1. Voting and Elections

3. 15th Amendment
States that no state may take away a person’s voting rights on the basis of race, color or previous enslavement

5. 19th Amendment
Protects the right of women to vote in all national and state elections

6. 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

8. Polling Place The location where voting is carried out
Usually in public buildings such as schools, churches or libraries

9. Precinct
A voting district that contains a certain number of voters

11. Ballot
A list of candidates and issues a voter uses to cast their vote

16. 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

17. Straight Ticket
Voting for all the candidates in one political party

18. Split Ticket
Voting for some candidates from one party and some from another

20. 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

21. Returns
Voting results

22. Exit Poll A survey taken at polling places of how people voted
Allows specialists to predict winners before all votes are counted

25. “Dewey Defeats Truman”
Headline for the November 2, 1948 Chicago Tribune
Incorrectly stated that Thomas E. Dewey had defeated Harry S. Truman

26. Electorate
All the people who are eligible to vote

27. Apathy
A lack of interest that prevents some citizens from voting

28. Types of Elections
Primary
General
Issues
Special

29. Primary Election
A preliminary election in which voters of each party nominate candidates for office

31. General Election
A regularly scheduled local, state, or national election in which voters elect officeholders.

32. Issues Election
An election in which voters vote on new laws or constitutional amendments

33. Special Election
When voters are asked to vote for a unplanned election such as a runoff election and a recall election

34. Runoff Election
A special election in which no candidate wins a majority of the vote in the general election

35. Recall Election
A special election in which citizens vote to remove a public official from office

36. Initiative
A way citizens can propose new laws or state constitutional amendments

37. Proposition
A proposed law that is put on the ballot at a general election

38. Referendum
When citizens petition to have a law sent back to the voters for their approval

40. Election Process
1) Nomination of candidate
2) Campaign
3) Vote

41. Electoral College
A group of people selected by each state legislature to select the president and vice president

42. Winner-take-all
System in which the candidate who wins the popular vote for a state receives all of the state’s electoral votes

43. Canvassing
When candidates or their representatives travel through neighborhoods asking for votes or public opinion polls

44. Endorsement
When a famous person supports or campaigns for a candidate

45. Propaganda
Information designed to influence opinion or promote a particular person or idea

46. 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

47. Hard Money
Donations given to a specific candidate for their campaign

49. Soft Money
Donations given to political parties that are not designated for a particular candidate’s election campaign

50. Incumbent
Politicians who currently hold the position being voted for

51. House of Representatives
Elect the president if neither candidate wins a majority of electoral votes