Chapter 9 Flashcards
Suffrage
the right to vote
Register
officially sign up to vote
Polling place
the place you go to vote on Election Day
Ballot
a list of the candidates’ names that shows their political party and the office they are seeking
Voter turnout rate
the percentage of eligible voters who actually vote
Apathy
a lack of interest
Principle
basic belief
In the early years of the United States did most citizens have the right to vote?
no
What was the only group of people who had the right to vote?
white, male, landowners
Name two groups that were unable to vote until a law was passed or an amendment added to the Constitution.
African Americans and Women
Which amendment gave women the right to vote?
19th
What did the Twenty-sixth Amendment passed in 1971 do?
changed the voting age from 21 to 18
In most states are people who have committed serious crimes and served prison sentences eligible to vote?
no
What group gained the vote in 1870 with the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment?
African Americans
How did the law passed by Congress in 1992 extend suffrage?
extended the use of bilingual ballots and voting assistance
What group gained the right to vote in 1920 with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment?
Women
People of what age range gained the right to vote in 1971 with the passage of the Twenty-six Amendment?
18 and older
Which amendment extended suffrage to residents of Washington, D.C.?
23rd
How were individual voting rights protected in 1960?
The Civil Rights Act of 1960 made it to where there would be penalties to anyone who obstructed an individual’s voting rights
What was the goal of the additions made in 1975 to the Voting Rights Act?
to ban literacy tests so that it wouldn’t cause some people not to vote
What does it mean to register to vote?
to officially sign up to vote
What information is required to register?
your name, address, age, and often your political party preference
Why do you have to give your birth date?
to prove your citizenship and age
What is the Motor Voter law?
a law that requires states to let people register when they renew their driver’s license
Where can you find information about public issues and current events?
websites, television, radio, newspapers, books, and magazines
What are the different types of ballots?
a piece of paper with check boxes, a punch card, or a computer touch screen
How is apathy related to voter turnout rate?
If people are not interested in politics or who becomes president, then they will probably not vote
What are the two basic qualifications to vote in the United States?
You must be an American citizen and you must be 18 years old
Issue
matter of debate or dispute
Initiative
a procedure by which citizens can propose new laws or state constitutional amendments
Referendum
a procedure by which citizens vote one state or local laws
Recall
a special election in which citizens can vote to remove a public official from office
Electoral College
a group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president
Popular Vote
the votes cast by individual voters in a presidential election, as opposed to the electoral vote
Winner take-all system
a system in which the candidate who wins the popular vote in a state usually receives all of the state’s votes
Canvass
to seek votes from voters
Political action committee
political organization established by a corporation, labor union, or other special-interest group designed to support candidates by contributing money
Why are there different types of elections in the American political system?
because there are so many elected officials
What is the purpose of primary elections?
to choose one candidate from each party to run in the general election
Who becomes the party’s candidate for an office?
the person who receives the most votes
How are primary and general elections different?
general elections are held on a specific day
How do people get a proposed law on the ballot for citizens to vote on?
by going through an initiative
If the proposed law gets on the ballot what happens next?
a referendum takes place
In a referendum can voters reject a law passed by the state legislature?
yes
What is a recall election?
an election in which people vote on whether to remove an official from office
How does the process of having a recall election begin?
by people signing a petition
What determines whether a candidate wins a particular state’s electoral vote?
If they win the popular vote
How many electoral votes does a presidential candidate have to win in order to be president?
at least 270
Who counts electoral votes?
the House and Senate
What happens on January 20 following a Presidential election year?
The president is sworn into office
Why do you think some people criticize the winner-take-all aspect?
because it is harder for third party candidates to be represented in the electoral vote
How can a change be made to the Electoral College system?
by amending the constitution
What is the first thing a candidate running for office must do?
they must meet all of the qualifications for office
What is the purpose of the exploratory committee?
to find out how much support the person is likely to get
Why do candidates try to get a lot of media attention when they publicly announce they are running for office?
so that more people will know that they are running and so that more people will want them to get into the office position
