Voting & Behavior
This amendment prohibited states from denying the vote based on race.
The 15th Amendment
An election in which voters choose their party's candidate for the general election.
What is a Primary Election
The Supreme Court case that ruled corporate funding of independent political broadcasts cannot be limited under the 1st Amendment.
What is Citizens United v. FEC
The practice of meeting with lawmakers to provide information and influence their vote on a bill.
What is Lobbying
The media’s role in deciding which issues are important enough to be brought to the public’s attention
What is Agenda Setting / Gatekeeping
Voting for a candidate because you believe their promised policies will benefit you in the future.
Prospective Voting
A structural barrier in the U.S. that makes it difficult for third parties to win seats in Congress.
What is the Winner-Take-All system / Single-member districts
This type of primary allows any registered voter to participate, regardless of party affiliation.
What is an Open Primary
The "problem" faced by interest groups when people benefit from their work without joining or paying dues.
What is the Free-Rider Problem
Political journalism that focuses on polling and who is "ahead" rather than complex policy issues.
What is Horse Race Journalism
This 1993 law was designed to make registration easier by allowing citizens to register at the DMV.
What is the National Voter Registration Act / Motor Voter Act
A major change in the political landscape where a party's base of support shifts significantly, often following a "critical election."
What is Party Realignment
Money raised by political parties (not candidates) for "party-building" activities, largely banned by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA).
What is Soft Money
The three-way relationship between a bureaucratic agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group.
What is the Iron Triangle
The phenomenon where people seek out news sources that reinforce their existing beliefs
What is Confirmation Bias / Echo Chambers
The statistical study of populations, which helps candidates understand who is likely to vote for them
What are Demographics
When a voter chooses candidates from different parties for different offices on the same ballot.
What is Ticket-Splitting
The "front-loading" of the primary calendar usually starts with these two states.
What are Iowa and New Hampshire
A "friend of the court" brief filed by an interest group to influence a judicial decision.
What is an Amicus Curiae brief
Short, catchy clips of a politician speaking that are easily broadcast on the nightly news.
What are Sound Bites
A person’s belief that their political participation actually matters and can affect government
What is Political Efficacy
Organized groups like the RNC or DNC that provide "labels" for candidates and mobilize voters.
What are Linkage Institutions
These organizations can raise unlimited sums of money from corporations and unions but cannot donate directly to a candidate.
What are Super PACs
This theory suggests that many groups compete for power, ensuring that no single group dominates
What is Pluralism
The rise of this has allowed candidates to bypass traditional media and speak directly to their "base."
What is Social Media