Gov Unit 5 Flashcards

Factors Influencing Political Participation

• Political ideology, efficacy, structural barriers, and demographics affect participation levels.
  • Voting Rights Protections:
  • 15th Amendment (1870): Prohibits voting discrimination based on race.
  • 19th Amendment (1920): Grants women the right to vote.
  • 24th Amendment (1964): Abolishes poll taxes, aiding low-income voters.
  • 26th Amendment (1971): Lowers voting age to 18.
  • Voting Rights Act (1965): Protects against racial discrimination in voting.
  • Help America Vote Act (2002): Improves voting systems post-2000 election issues.

Models of Voting Behavior

• Rational Choice Model: Voters select candidates based on personal benefit; policies aligning with needs.
• Sociological Model: Voting influenced by income, race, education, etc.
• Psychological Model: Emotional attachment or past experiences with a party drive choices.
• Political Context Model: Environment (economy, media) shapes voting behavior.
• Issue Voting Model: Decisions based on key issues like healthcare or economy.

Factors Affecting Voter Turnout

• Motivation: Belief that one's vote matters increases likelihood of voting.
• Knowledge: Understanding candidates and issues correlates with voting.
• Party Loyalty: Affiliated party strength boosts voter turnout.
• Voter Registration: Streamlined vs. cumbersome registration processes affect turnout.
• Voter ID Laws: Can disenfranchise those without required IDs.
• Early Voting: Availability enhances accessibility for voters.
• Felony Disenfranchisement: Affects turnout negatively by barring felons from voting.
• Polling Places and Hours: Limited access may deter votes, resulting in lower turnout.

Linkage Institutions and Political Participation

• Political Parties:
  • Serve as key linkage institutions connecting people to government.
  • Influence electorate and government actions through organization and structure.
  • Adapt and change based on societal needs and challenges.
• Interest Groups: Enact influence through campaigns and policy lobbying; variations in resources affect efficacy.
  • Interest-group dynamics include cause-based, economic, and citizen welfare groups.

Electoral Processes in the U.S.

• Presidential Elections:
  • Electoral College: A mechanism that can both facilitate and impede democratic processes.
• Congressional Elections: Different processes establish legislative representation.
• Campaign Strategy: The organization and finance of campaigns impact election effectiveness.

Media's Role in Politics

• Linkage Institution: Media connects citizens with information about government.
• Diverse Media Outlets: The expansion and diversification of media affect engagement and political behavior.
• Shifts in Consumer Media: The rise of social media changes how information is consumed and may polarize opinions.

Supreme Court Cases Influencing Political Dynamics

• Important Cases:
  • N.Y. Times Co. v. United States (1971): Established precedents for press freedom.
  • Buckley v. Valeo (1976): Regulated campaign financing laws.
  • Citizens United v. FEC (2010): Allowed political spending by corporations, shaping campaign finance landscape.

Challenges for Third Parties

• Structural barriers like winner-take-all systems hinder third-party and independent candidate success.
• Political Realignment: Issues such as changing party identification trends and voter sentiments impact party dynamics.

Campaign Finance Regulations

• Hard Money vs. Soft Money: Differentiates regulated contributions to candidates (hard) and unregulated donations (soft).
• PACs and SuperPACs: Types of political action committees that have evolved with campaign finance laws, impacting political landscapes significantly.

Concerns with Electoral College

• Criticisms include lack of direct representation, focus on swing states, and potential disenfranchisement of voters.
• Ongoing debates about reforming or abolishing the Electoral College in favor of popular vote systems.

Voting Models

• Prospective Voting: Based on candidates' promises for future performance.
• Retrospective Voting: Decisions made based on past performance of candidates or parties in power.