Political Parties
Currently the major parties in the US two-party system of government.
Democarats & Republicans
Being in favor of, or against, a person or group, in an unfair, one-sided way.
Bias
Independent US agency that monitors donations to candidates for federal offices, such as the President and Congress.
Federal Election Commission
Requirements to vote in the US (Name one).
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a United States citizen
- Not be a felon in a state that takes voting rights away
Body of people, representing states of the US, who formally cast the official vote for president and vice-president.
The Electoral College
A person who believes that limited government is best, with little oversight of businesses, plus strong support for traditional lifestyle choices.
Conservative
Misleading information, used to promote a political cause or point of view.
Propaganda
Organizations established by corporations, labor unions, and special interest groups in order to give donations to candidates who support their position on issues. Super versions of these have no limits on who can contribute or how much money can be raised.
Political Action Committees (PACs)
Amendment to the US Constitution that guaranteed a person cannot be denied the right to vote because of race.
15th Amendment
The number of electoral votes required for a candidate to with a presidential election.
270
A person who believes that government action is the best way to achieve equal opportunity, protect our rights, and help those in need.
Liberal
Articles that don’t report fact, but a writers own opinion.
Organizations that can raise unlimited funds from anyone by simply registering with the IRS (the tax service) and file full financial disclosures.
527 Groups
Amendment to the US Constitution that abolished the use of the poll tax (or any other tax) as a pre-condition for voting in federal elections.
24th Amendment
Most states have a __________-__________-__________ electoral system, which means the majority vote wins the state.
Political parties that introduce new ideas and/or press for a particular issue, take votes away from the two major parties, and often revolve around a political figure.
Third Parties
The roles of media in elections (Name one).
- Identifying candidates
- Emphasizing selected issues
- Writing editorials, creating political cartoons, publishing op-ed, posting to social media and blogs
- Broadcasting different points of view
Limits placed on the amount individuals may contribute to political candidates and campaigns.
Campaign Finance Reform
Amendment to the US Constitution that gave women the right to vote.
19th Amendment
Each state is given a certain number of electoral votes depending on the number of __________ and __________ they have in their state, totaling 538.
Senators & Representatives
The functions of political parties (Name one).
- Recruiting and nominating candidates
- Educating the people about campaign isses
- Helping candidates win elections
- Monitoring actions of officeholders
Strategies for evaluating political campaigns (Name one).
- Separating fact from opinion
- Detecting bias
- Evaluating sources
- Identifying propaganda
The Effects of Rising Campaign Costs (Name one).
- Require candidates to conduct a lot of fund raising activities
- Limit opportunities to run for office
- Give an advantage to the rich who run for office
- Encourage the development of Political Action Committees
- Give more power to special interest groups
Piece of 1960s US legislation that ended difficult literacy tests used to restrict African American voters.
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Any state that could reasonably be won by either the Democratic or Republican candidate in a statewide election.
Swing State