Unit 5 Flashcards
Political Participation
14th Amendment
Grants citizenship to all born or naturalized in the U.S. and ensures equal protection under the law.
15th Amendment
Prohibits denying the right to vote based on race or previous enslavement.
17th Amendment
Allows U.S. Senators to be directly elected by the people, not state legislatures.
19th Amendment
Grants women the right to vote.
24th Amendment
Bans poll taxes in federal elections, making it easier for people to vote.
26th Amendment
Lowers the voting age to 18.
Rational Choice Voting
Voters choose candidates based on what will benefit them personally.
Retrospective Voting
Voters base their choice on how well the incumbent has performed in the past.
Prospective Voting
Voters choose candidates based on what they promise to do in the future.
Straight Ticket Voting
Voters choose candidates from the same political party for all offices.
Structural Barriers
Factors that make it harder for people to vote, like limited polling hours, lack of absentee ballots, or inconvenient voting locations.
Poltical Efficacy
The belief that one’s vote or participation can influence political outcomes. Higher efficacy = more likely to vote.
Demographics
Characteristics of the population, such as age, gender, race, income, etc.
State Controlled Elections
States have control over election rules, such as voting hours, ID requirements, early voting, and mail-in ballots.
Voter Registration Laws
Rules governing how people can register to vote, such as deadlines or ID requirements.
Election Type (Presidential vs. Midterm)
Different types of elections; presidential elections occur every 4 years, while mid-term elections happen in between.
Factors Influencing Character Choice
Factors that influence how voters choose candidates, like party identification, personal characteristics, and political issues. There are 5 (Party identification, candidate
characteristics, contemporary
political issues, religious beliefs, demographics)
Party Identification
Loyalty to a political party (registered)
Candidate Characteristics
Personal traits like honesty, experience, and likability.
Contemporary Political Issues
Current issues like economy, healthcare, or immigration.
Religious beliefs
Impact voting on social or moral issues.
Age, Gender, Race, Ethnicity
Demographic factors that affect voting behavior.
Linkage Institution
An institution that connects the public to the government and allows for communication between them. Political parties are an example.
Mobilization/Education of Voters
Parties encourage voter turnout and provide information on candidates and issues.
Party Platforms
A document outlining the party’s positions on various issues.
Candidate Recruitment
seeking out candidates
Campaign Management
The organization of a candidate’s election efforts, including raising money and managing media relations.
Party Leadership in Congress
The party leaders in Congress help shape the legislative agenda and manage party members.
Candidate-Centered Campaigns
Elections where the focus is more on the individual candidate rather than the party.
Reduction of Power in Political Parties in Nominating Candidates
The shift from party elites selecting candidates to the public selecting candidates through primaries and caucuses.
Appeal to different demographic coalitions
Political parties and candidates target specific groups of voters based on characteristics like age, race, income, religion, or geographic location.
Critical Elections
Elections that signify a major change in the political landscape, often resulting in a realignment of party loyalties.
Changes in COmmunication and Data Management Techonology
Advances in technology that have transformed how political campaigns communicate with voters and manage election data.
How do Third-Parties pose a challenge to the main two political party?
Winner-Take-All: In most elections, the candidate with the most votes wins the entire election (especially in the Electoral College and congressional races).
Broad Groups
Represent wide, general interests (e.g., environmental groups, labor unions).
Narrow Groups
Represent more specific, specialized interests (e.g., industry-specific groups, professional associations).
Education of Voters by IGs
Interest groups provide information to the public and voters to raise awareness and influence political opinions.
Lobbying
The act of attempting to influence government decisions and policies by contacting lawmakers or officials.
Draft Legislation
Interest groups may help write or propose legislation that aligns with their goals.
Mobilize Membership by IGs
Interest groups organize their members to take action, such as contacting legislators, voting, or attending rallies.
Amicus Briefs
“Friend of the court” briefs filed by interest groups to provide additional information to the court in legal cases.
Inclusion in Iron Triangles
Interest groups, congressional committees, and government agencies form “iron triangles,” which are close relationships that influence policy.
Inequality of resources among
competing groups
Not all interest groups have equal resources, which can impact their influence on policymaking. They can differ in membership sizes, financial situations, and free-riders/selective benefits.
Social & Protest Movements
Collective efforts by groups of people to bring about social or political change, often through public demonstrations or protests.
Incumbency Advantage
The advantages that incumbents (current officeholders) have over challengers in elections.
Open Primary
Types of primary elections that determine the candidates for the general election.
Closed Primary
Only registered party members can vote in their party’s primary.
Caucuses
A method of selecting candidates through a series of meetings where party members gather to discuss and vote for candidates.
Party Conventions
Events where each party formally nominates its presidential candidate and sets the party’s platform.
General Election
The election in which voters choose between the party-nominated candidates (typically, the Republican and Democratic nominees) to elect the President.
Electoral College
A system used to elect the President, where each state has a certain number of electors based on its population, and the majority of electors in each state cast their vote for a candidate.
Winner-Take-All
A system in which the candidate who wins the most votes in a state gets all of that state’s electoral votes.
Proportional System
A system used by Maine (ME) and Nebraska (NE) in which electoral votes are awarded proportionally based on the popular vote in each district.
Professional Consultants
Experts hired to manage various aspects of a political campaign, including strategy, messaging, media, and advertising.
Rising Costs
The increasing amount of money required to run a competitive political campaign.
Longer Election Cycles
refers to extended periods between elections, allowing more time for campaigning and voter engagement.
Reliance on Social Media for Communication and Fundraising
Candidates and campaigns use social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to engage with voters and raise funds.
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
A law passed in 2002 to regulate campaign spending and reduce the influence of money in politics. Effort to Ban soft money, stand by your ad provisions “I approve this message”
Citizens United v. FEC
A landmark Supreme Court case that ruled that corporations and unions can spend unlimited money on independent political advertisements. Money = Speech. Corporate = People
SuperPACs
Political Action Committees (PACs) that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to support or oppose political candidates, but they cannot directly coordinate with candidates.
PACs
Organizations that collect and distribute money to support or oppose candidates, legislation, or political causes.
Agenda Setting
The ability of the media to focus attention on specific issues, influencing the public’s perception of what is important.
Investigative Journalism
In-depth reporting that uncovers hidden information, often about corruption, scandals, or abuse of power.
Horse-Race Journalism
Media coverage that focuses on who is ahead or behind in the political race, rather than the policies or ideas of the candidates.
Political Commentary
Opinion-based content where pundits, analysts, or media personalities provide their interpretations and perspectives on political events.
Media Bias
The perceived or actual bias in how news is presented, favoring one political party, ideology, or group over another.
Increased Media Choices
The wide variety of media platforms available today, including television, social media, blogs, podcasts, and more.
Ideologically Oriented Programming
Media content that is tailored to support a particular ideology, political party, or worldview. (MSNBC for liberals and FOX News for conservatives).
