AP U.S. Government & Politics - Unit 5: Political Participation

Voting Amendments:
- Fifteenth: Extended suffrage to African-American men.
- Seventeenth: Established popular election of US Senators.
- Nineteenth: Extended suffrage to women.
- Twenty-Fourth: Abolished poll taxes in federal elections.
- Twenty-Sixth: Extended suffrage to people aged 18-20, lowering the voting age from 21 to 18.
Voting Rights Act of 1965: Legislation that facilitated African-American voting by breaking down barriers like poll taxes and literacy tests.
National Voter Registration Act of 1993:
- Also known as the “Motor Voter Act.”
- Made voter registration easier by allowing registration when applying for or renewing a driver’s license.
Types of Voting:
- Rational-Choice Voting: Voting based on what the citizen believes is in their best interest.
- Retrospective Voting: Voting based on a candidate’s past performance.
- Prospective Voting: Voting based on a candidate’s expected future performance.
- Party-Line Voting: Supporting a party by voting for all members of that political party.

Voter Turnout: The number of registered voters who vote in an election.
Compulsory Voting: Laws that require citizens to register and vote in elections.
Political Efficacy: The belief that one’s vote matters and can influence policy; the belief that actions can influence the government.
Presidential Elections: Elections held every four years for the President and Vice-President.
Midterm Elections: Elections for Congress that occur during the middle of a President’s term.
Demographics: Characteristics of a population; information used to study the population.

Political Party: An organization of people with similar ideologies that aims to influence public policy through elected officials.
Linkage Institutions:
- Informal organizations that connect the people to the government.
- Can influence the political agenda.

Campaign Finance:
- Funds raised to support various political positions, such as candidates and political parties.
- Regulated and limited by laws.
Candidate-Centered Campaigns: Campaigns that revolve around a candidate’s personality and political agenda rather than their party.
Critical Election: An election that leads to a major party realignment, where supporters of one party may switch to another.
Dealignment vs. Realignment:
- Dealignment: An individual loses interest or loyalty to their political party and becomes independent without realigning with another party.
- Realignment: An individual switches voter preference from one political party to another.
Political Action Committee (PAC):
- An organization representing an interest group or corporation that raises money to support their interest.
- There are limits on how much money a PAC can donate during an election.

Super PAC:
- An “independent expenditure-only committee.”
- Can raise unlimited funds for a candidate or party.
- Cannot interact with those that funds are donated to.

Third Party:
- A minor party that is not one of the major parties (Republican & Democratic).
- Rarely win elections but can influence by drawing attention to specific issues.
Independent Candidate: A candidate for office with no formal affiliation to a party.
Types of Electoral Systems:
- Proportional System:
  - Political parties earn legislative seats proportional to the number of votes they receive during an election.
- Two-Party System:
  - Two major parties dominate voting at all levels.
- Winner-Take-All System:
  - Legislative seats are awarded to the party that received the most votes during an election.

“Free Rider” Problem: An individual uses a service or receives benefits without making a personal contribution (money or time), assuming others will pay for that service.
Interest Groups: Formal or informal groups of people with the same interests attempting to influence policy.
Iron Triangle: A mutually beneficial relationship between congressional committees, the federal bureaucracy, and interest groups that maximizes gain over similar issues.
Iron Network: A group of people, interest groups, and public officials that rally around a specific issue/subject that they intend to support or defeat.
Lobbying: Seeking to influence a politician on a specific issue.

Direct Lobbying: Seeking to influence a politician on a specific issue by directly talking to bureaucrats or elected officials.
Protest Movement vs. Social Movements:
- Protest Movement: Public demonstrations or direct actions that raise awareness and bring attention to an issue.
- Social Movement: Groups that bring about and influence change in society (e.g., Civil Rights Movement).
Inside Strategies vs. Outside Strategies:
- Inside Strategies: Interest groups attempt to influence policy by working inside Washington D.C. (e.g., direct lobbying and drafting legislation).
- Outside Strategies: Interest groups attempt to influence policy by working outside Washington D.C. (e.g., campaign contributions and reaching out to constituents).
Single-Issue Groups: Interest groups devoted to a singular, specific issue.

Closed Primary vs. Open Primary:
- Closed Primary: A primary election limited to registered party voters.
- Open Primary: A primary election not limited to registered party voters.
Caucus: A meeting of members of a political party to choose nominees for political office.
Electoral College: Electors chosen by the states to formally vote in the Presidential election; electors vote based on the results of their state elections.
Incumbent: An official who already holds office, giving them an advantage due to experience, staff, and media exposure.
General Election: An election to decide which candidates will hold office.
Popular Vote: Total or % of votes won by each candidate.

Types of Elections:
- Primary Election:
  - Election to determine which candidate a party will send to the General Election.
  - Candidates compete against other candidates from their party.
- General Election:
  - Election to decide which candidates will hold office.
  - Candidates compete against candidates from other parties.
- Presidential Election:
  - Candidates run for President and Vice President.
  - Occurs every four years.
- Midterm Election:
  - Elections for Congress.
  - Occurs during the middle of a President’s term.

Campaign Finance: Fundraising to support a candidate during their campaign; campaign costs have increased since 1970.
Political Consultants: Advisers to candidates that help promote the election of a candidate.

Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010):
- Supreme Court case that ruled that political spending is a form of free speech, protected by the First Amendment.
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (2002):
- McCain-Feingold Act that banned soft money and reduced attack ads.
- “Stand by Your Ad” Provision: Ads in support or opposition of a candidate were required to include: “I’m [candidate’s name] and I approve this message.