Chapter 5 and 6 Review (Gov.)

Strong support of a party and its policies

Partisanship

What is preclearance?

A provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that requires prior approval by the Justice Department before election laws in certain States can be changed.

Which party system exists in a nation ruled by a dictatorship?

One-party system

What two factors increase voter turnout even when they conflict with other factors?

1.) having a sense of political efficacy 2.) The degree of two-party competition in an election.

What is a political party?

A group of people with shared ideas who seek to control government

Foreign-born resident who has not become a citizen

Alien

What type of voter is most likely to practice split-ticket voting?

An independent

A decrease in voting that occurs as voters work through the ballot

Ballot Fatigue

What is ballot fatigue, and how does it help explain "nonvoting voters"?

Ballot fatigue is an expression that suggests that many voters exhaust their patience and/or their knowledge as they work their way down the ballot. It makes causes fewer number of voters to cast for it which then creates nonvoters.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 affected voting rights by

Banning the discriminatory use of registration requirements.

Legislation supported by both parties is called

Bipartisan

What is Registration?

Citizens who qualify to vote must register in the voting district where they live. Citizens can register at the courthouse of the voting district. At times registrations events are held. This is meant to prevent people from voting more than once. The registration process has been criticized over the years. Those who oppose voter registration requirements believe voter turnout declined when most states adopted the registration process.

What allows new voters to become familiar with local candidates and issues?

Citizenship Requirements

Universal Requirements for Voting (Continued)

Citizenship requirements for voting deny aliens, foreign-born residences, the right to vote. Aliens have not yet become US citizens. Only two states, Minnesota and Pennsylvania, have requirements for how long a citizen must wait before voting. Minnesota requires three months, Pennsylvania requires only one month. The 26th Amendment says that a citizen who is 18 years of age or older shall not be denied the right to vote. Before this amendment was passed, the accepted age to vote in most states was 21.

A temporary alliance of several groups that come together to form a working majority

Coalition

Universal Requirements for Voting (Continued)

During World War II, there was a movement to lower the voting age. During the Vietnam War, the 26th Amendment was finally passed. Many believed if a person was old enough to fight a war, he or she could vote.

The potential voting population

Electorate

Drawing electoral district lines to limit a group's voting strength

Gerrymandering

Parties based on a particular set of beliefs

Ideological Parties

How does voter behavior turnout in off-year elections compare to voter turnout in presidential election years?

In general, the rate of voter turnout is lower n off-year elections than in presidential election years.

The current office holder is known as what?

Incumbent

Minor parties most often demonstrate their influence by

Influencing the major parties platforms

Describe how geography affects voting patterns.

It varies in terms of the size of the community you live in. Democrats tend to be in cities while republicans are in suburban America. The South doesn't vote as much as the North

What is the main reason for nonvoting?

Lack of interest

The most recent expansion of the electorate involved

Lowering the minimum age for voting

The major political parties in the United States

Mimic the highly decentralized nature of the American government.

Which party has dominated the Federal Government in recent decades?

Neither of the major parties

What is party identification, and how important is it in determining how a person will vote?

Party identification-the loyalty of people to a particular political party and it is important because it is a lasting predictor of how a person will vote.

Feeling of one's ability to influence politics

Political Efficacy

Process by which people gain their political opinions

Political Socialization

According to the 24th Amendment, no State can

Require payment of any tax as a condition for voting for President

Describe the profile of those less likely to vote.

Someone younger than 35, unmarried, unskilled

Parties that split from other parties are known as what?

Splinter Parties

Theodore Roosevelt, a republican, started the Bull Moose Party which was a

Splinter Party

Universal Requirements for Voting (Continued)

States also allow new residents time to learn about the issues and candidates. This is why some states have a short waiting period for new. Usually no longer than 30 days. The Voting Rights Act of 1970 and various Supreme Court decisions set 30 days as a reasonable waiting period. Transients, people living in a state for a short time (without legal residence) are usually not allowed to vote. In some states, college students may vote if they name their college as their residences.

What is the right to vote?

Suffrage

What law made it easier for citizens to register to vote?

The Motor Voter Law

To whom does the Constitution give the power to set suffrage qualifications?

The States

How does voter turnout in primary and special elections compare to voter turnout in general elections?

There are more voters in special elections than general elections

What was the main political goal of the Federalist Party?

To build a stronger national governement

Universal Requirements for Voting

United States citizens have the right to vote if they are at least 18 years old. They also must have lived in a state for a period of time, usually 30 days. Each state requires a person to be a legal resident of that state in order to vote. This requirement was made to prevent voters from being brought in at election time. This has been done before. No person may be denied the right to vote because of race, color, sex or religion. The right to vote is a civil right.

Name five reasons why actual nonvoters do not vote:

a. Many will not attend because they feel as though their vote does not count b.They lack any influence or effectiveness They deliberatlery c.Long lines and ballots d.time zone fall out e.lack of interest

Name five reasons why "cannot voters" are unable to vote:

a. Resident aliens b. ill or physically disabled c. Traveling suddenly and unexpectedly d. religious belief e. In a jail or prison

What are three main sources of information about voter behavior?

a.The results of particular elections b.The field of survey research (polling) c. Studies of political socialization

Describe the profile of those most likely to vote.

involved in community, better jobs, higher income, education