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Civics Unit 6: Political participation, elections and media

Citizens participate through voting, parties, interest groups and civic action, and they need media literacy to stay informed.

Covers: Voting rights and registration, political parties, elections and campaigns, the Electoral College, interest groups, media literacy, civic action

Study guide

Voting rights expanded over time. The 15th Amendment (1870) barred denying the vote based on race, the 19th (1920) granted women the vote, the 24th (1964) banned poll taxes in federal elections, and the 26th (1971) lowered the voting age to 18. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 ended literacy tests and other barriers. To vote, citizens must register (except in North Dakota, which has no registration), and states set rules for registration deadlines, identification, early voting and absentee or mail ballots.

Political parties are groups that try to win elections and shape policy. The US has a two-party system, dominated today by Democrats and Republicans, with third parties sometimes influencing debates. Parties nominate candidates through primaries and caucuses, write platforms, and organize government. Elections are held for federal, state and local offices; general elections for federal offices take place on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Campaigns raise money, advertise and debate, and campaign finance is regulated by the Federal Election Commission. The president is chosen by the Electoral College: each state gets electors equal to its number of representatives plus senators (538 total, including 3 for DC), and a candidate needs 270 to win. Most states give all their electors to the statewide winner.

Interest groups, like labor unions, business associations and advocacy groups, try to influence policy through lobbying, campaign contributions, lawsuits and public campaigns. Political action committees (PACs) raise money for candidates. Public opinion is measured by polls, which use random samples and have margins of error. The media inform citizens and act as a watchdog, but people must evaluate sources. Media literacy means checking who created information and why, comparing sources, separating news from opinion, recognizing bias, and spotting misinformation. Citizens can also take civic action by contacting officials, signing petitions, attending public meetings, peacefully protesting and volunteering.

To vote, a person must be a US citizen, at least 18 years old by Election Day, a resident of the state and (in every state except North Dakota) registered. Some states also limit voting by people convicted of certain crimes. Candidates often appeal to their party's base in primaries, then take more moderate positions in the general election to win independent and swing voters.

Third parties often focus on a single issue or a narrow set of ideas. Winner-take-all elections make it hard for them to win, but they can pull votes from a major candidate (the "spoiler" effect) and push major parties to adopt their ideas. Running for office is very expensive, which gives an advantage to wealthy candidates, incumbents and candidates with strong fundraising networks. Since Citizens United v. FEC (2010), corporations, unions and super PACs may spend unlimited amounts independently, but they can't coordinate directly with candidates.

Key ideas

• Amendments and the Voting Rights Act expanded voting rights.
• States set registration and voting rules.
• The US has a two-party system; parties nominate candidates in primaries.
• The president needs 270 of 538 electoral votes.
• Media literacy helps citizens evaluate information and spot misinformation.

Formulas and rules

Common mistakes

• Thinking the popular vote directly elects the president; the Electoral College does.
• Treating opinion pieces as news reporting.

Words to know

Suffrage

The right to vote.

Fifteenth Amendment

Barred denying the vote based on race.

Nineteenth Amendment

Gave women the right to vote.

Twenty-sixth Amendment

Lowered the voting age to 18.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Law that banned literacy tests and protected voting rights.

Voter registration

Signing up to be eligible to vote.

Political party

A group that tries to win elections and shape policy.

Two-party system

A system dominated by two major parties.

Third party

A party other than the two major ones.

Primary election

An election to choose a party's candidates.

Platform

A party's statement of its positions.

Electoral College

The system of electors that chooses the president.

Interest group

An organization that tries to influence policy.

Lobbying

Trying to persuade lawmakers.

PAC

A political action committee that raises money for candidates.

Poll

A survey measuring public opinion.

Margin of error

The range within which a poll's true result likely falls.

Media literacy

The ability to evaluate information and its sources.

Misinformation

False or misleading information.

Sample practice questions

5 more questions like these, from level 1 to 5, are in the practice set.