voting and elections. 15 th amendment states that no state may take away a person’s voting rights...
TRANSCRIPT
Voting and Elections
15th Amendment
• States that no state may take away a person’s voting rights on the basis of race, color or previous enslavement
19th Amendment
• Protects the right of women to vote in all national and state elections
Voting Eligibility
• At least 18 years old• Resident of the state registered in• Citizen of the United States• Not have been convicted of a serious crime
Polling Place
• The location where voting is carried out– Usually in public buildings such as schools,
churches or libraries
Precinct
• A voting district that contains a certain number of voters
Ballot
• A list of candidates and issues a voter uses to cast their vote
Florida 2000 Election
• Election between George W. Bush and Al Gore came down to Florida
• “Butterfly ballots” confused many voters who accidentally chose a different candidate
• “Hanging chads” were partially punched cards that had to be hand checked for accuracy
• George W. Bush eventually won Florida and the election
Straight Ticket
• Voting for all the candidates in one political party
Split Ticket
• Voting for some candidates from one party and some from another
Absentee Ballot
• A way for people to vote who cannot get to the polls– Must be requested before Election Day and then
mail it in
Returns
• Voting results
Exit Poll
• A survey taken at polling places of how people voted– Allows specialists to predict winners before all
votes are counted
“Dewey Defeats Truman”
• Headline for the November 2, 1948 Chicago Tribune
• Incorrectly stated that Thomas E. Dewey had defeated Harry S. Truman
Electorate
• All the people who are eligible to vote
Apathy
• A lack of interest that prevents some citizens from voting
Types of Elections
• Primary • General• Issues• Special
Primary Election
• A preliminary election in which voters of each party nominate candidates for office
General Election
• A regularly scheduled local, state, or national election in which voters elect officeholders.
Issues Election
• An election in which voters vote on new laws or constitutional amendments
Special Election
• When voters are asked to vote for a unplanned election such as a runoff election and a recall election
Runoff Election
• A special election in which no candidate wins a majority of the vote in the general election
Recall Election
• A special election in which citizens vote to remove a public official from office
Initiative
• A way citizens can propose new laws or state constitutional amendments
Proposition
• A proposed law that is put on the ballot at a general election
Referendum
• When citizens petition to have a law sent back to the voters for their approval
Election Process
• 1) Nomination of candidate• 2) Campaign• 3) Vote
Electoral College
• A group of people selected by each state legislature to select the president and vice president
Winner-take-all
• System in which the candidate who wins the popular vote for a state receives all of the state’s electoral votes
Canvassing
• When candidates or their representatives travel through neighborhoods asking for votes or public opinion polls
Endorsement
• When a famous person supports or campaigns for a candidate
Propaganda
• Information designed to influence opinion or promote a particular person or idea
Federal Election Campaign Finance Act
• Established– Individual limits on donations– Created the Federal Election Commission– Forces public disclosure of each candidate’s
spending– Limited the amount of hard money that could be
given to a candidate
Hard Money
• Donations given to a specific candidate for their campaign
Soft Money
• Donations given to political parties that are not designated for a particular candidate’s election campaign
Incumbent
• Politicians who currently hold the position being voted for
House of Representatives
• Elect the president if neither candidate wins a majority of electoral votes