Going to Vote
1. amendment that expanded voting rights to African American men
2. amendment that expanded voting rights to women
15
19
A person who believes their vote doesn't matter would have low
political efficacy
What is a linkage institution?
Explain the difference between an open and closed primary
open= any registered voter
closed= only people registered with that party
1. candidates
2. parties
3. independent expenditure groups
Lowered the voting age to 18
26
18-21 year olds
What are the 4 examples of linkage institutions?
Political parties, interest groups, elections, media
When is the nominee for president of each party announced?
at their national convention
Why is campaign spending protected by the first amendment?
because money = speech
Individuals who decide whether the party or candidate in power should be reelected based on the recent past
retrospective voter
Which candidate will have the best choice of getting elected?
Bob: ugly
Tim: good looking
Tim
Which of the following is not a way interest groups achieve their goals?
lobbying, litigation, candidate recruitment, legislation, electioneering
candidate recruitment (political parties)
Why does an incumbent have an easier time winning elections? (at least 2 reasons)
experienced in winning, stronger name recognition, history of decision making, army of volunteers, easier time getting $$$
Identify ONE loophole to campaign spending regulations
soft money, 527 groups, 501c groups, super pacs
How would voter ID laws be a structural barrier?
those without ID would not be able to vote
This type of election will see the highest voter turn out
general/national/presidential
How has the role the political party plays in selecting a candidate for election changed?
changed from very party centered to very candidate centered... the role of the party in selecting a candidate has weakened due to social media and technology they kind of have to pick the candidate that is already popular with the people
The media's role in uncovering scandals and holding officials accountable is known as being the
watchdog!
What is one main difference between PACs and Super PACs?
PAC- can donate directly to candidate, strict contribution limits ($5000)
Super PAC - cannot donate directly to candidate, can accept unlimited donations, spend on "independent expenditures" (ads)
explain what a structural barrier is and give one example besides voter ID
a policy or law that prevents people from voting
(polling hours, voting laws in specific states, availability of absentee ballots, ballot complexity, etc)
Explain one factor that might impact a person's choice in who they vote for?
Party ID/Ideological affiliation - vote for the party they are registered with
Contemporary Political Issues - care about what is important at the time & make decision on how each candidate will handle it
Candidate Characteristics - well liked? good looking? personality?
Demographics - a person's race, religion, gender, etc
Why do third party candidates not stand a chance? (2 reasons)
winner-take-all voting districts -- whoever wins the popular vote takes all the votes, so a third party candidate who gains a lot of votes/support really stands no chance
incorporation of 3rd party agendas into the two major parties platforms -- dem/rep will steal the popular ideas of a 3rd party candidate and incorporate them into their own agenda, effectively stealing votes from them
It is the effect of media outlets reporting on polling numbers... it can turn elections into popularity contests where more qualified candidates struggle for attention
CITIZENS UNITED V FEC
1. background
2. ruling
3. legacy
1. Hillary the movie comes out within 60 days of an election. CU gets sued for violating the FECA. case goes to SCOTUS
2. Corps and unions (such as CU) are "people" therefore spending cannot be limited and can spend unlimited amounts of money as long as it is not coordinated with a campaign
3. money = speech