Unit 5 Vocab Part 1

Question 1

Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen’s individual interest.

Answer 1

Rational choice voting

Question 2

Voting to decide whether the party or candidate in power should be re-elected in the future based on the recent past.

Answer 2

Retrospective voting

Question 3

Voting based on predictions of how a party or candidate will perform in the future.

Answer 3

Prospective voting

Question 4

Supporting a party by voting for candidates from one political party for all public offices across the ballot

Answer 4

Party-line voting

Question 5

Prohibited voting restrictions based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude (slavery)

Answer 5

15th Amendment (1870)

Question 6

Prohibited voting restrictions based on gender

Answer 6

19th Amendment (1920)

Question 7

Outlawed the use of poll taxes at any level of government

Answer 7

24th Amendment

Question 8

Required all states to set a voting age of no more than 18 years old

Answer 8

26th Amendment (1971)

Question 9

A person who tends to participate in all forms of politics; influential

Answer 9

Activist (Political Activism)

Question 10

Legal method used to exclude whites from poll taxes and literacy tests

Answer 10

Grandfather clause

Question 11

An arbitrary test used to prevent black citizens from registering to vote (ex. “How many bubbles on a bar of soap?”)

Answer 11

Literacy test

Question 12

Rights that cannot be taken away, even if a majority of citizens would like to

Answer 12

Minority rights

Question 13

Made voter registration easier by requiring states to allow people to register to vote when getting or renewing their driver’s license

Answer 13

Motor Voter Law of 1993

Question 14

Law in some states that requires voters to show a form of identification in order to vote

Answer 14

Photo ID Voting Requirement

Question 15

A person’s belief that they can make a difference in the political process

Answer 15

Political efficacy

Question 16

A variety of ways that citizens choose and influence government policymakers

Answer 16

Political participation

Question 17

The right to vote

Answer 17

Sufferage

Question 18

Citizens must register to vote (fill out form) before they can vote; #1 predictor of whether someone will actually vote

Answer 18

Voter registration

Question 19

Percentage of voting-age citizens that actually vote in any given election

Answer 19

Voter turnout

Question 20

Maximum amount of money that a person may donate to a political candidate

Answer 20

Individual contribution limits

Question 21

Campaign contributions to political parties (not candidates); used to circumvent contribution limits to candidates

Answer 21

Soft money

Question 22

Law that banned soft money and requires candidates to endorse their own ads

Answer 22

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold Law)

Question 23

Combining campaign contributions from many individuals who have similar interests; used to maximize the impact of the donation

Answer 23

Bundling

Question 24

Money given to a political candidate from individuals or a PAC

Answer 24

Campaign contribution

Question 25

Recent trend where candidates for office must build a personal following through the use of advertising rather than relying on the endorsement and support of their political party

Answer 25

Candidate-centered campaigns

Question 26

A meeting of party members to discuss and choose their party’s candidate for a general election

Answer 26

Caucus

Question 27

The First Amendment’s free speech clause protects the rights of corporations, unions, and other interest groups to spend unlimited amounts of money to influence the outcome of an election; upheld disclosure requirements and contribution limits by individuals and PACs

Answer 27

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Question 28

The portion of a state that a member of the House of Representatives represents

Answer 28

Congressional district

Question 29

Final stage of the election process where all voters choose between the candidates of all political parties

Answer 29

General election

Question 30

Candidates running for reelection have a distinct advantage over their challengers

Answer 30

Incumbent advantage

Question 31

Alternative method of redrawing the lines of congressional districts in a non-partisan way in order to eliminate gerrymandering

Answer 31

Independent commission

Question 32

Amount of money spent by outside groups (non-candidates) to influence an election

Answer 32

Independent expenditures

Question 33

A paid professional who tries to influence government officials on behalf of a corporation or other interest group

Answer 33

Lobbyist

Question 34

The winning candidate must get more than 50% of the vote

Answer 34

Majority election

Question 35

The candidate with the most votes wins, even if that candidate gets less than half of the votes

Answer 35

Plurality election

Question 36

Broad term for an election to choose a party’s nominee for the general election

Answer 36

Primary Election

Question 37

An election to choose a political party’s candidate for the general election; any registered voter may vote

Answer 37

Open Primary

Question 38

An election to choose a political party’s candidate for the general election; only party members may vote

Answer 38

Closed Primary

Question 39

The recent pattern of states holding primaries early in order to maximize their media attention and political influence (3/4 of primaries are now held between February and mid-March.)

Answer 39

Frontloading

Question 40

Democratic Party elder who casts a vote at the national convention, but not from any particular state; for the purpose of avoiding close nominating conventions

Answer 40

Superdelegate

Question 41

Organization created in the aftermath of Citizens United v. FEC for the purpose of spending unlimited amounts of money to influence an election (may not contribute to or coordinate with candidates)

Answer 41

SuperPAC

Question 42

The winner of a state’s presidential primary receives all of that state’s delegates to the national convention; has the effect of speeding up the presidential nomination process

Answer 42

Winner-take-all primary