AP Gov Unit 4 Exam Graded A+ Describe different models of voting behavior. - ANSWER-Examples of political models
explaining voting behavior include:
▶ Rational choice - Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen's individual interest ▶ Retrospective voting - Voting to decide whether the party or candidate in power should be re- elected based on the recent past ▶ Prospective voting - Voting based on predictions of how a party or candidate will perform in the future ▶ Party-line voting - Supporting a party by voting for candidates from one political party for all public offices at the same level of government Describe factors that influence voter choices. - ANSWER-Factors influencing voter
choice include:
▶ Party identification and ideological orientation ▶ Candidate characteristics ▶ Contemporary political issues ▶ Religious beliefs or affiliation, gender, race and ethnicity, and other demographic characteristics Describe the benefits and potential problems of interest-group influence on elections and policy making. - ANSWER-a: Interest groups may represent very specific or more general interests, and can educate voters and office holders, draft legislation, and mobilize membership to apply pressure on and work with legislators and government agencies.b: In addition to working within party coalitions, interest groups exert influence through long-standing relationships with bureaucratic agencies, Congressional committees, and other interest groups; such relationships are described as "iron triangles" and issue networks and they help interest groups exert influence across political party coalitions.c: Interest group influence may be impacted by: ▶ Inequality of resources ▶ Unequal access to decision makers ▶ "Free rider" problem d: Different types of political action committees (PACs) influence elections and policy making through fundraising and spending.Describe the elements of a scientific poll. - ANSWER-The media's report of public opinion data that can impact elections and policy debates is affected by such scientific
polling types and methods as:
▶ Type of poll (opinion polls, benchmark or tracking polls, entrance and exit polls) 1 / 2
▶ Sampling techniques, identification of respondents, mass survey or focus group, sampling error ▶ Type and format of questions Describe the linkage functions of political parties and explain how parties impact the
electorate and the government. - ANSWER-a:The functions and impact of political
parties on the electorate and government are represented by:
▶ Mobilization and education of voters ▶ Party platforms ▶ Candidate recruitment ▶ Campaign management, including fundraising and media strategy .b:The committee and party leadership systems in legislatures influence the ability of political parties to carry out citizen preferences in government decision making.Describe the media's role as a linkage institution. - ANSWER-New communication technologies and advances in social media have profoundly influenced how citizens routinely acquire political information, including news events, investigative journalism, election coverage, and political commentary.Describe the roles that individual choice and state laws play in voter turnout in elections.
- ANSWER-a: Structural barriers, political efficacy, and demographics can predict
differences in voter turnout in the U.S., and the following can influence voter turnout
among democracies worldwide:
▶ National versus state- controlled elections ▶ Voter registration laws and procedures ▶ Voting incentives or penalties or fines ▶ Election type (mid-term or presidential) b: Demographic characteristics and political efficacy or engagement are used to predict the likelihood of whether an individual will vote.Describe the voting rights protections in the Constitution and in legislation. - ANSWER-Legal protections found in federal legislation and the 15th, 17th,19th, 24th, and 26th Amendments relate to the expansion of opportunities for political participation.Evaluate the extent to which the Electoral College facilitates or impedes democracy. - ANSWER-The winner-take-all allocation of votes per state (except Maine and Nebraska) under the setup of the Electoral College compared with the national popular vote for president raises questions about whether the Electoral College facilitates or impedes democracy.Evaluate the quality and credibility of claims based on public opinion data. - ANSWER-The relationship between scientific
polling and elections and policy debates is affected by the:
▶ Importance of public opinion as a source of political influence in a given election or policy debate
- / 2