Chapter 10 - Political Participation Flashcards
Political participation
Activities citizens undertake to influence government behavior
Popular sovereignty
The principle that the authority to make decisions on behalf of society belongs to the people
Paradox of voting
The notion that people still vote despite the fact that the individual costs of voting often outweigh the individual benefits
Voter registration
A process by which citizens enroll themselves with the government to gain permission to vote in an election
Political knowledge
A general understanding of how the political system works, and who runs the government
Help America Vote Act
(2002) A federal law meant to
reduce barriers to participation
in elections
Vote by mail
A program in many states that allows voters to mail in their ballots rather than appearing in person at a polling place
The franchise
(suffrage) The right to vote
Voting Rights Act of 1965
A federal law that made it a priority of the national government to enforce provisions of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, leading to major improvements in voting rights for blacks, other minorities, and the poor
Voter turnout
The proportion of potential voters who vote in a given election
Voter mobilization
Efforts by organizations to facilitate or encourage voting
Socioeconomic status
(SeS) A measure of the way that individuals are regarded within a society by virtue of their wealth, income, education, and profession
