: Government by the consent of the governed.
Term 82: Grand Old Party (GOP)
Definition 82: Nickname for the Republican Party.
Term 83: New Deal Coalition
Definition 83: Diverse group that supported FDR’s presidency.
Term 84: White primary
Definition 84: Primaries restricted to white voters only.
Term 85: Dealignment
Definition 85: Decline in party loyalty and rise of independents.
Term 86: Ticket splitting
Definition 86: Voting for candidates from different parties on the same ballot.
Term 87: Divided government
Definition 87: One party controls the presidency; another controls Congress.
Term 88: Democratic National Committee (DNC)
Definition 88: Oversees activities of the Democratic Party.
Term 89: Republican National Committee (RNC)
Definition 89: Oversees activities of the Republican Party.
Term 90: Party chairperson
Definition 90: Head of the national party.
Term 91: Elites
Definition 91: Individuals with disproportionate power in politics.
Term 92: Know-Nothings
Definition 92: Anti-immigrant political party of the 1800s.
Term 93: Rank and file
Definition 93: Ordinary party members.
Term 94: McGovern-Fraser Commission
Definition 94: Increased minority and youth representation in the Democratic Party.
Term 95: Superdelegates
Definition 95: Party leaders who can vote freely at conventions.
Term 96: Platform
Definition 96: A party's formal statement of goals and policies.
Term 97: Single-issue parties
Definition 97: Formed around one major issue.
Term 98: Free Soil Party
Definition 98: Opposed slavery in new U.S. territories.
Term 99: Splinter/bolter parties
Definition 99: Break away from larger parties.
Term 100: Economic protest parties
Definition 100: Formed due to economic dissatisfaction.
Term 101: Ideological party
Definition 101: Based on a particular set of beliefs.
Term 102: Theodore Roosevelt
Definition 102: Split the Republican Party by forming the Progressive Party.
Term 103: H. Ross Perot
Definition 103: Independent candidate in 1992, received strong third-party support.
Term 104: United We Stand America
Definition 104: Political movement started by Perot.
Term 105: Reform Party
Definition 105: Centrist third party founded by Perot.
Term 106: Spoiler
Definition 106: A candidate who doesn’t win but affects the outcome.
Term 107: Single-member district
Definition 107: Elects one person per district.
Term 108: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)
Definition 108: Supports House Democrats.
Term 109: Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC)
Definition 109: Supports Senate Democrats.
Term 110: Republican Congressional Campaign Committee (RCCC)
Definition 110: Supports House Republicans.
Term 111: Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee (RSCC)
Definition 111: Supports Senate Republicans.
Term 112: Dark ads
Definition 112: Micro-targeted political advertisements.
Term 113: Jacksonian Democracy
Definition 113: Emphasis on greater democracy for the common man.
Term 114: sound bites
Definition 114: Short and simple phrases used to cast a politician in a negative or positive light
Term 115: congressional caucuses
Definition 115: Private gatherings of like-minded Congress members that nominated presidential candidates in the early years of our country
Term 116: political machine
Definition 116: Organization that rewards votes and support with jobs and services
Term 117: primary election
Definition 117: Declared party members choose who they want to run as their candidate in the general election
Term 118: general election
Definition 118: Decides who the candidate winning an office will be
Term 119: closed primary
Definition 119: Election where you must declare your party before Election Day
Term 120: open primary
Definition 120: Election where you can declare party affiliation on Election Day
Term 121: blanket primary
Definition 121: Election where you can vote for multiple parties for different offices on the same ballot
Term 122: split ticket
Definition 122: Candidates from each party are chosen by a voter
Term 123: Federal Elections Commission (FEC)
Definition 123: Enforces campaign finance law in the United States
Term 124: midterm elections
Definition 124: Congressional elections that happen halfway into a president's term
Term 125: war chest
Definition 125: Money intended for a political campaign
Term 126: visual
Definition 126: News segment showing a candidate in action
Term 127: spot
Definition 127: Short, expensive commercial for a candidate
Term 128: incumbent
Definition 128: Reelection seeker; stronger chance of winning
Term 129: coattail effect
Definition 129: Occurs when a strong candidate at the top of the ballot helps create victories for down-ballot candidates
Term 130: runoff election
Definition 130: Occurs if no candidate receives a majority of the vote the first time in an election
Term 131: invisible primary
Definition 131: Candidates compete in polls and appear with political commentators while trying to gain popularity
Term 132: front-loading
Definition 132: States schedule primaries and caucuses earlier to boost political influence
Term 133: Super Tuesday
Definition 133: Day when many states hold primaries/caucuses simultaneously
Term 134: Electoral College
Definition 134: 538 electors who cast votes to determine the president
Term 135: electors
Definition 135: Members of the Electoral College
Term 136: winner-take-all
Definition 136: Candidate with the majority or plurality wins all electoral votes
Term 137: plurality
Definition 137: Most votes in an election, but not a majority
Term 138: mandate
Definition 138: The belief that a candidate has authority to act on campaign promises after a strong win
Term 139: Federal Elections Campaign Act (FECA)
Definition 139: Tightened campaign finance reporting and limited candidate spending
Term 140: Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA)
Definition 140: Tried to eliminate soft money and limit issue advocacy ads
Term 141: Buckley v. Valeo
Definition 141: Supreme Court ruled individuals can spend unlimited money on their own campaigns
Term 142: Citizens United v. FEC
Definition 142: Allowed unlimited independent political expenditures by corporations and unions
Term 143: McConnell v. FEC
Definition 143: Upheld key parts of the BCRA
Term 144: hard money
Definition 144: Regulated donations to candidates by law via the FEC
Term 145: Iowa caucuses
Definition 145: First delegate event of the presidential nomination season
Term 146: matching money
Definition 146: Federal matching funds for small donations in presidential campaigns
Term 147: New Hampshire primary
Definition 147: First official presidential primary
Term 148: soft money
Definition 148: Unregulated donations to parties and interest groups
Term 149: adversarial press
Definition 149: Press that is suspicious of officials and often writes embarrassing or damaging stories
Term 150: Associated Press (AP)
Definition 150: Cooperative news agency formed to promote efficient news gathering
Term 151: Big Three Networks
Definition 151: ABC, CBS, and NBC — major TV networks that dominated political broadcasting in the 20th century
Term 152: bully pulpit
Definition 152: The president's use of visibility and prestige to influence public opinion and promote policies
Term 153: bureaus
Definition 153: Regional or foreign offices that gather and report news
Term 154: Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Definition 154: A non-profit created by Congress to promote public broadcasting, funds NPR and PBS
Term 155: C-SPAN
Definition 155: Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network; broadcasts government proceedings, especially in Congress
Term 156: editorials
Definition 156: Articles expressing the opinion of the editorial staff or publisher
Term 157: equal time rule
Definition 157: FCC rule requiring broadcasters to offer equal airtime to all political candidates if time is sold to any
Term 158: exposé
Definition 158: A report that reveals hidden scandals or misconduct
Term 159: Fairness Doctrine
Definition 159: Former FCC policy requiring balanced viewpoints on controversial public issues; repealed in 1987
Term 160: Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Definition 160: Regulates radio, TV, wire, satellite, and cable communications
Term 161: free press
Definition 161: The right of media to publish news and opinions without government censorship
Term 162: gatekeeper
Definition 162: Media role in deciding what topics become national issues
Term 163: horse race journalism
Definition 163: Election coverage focused on polling and competition, rather than issues or policies
Term 164: investigative reporting
Definition 164: In-depth journalism uncovering corruption, scandals, or abuse of power
Term 165: journalistic integrity
Definition 165: Commitment to truth, accuracy, fairness, and ethical standards in journalism
Term 166: libel
Definition 166: A written or published false statement that damages a person's reputation
Term 167: mainstream media
Definition 167: Traditional media outlets such as newspapers, radio, and TV, as opposed to digital platforms
Term 168: muckrakers
Definition 168: Early 20th-century journalists who exposed corruption in politics and business
Term 169: narrowcasting
Definition 169: Targeting media content to specific ideological or demographic groups
Term 170: NPR (National Public Radio)
Definition 170: Public radio network offering news, talk, and cultural programming
Term 171: New York Times v. United States (1971)
Definition 171: Landmark Supreme Court case protecting freedom of the press (Pentagon Papers)
Term 172: off the record
Definition 172: Information shared with a reporter that cannot be published or attributed
Term 173: on the record
Definition 173: Information shared with a reporter that can be used and attributed to the source
Term 174: Pentagon Papers
Definition 174: Classified Vietnam War documents leaked to the press, revealing government deception
Term 175: press conferences
Definition 175: Events where officials speak to the media and answer questions
Term 176: prior restraint
Definition 176: Government censorship of material before it's published; generally unconstitutional in the U.S.
Term 177: Public Broadcasting System (PBS)
Definition 177: Nonprofit network offering educational and public interest programming
Term 178: right of reply
Definition 178: The opportunity for someone to respond to personal criticism in media
Term 179: scorekeeper
Definition 179: Media's role in tracking political candidates' successes and failures
Term 180: selective attention
Definition 180: The tendency to focus only on media that aligns with one's existing beliefs
Term 181: sensationalism
Definition 181: Use of shocking or exaggerated content to attract readers/viewers
Term 182: shield laws
Definition 182: Laws protecting journalists from being forced to reveal sources
Term 183: slander
Definition 183: Spoken defamation that harms a person’s reputation
Term 184: talk radio
Definition 184: Radio programming focused on political commentary and listener interaction, often conservative-leaning
Term 185: Telecommunications Act (1996)
Definition 185: Deregulated the media industry, allowing for more media consolidation
Term 186: watchdog
Definition 186: Media's role in investigating and exposing wrongdoing by those in power
Term 187: wire service
Definition 187: News agency that provides reports to subscribing media outlets (e.g., AP, Reuters)
Term 188: yellow journalism
Definition 188: Sensationalized and exaggerated journalism to attract readers and provoke emotion