Voting Rights & Behavior
This amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
Twenty-Sixth Amendment
These elections are held when the president is not on the ballot.
midterm elections
The United States mostly has this kind of party system.
two-party system
This federal agency regulates campaign finance and disclosure.
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
This term means talking directly to policymakers to influence policy.
lobbying
This case established the “one person, one vote” rule.
Baker v. Carr
In this type of primary, only registered party members may vote.
closed primary
These gatherings formally choose each party’s presidential and vice-presidential nominees.
national conventions
These organizations may donate limited amounts directly to candidates and parties.
PACs or political action committees
This theory says interest groups represent many sides of society and improve policymaking.
pluralism
Voting based on how a candidate performed in the past is called this.
retrospective voting
If no candidate wins a required majority, some states hold this type of election between the top two finishers.
runoff election
This term describes the groups and interests that make up a political party.
party coalition
This Supreme Court case ruled that campaign spending is a form of protected expression.
Buckley v. Valeo
This term refers to efforts to influence public opinion so voters pressure elected officials.
grassroots efforts
This voting shortcut lets a voter select all candidates from one party at once.
party-line voting
A meeting of party members to select candidates or a group of legislators with shared goals
caucuses
These smaller parties often push issues later adopted by major parties.
third parties or minor parties
These independent expenditure groups can raise unlimited money but cannot contribute directly to candidates.
Super PACs
This theory says the most powerful groups dominate policymaking rather than all groups being equally represented.
elitism
This type of voting means choosing the candidate a voter believes will perform best in the future.
prospective voting
These elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November for president and Congress
general elections
This part of parties involves organizing government leadership, caucuses, and committee assignments.
party in government
This 2010 case expanded free speech protection to corporations making independent political expenditures.
Citizens United v. FEC
The three main tools interest groups use to influence government are these.
lobbying, campaign finance, and grassroots efforts