AP US Government and Politics: Political Participation Notes

Key Takeaways: Political Participation

1. When the Constitution was ratified in 1788, only white, landowning men could vote, and U.S. senators were not directly elected by the citizens. Over time, various amendments extended voting rights, including the Fifteenth, Seventeenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Sixth Amendments.
2. Political scientists study demographics to understand and predict voter turnout. Generally, citizens older than 65, those with higher incomes, and those with more education tend to have the highest turnout; conversely, citizens under 30 years old, those lacking college education, and those earning lower incomes tend to have much lower turnout. Voting laws and registration requirements are also major drivers of voting turnout.
3. Linkage institutions are groups that connect people to the government and assist in turning the citizens’ concerns into political issues that prompt governmental action. The media, political parties, and interest groups are examples of linkage institutions.
4. A political party is an organization of people with similar political ideologies that seeks to influence public policy and control the government through electing its candidates. American politics has been dominated by the two-party system, which today is made up of the Democratic and Republican parties. While interest groups focus primarily on policy outcomes, political parties seek to win elections.
5. Several third parties, such as the Libertarian, Reform, and Green parties, have emerged over time. Major barriers have prevented them from electing national candidates, including the winner-take-all system and the incorporation of third-party ideas into Democratic and Republican platforms.
6. The president and vice president are elected by the Electoral College following the general election. With very few exceptions, electors from each state plus Washington, D.C., vote for the candidate who won their statewide popular vote. This winner-take-all approach of distributing electors has raised questions about the extent to which the Electoral College facilitates or impedes democracy.
7. In Citizens United v. FEC (2010), the Supreme Court held that political spending by corporations and other groups is a form of free speech that is protected by the First Amendment. This ruling has sparked the creation of super PACs and ignited debate over the role that money can and should play in elections.
8. The media influences how the public learns about political issues and events. Mass-media coverage raises awareness of certain topics, thereby increasing the public demand for government action. Social media and the changing nature of media are significantly changing the way campaigns are run and political issues are communicated.