Unit 5 Political Participation

AP U.S. Government & Politics Review Unit 5: Political Participation (20-27% Exam Weight) 5.1 Voting Rights and Models of Voting Behavior Main Topics ● Voting Amendments Amendment Description ● Extended suffrage to African-American men Fifteenth Seventeenth ● Established the popular election of US Senators by the people Nineteenth ● Extended suffrage to women Twenty-Fourth ● Abolished poll taxes in federal elections Twenty-Sixth ● Extended suffrage to people 18-20 ● Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 ● Voting Rights Act of 1965 ○ Legislation that made it easier for African-Americans to vote ○ Broke down barriers such as the poll tax and literacy tests ● National Voter Registration Act of 1993 ○ “Motor Voter Act” ○ Made it easier for people to register to vote by being able to register when applying/renewing their driver’s license ● Types of Voting ○ Rational-Choice Voting = voting on what is in the citizen’s best interest ○ Retrospective Voting = voting based on a candidate’s past ○ Prospective Voting = voting based on a candidate’s future performance ○ Party-Line Voting = supporting a party by voting for all members of the political party 5.2 Voter Turnout Main Topics ● Voter Turnout Number of registered voters that vote in an election ● Compulsory Voting Laws that require a citizen to register and vote in elections ● Political Efficacy Belief that your vote matters and can influence policy Belief that our actions have an influence over the government ● Presidential Elections Election for the President and Vice-President Occurs every four-years ● Midterm Elections Elections for Congress Occurs during the middle of a President’s term ● Demographics Characteristics of a population Information is used to study the population 5.3 Political Parties Main Topics ● Political Party ○ An organization of people with the same ideologies ○ Influence public policy through elected officials ● Linkage Institutions ○ Informal organization ○ Connects the people to the government ○ Can influence the political agenda 5.4 How and Why Political Parties Change and Adapt Main Topics ● Campaign Finance ○ Funds raised to support various political positions (ie. candidates, political party, etc.) ○ Regulated/ limited by laws ● Candidate-Centered Campaigns ○ Campaigns revolving around a candidate and their personality and political agenda rather than their party ● Critical Election ○ Election leads to a major party realignment ○ Supporters of one party may switch to another ● Direct Primary ○ Process of voters choosing a candidate to represent their party in the Presidential election ● Dealignment v. Realignment ○ Dealignment = an individual loses interest or loyalty to their political party ■ Does not realign w/ another party; become independent ○ Realignment = an individual switches voter preference from one political party to another ● Political Action Committee (PAC) ○ Organization representing an interest group o/ corporation ○ Raises money in support of their interest ■ Limits on how much money a PAC can donate during an election 5.4 How and Why Political Parties Change and Adapt (continued) Main Topics (continued) ● Super PAC ○ “independent expenditure-only committee” ○ Can raise unlimited funds for a candidate or/ party