What is the franchise (suffrage)?The right to vote.
What is the Help America Vote Act of 2002?A federal law meant to reduce barriers to participation in elections.
What is the paradox of voting?The notion that people still vote despite the fact that individual costs of voting often outweigh the individual benefits.
What is political knowledge?A general understanding of how the political system works, and who runs the government.


What is political participation?Activities citizens undertake to influence government behavior.
What is popular sovereignty?The principle that the authority to make decisions on behalf of society belongs to the people.
What is socioeconomic status (SES)?A measure of the way that individuals are regarded within a society by virtue of their wealth, income, education, and profession.
What is vote by mail?A program in many states that allows voters to mail in their ballots rather than appearing in person at a polling place.


What is voter mobilization?Efforts by organizations to facilitate or encourage voting.
What is voter registration?A process by which citizens enroll themselves with the government to gain permission to vote in an election.
What is voter turnout?The proportion of potential voters who vote in a given election.
What is the Voting Rights Act of 1965?A federal law that made it a priority of the national government to enforce provisions of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, leading to major improvements in voting rights for blacks, other minorities, and the poor.