Elections 101
What is a representative democracy?
A democracy where people elect other people (representatives) to make decisions and run the government.
Who has the right to vote in the US?
Citizens over the age of 18. Some states do not allow people who have been convicted of felonies to vote.
What is an electoral district?
an area within a state from which a member of the House of Representatives is elected
What are the two major political parties in the United States?
Democrat
Republican
What is a member of city council called in Chicago?
Alderman / Alderperson
How many terms can a president serve?
2
Who gained the right to vote first, Black men or White women?
Black men (technically, but many could not actually use that right until almost 100 years later)
Who generally has the power to draw electoral districts?
The political party that has power in that state
What is a political platform?
A statement of the issues a candidate believes in and will work for if they are elected.
What happens if no one gets more than 50% of the votes in the election for Chicago mayor?
There is a run-off election between the top 2 people
What is a ballot question
A question about what the law should be that people vote on directly
What historical event prompted the lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18?
The Vietnam War (specifically, 18 year old getting drafted to fight in the war)
What is gerrymandering?
Drawing electoral districts to favor one's own political party
What is it called when a famous person publicly supports a candidate?
Endorsement
Why was Harold Washington not able to achieve many of his goals during his first term?
White, racist alderman got a majority of the city council to vote against Washington's ideas
How long is a Senator's term?
6 years
What is a group of people that are affected by US elections but can't vote in them
People under 18 years old
Non-citizens
People with felony convictions (in some states)
People living in other countries
Why did California redraw its electoral districts last year?
To give Democrats an advantage to counteract the Republican advantage in Texas
What was the argument of the majority of the Supreme Court in Citizens United v. FEC?
That corporations are individuals and have free speech rights that can't be limited. Meaning they can spend as much money on political campaigns as they want.
What impact do county judges have on people's day-to-day lives?
Making decisions in lots of different types of court cases, including criminal cases, custody, divorce, and evictions