Unit 5 Flashcards
What is voter turnout?
The percent of eligible voters that vote
Watch news, vote, protest, create petitions, running for office, reaching out to and elected representative, volunteering for an election campaign, donating money, etc.
Some ways to participate in politics
Do you have to be a voter to participate in politics?
No, you can still support
What influences political participation?
Political Ideology, political efficacy, structural barriers
Faith in the government (Think beliefs and motivation)
Political efficacy
Obstacles that collectively affect a group disproportionately and perpetuate or maintain stark disparities in outcomes
Structural barriers
Jim crow laws, gender roles, lack of representation
Examples of structural barriers
-Voting based on what is perceived to be the citizen’s individual interest
-Voting based on the “best” candidate & how they’ll benefit you as an individual
Rational Choice-Voting
Do a lot of people use Rational Choice-Voting?
No, not a lot of people vote this way
Voting on whether or not the candidate (or party) in power should be re-elected based off of RECENT (last election cycle or two) past
Retrospective Voting
Do a lot of people use Retrospective Voting?
Yes, a lot of people vote this way
-Voting based on how the voter thinks a party/candidate will do in the future
-Has a big roll in political ideology
Prospective Voting
Do a lot of people use Prospective Voting?
Yes, this is the average way people vote
-Supporting your party by voting candidates from one political party for all offices for all levels of government (Local, State, National)
-Supporting a certain candidate simply because they’re in your political party
Party Line-Voting
Do a lot of people use party line-voting?
Yes, this is the main way that people vote
Time of election, type of election, structural barriers, political efficacy, demographics, weather, campaigning, voter registration laws, voting incentives
Influences voter turnout
An organization of people with similar political ideologies that seeks to influence public policy by getting a person/candidate elected
A political party
-A way to link (bring together) people to the government
-Channels that allow individuals a way to engage in political participation
Linkage institutions
Who were the first 2 factions?
The federalists and the anti-federalists
Who were the first 2 parties and who were they founded by?
Alexander Hamilton’s Federalists and Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans
Party organization, party in government, and party in the electorate
What political parties are made of
Responsible for educating & mobilizing voters to support candidates who are members of the party
Party organization
Elected officials who belong to the party
Party in the government
Made up of all citizens who identify with that party
Party in the electorate
Party organization with the goal of enriching party leaders/ supporters and/or workers by giving the victors government jobs and contracts
A political machine
Elections that decide who’s in the general election
Primary elections
When two groups join up/ come together
Coalition
Elections that lead to party realignment
Critical elections?
Change in the composition of a party
Realignment
An individual loses loyalty to their party and switches to another
De-alignment
Campaign Finance
PACS and Super PACS
Where is the proportional system for legislative seats commonly used?
Europe
What is the point of the proportional system?
The majority party will still receive a majority seats based on results of the election
What does the proportional system benefit?
It benefits minor political parties
System were legislative seats are awarded to the percentage of votes gathered by a particular party in an election
The proportional system
Where is the winner-takes-all system for legislative seats commonly used?
The U.S.
What does the winner-takes-all system benefit?
The 2 party system
What is the point of the winner-takes-all system?
Th majority party will still receive a majority of seats based on results of the election
System where the legislative seats are awarded only to the party who received the most votes
The winner-takes-all system
Formal informal group of people trying to influence the government in favor of their particular interest
Interest groups
NRA, PETA, ACLU, AARP, NAACP, etc.
Examples of interest groups
Promotes democracy, can create real change, offer solutions for problems, provide a way for ordinary people to participate in the political process, educate constituents and government officials/incumbents, pluralism
The benefits of interest groups
Only looks at things from their perspective, only benefits themselves, “Buying candidates/elections”, can lead to hyper-pluralism, they have a lot of money and sometimes get in trouble by doing things illegal with money
Problems with interest groups
Are all interest groups equal?
No
Unequal access to decision makers (Some groups have better lobbyists and connections than others, “Free Rider” Problems (People can benefit from interest groups without donating, voting, making effort, or even joining, Single-issue groups (Interest groups that only care about one thing)
All interest groups not equal
Mutually-beneficial relationship between an interest group, Congress, and the Executive Branch
The Iron Triangle?
In the Iron Triangle, Congress does what for the Bureaucracy?
Gives funding and political support
In the Iron Triangle, the Bureaucracy does what for interest groups?
Low regulation special favors
In the Iron Triangle, interest groups do what for Congress?
Give electoral support
Group of individuals/public officials/decision makers and/or interest groups that form around a particular issue
Issue network
Primaries/caucuses, national conventions, general elections, and the electoral college
The process of electing the president
Which part of the process of electing the president is legally the most important?
The Electoral College
Are incumbents most or less likely to win an election?
most likely
Is it possible to win the electoral college vote but lose the popular election?
Yes
Incumbents are advantaged by___
Name recognition, media exposure, staff members, and fundraising infrastructure is already in place
Election that decides which candidate a party will send to a general election
The primaries
Not limited to registered party members
An Open Primary
Limited to registered party members
A Closed Primary
A meeting in a voting precinct where party members choose nominees for offices
A caucus
Is a caucus a secret ballot?
No
What states use caucuses?
Iowa and Nevada
Election that decides which candidate will fill an office
The General Election
An organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making progress within a specific group
Campaign
Campaigns usually have the aid of a ___
Professional election consultant
A person who promotes the election of candidates by advising candidates how best to promote themselves and their ideas to the public
A professional election consultant
