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History & Theory
Q:
In presidential elections the winner is often a strong enough candidate that his success has positive results for his party all the way to the various state and local races. This phenomenon is called the
A.coattail effect.
B.trickle-down theory.
C.subordinate submission phenomenon.
D.force of election theory.
E.presidential impact.
Q:
Campaign contributions that go directly to the candidate are called
A.bribes.
B.influence maneuvers.
C.hard money.
D.soft money.
E.high profile money.
Q:
Arms of special interest groups that raise and give money to political candidates are called
A.congressional oversight committees.
B.political action committees.
C.political parties.
D.influence peddlers.
E.political divisions.
Q:
In most states the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state also wins all of the electoral votes from the state. This procedure is called
A.the unit rule.
B.sealing the vote.
C.the electoral override.
D.constitutional apportionment.
E.electoral sweep.
Q:
All states have a minimum of three electoral votes. The state with the most electoral votes in the Electoral College is
A.Texas.
B.New York.
C.Florida.
D.Vermont.
E.California.
Q:
How can the number of electoral votes in a state be changed?
A.Electoral votes are assigned by the U.S. Constitution and cannot be changed.
B.Each state legislature has the power to change its allotment of electoral votes.
C.The census is taken every 10 years and significant population shifts between states will lead to reapportionment of the 538 total electoral votes between states.
D.To add electoral votes, the U.S. Constitution must be amended.
E.The electoral votes proportionally represent the popular vote from each state so will change as it changes.
Q:
How does a presidential candidate win in the Electoral College?
A.The candidate must have a plurality of the electoral votes.
B.The candidate must win a simple majority of the 538 electoral votes.
C.The candidate must win a majority of the electoral votes in two-thirds of each of the states.
D.The candidate must receive at least one-third of the electoral votes coupled with a simple majority of the popular vote.
E.The candidate must win a three-fourths majority of all electoral votes.
Q:
What effect have televised presidential debates had on election outcomes?
A.Moderate results at best but likely no real impact.
B.Debates are proven to be very effective in swaying voter opinion.
C.The majority of the potential voters will change their candidate preference following the debate.
D.Historically the winner of the debates usually wins the presidency.
E.Almost always helps the underdog candidates at the expense of the major candidate.
Q:
The first televised presidential debate that generated a high level of scrutiny and interest was held in
A.1860 between Lincoln and Douglas.
B.1912 between Wilson and Taft.
C.1932 between Roosevelt and Hoover.
D.1960 between Kennedy and Nixon.
E.1992 between Clinton and Bush.
Q:
What is meant by the term "battleground state"?
A.The state cannot be considered safely Democrat or Republican so either party has a chance of winning that state in the presidential election.
B.Party politics are so strong in the state that nearly all efforts to move forward are met with huge battles.
C.The majority of the voters in the state are ideologically moderate.
D.A state that splits its distribution of votes in the Electoral College.
E.Election results in such states are normally decided within the courts weeks after the election.
Q:
Which of the following would NOT be a consideration for a presidential candidate in choosing his or her vice presidential running mate?
A.geographical and regional balance
B.ideological balance
C.balance of party affiliation between the two candidates
D.character and personal demeanor
E.balance of experience
Q:
Unique to the 2008 presidential campaign was the fact that neither an incumbent president nor vice president ran for the office. The last time that this occurred was
A.1992.
B.1976.
C.1960.
D.1928.
E.1860.
Q:
What is meant by "open seat election"?
A.Voters from either party can vote for any candidate.
B.Anyone can file as a candidate for the seat.
C.Neither candidate is an incumbent.
D.Neither candidate has declared a party affiliation.
E.Non-registered citizens may still cast votes if they prove residency.
Q:
Sitting presidents can sometimes lose their reelection bids. How many times has this occurred in the past 100 years?
A.none
B.one
C.five
D.11
E.21
Q:
A presidential race between a sitting president and a challenger is called
A.a primary election.
B.an incumbent race.
C.a policy referendum.
D.a confirmation election.
E.a tilted race.
Q:
Which of the following would NOT be considered a factor in the general election campaign?
A.whether an incumbent is running
B.who is picked for the number two position on the ticket
C.how advertising campaigns are waged
D.the presidential debates
E.how early the primary elections were held
Q:
At one time, the nominating convention was the place where the party platform was hammered out and party bosses negotiated for candidates. With the advent of television and the early primary elections in the states, what currently is the principle use of the convention?
A.drafting of proposed legislation that will be introduced upon the party's success
B.fundraising advertisements
C.week-long media forums that are used as the formal kick-off of the general election campaign
D.selection of the vice presidential candidate
E.appointment of cabinet leaders
Q:
A trend has emerged in the last 20 years or so in which states move their primary elections or caucuses earlier in the presidential election year in order to increase their significance nationwide. This process has become known as
A.frontloading.
B.leap-frogging.
C.intensifying.
D.opening the process.
E.narrowing the field.
Q:
The nomination campaign is a state-by-state process over several months. What is the primary goal of the candidate during this part of the campaign?
A.to illustrate the ability to garner support
B.to raise the most money
C.to complete the process and enter the national convention with the largest number of delegates committed to support his/her campaign
D.to win the general election
E.to emerge as a front-runner
Q:
A handful of states do not hold elections for individual parties to select their candidates. Instead, the party members are invited to attend local meetings at which they choose delegates who make a commitment to a candidate for the party nomination. This process is called
A.open primary.
B.closed primary.
C.caucus.
D.referendum.
E.sifting.
Q:
Most states require that a voter declare a party affiliation ahead of time and, at the time of voting, he/she can only vote in that party's election. This process is called
A.open primary.
B.closed primary.
C.the caucus.
D.forced selection.
E.restricted access.
Q:
A less common, but still utilized approach for selecting the party's candidate is for voters to show up at the polling place and request either a Republican or Democrat ballot, regardless of how they are registered with the Board of Elections. This approach is called
A.open primary.
B.closed primary.
C.the caucus.
D.open referendum.
E.cross-party poll.
Q:
What is a statewide election that selects delegates who will represent a state at the party's national convention? In this election, voters choose among delegates who are committed to a particular candidate.
A.general election
B.presidential primary
C.referendum
D.political party survey
E.party appointment
Q:
Becoming an early front-runner in a campaign for a party's nomination guarantees what?
A.The candidate will have the momentum to carry him/her through to the national convention.
B.The candidate will win his/her party's nomination.
C.The candidate will receive a nomination for vice president, at the very least.
D.A spot on the ballot in the general election will be awarded.
E.Nothing.
Q:
What is the primary benefit for a candidate who emerges as a front-runner in a political party's campaign for president?
A.The federal government increases the amount of funding for the campaign.
B.Media coverage of the candidate tends to increase significantly.
C.The candidate could experience an increase in support in the public opinion polls.
D.It guarantees the candidate a spot on the general election ballot.
E.State governments are required at this point to contribute campaign funding for the candidate.
Q:
Candidates seeking a political party's nomination often battle each other for months while vying to achieve "front-runner" status. This process is often referred to as
A.the primary election.
B.the screening process.
C.the debate process.
D.self-identification.
E.the invisible primary.
Q:
A governor decides that he wants to explore a run for president. After six months the prospective candidate cannot seem to generate any widespread interest or raise funds so he drops out of consideration for the presidential election. This scenario is an example of which of the presidential processes?
A.prenomination
B.nomination
C.national convention
D.general election
E.Electoral College
Q:
What is the purpose of "exploratory committees"?
A.They seek negative publicity on electoral opponents.
B.They are part of a money-making ploy used by politicians.
C.Potential presidential candidates use them to assess the feasibility of making a formal declaration of official candidacy.
D.They represent the electoral equivalent of an ethics investigation.
E.They are committees appointed by Congress to assess the needs of Americans.
Q:
How does a candidate win in the Electoral College?
A.He/she must receive an outright majority of all electoral votes.
B.He/she must receive two-thirds of the electoral votes.
C.The results of the Electoral College are considered and another vote is then taken in Congress to confirm the votes.
D.He/she must receive three-fourths of all electoral votes.
E.The Electoral College is symbolic and is no longer used in presidential elections.
Q:
The number of electoral votes from each state is determined by
A.the state legislatures of each state.
B.a vote in Congress prior to each election.
C.a number that is equivalent to the state's allotment of House members plus two more for each senator from the state.
D.each political party.
E.results of a conference between the two major political parties.
Q:
The final determination of which candidate wins the presidential election is based upon
A.a determination of the U.S. Supreme Court.
B.the actual number of states that each candidate wins.
C.the official results of the votes cast by electors in the Electoral College.
D.a review and vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
E.certification of the election results by the two major political parties.
Q:
The period between the national party conventions in the summer of the presidential election year and the actual election in November is referred to as
A.the nomination campaign.
B.the general election campaign.
C.the pre-nomination campaign.
D.the presidential debates.
E.the electoral wrap-up.
Q:
In today's American society, what is the primary purpose of the national party conventions that are held in the summer prior to the presidential elections?
A.To showcase the party's presidential candidate and garner momentum for the upcoming election.
B.To interview and narrow the field of candidates for the upcoming primary elections.
C.To appoint cabinet members and other officeholders in case the party's candidate wins the election.
D.To seek balance and a cooperative spirit between the two major parties on major issues prior to the election.
E.To introduce new legislation to Congress in order to satisfy campaign promises.
Q:
Normally, the period from January through June of the year of a presidential election is referred to as the nomination campaign. What occurs during this period?
A.The candidates declare their intention to seek the office of president.
B.All campaign funds are required to be expended.
C.Primary elections are held in each state to determine the number of delegates each candidate will be allowed to send to the nominating convention.
D.The Electoral College meets to cast their formal votes.
E.The nationwide vote is held and the next president is chosen.
Q:
Observers often list the first stage of a presidential election as the pre-nomination campaign that occurs shortly after a presidential election is concluded. What occurs during this phase?
A.The candidates for the next presidential election must be selected so that they have the full four years to campaign.
B.Political parties hold primary elections to determine who they can accept as possible candidates.
C.The president appoints committees from each party to begin searching for his competitors in the next election.
D.Possible candidates begin to test the waters, raise money, attract media attention, and try to sway support of influential party members.
E.The political parties hold their national conventions to plot the campaign for the next four years.
Q:
How many senators represent the District of Columbia in the U.S. Senate?
A.none
B.one
C.two
D.three
E.five
Q:
The District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) does not lie within a state; therefore, in the U.S. Constitution its citizens did not originally have a vote for president nor did they have any electoral votes. How was this changed in 1961 to allow residents of the District to cast votes for president?
A.The citizens of the District of Columbia held violent protests and government officials succumbed.
B.The District of Columbia became a state and then assumed the right to extend voting privileges to its citizens.
C.The U.S. Constitution was amended to include the District of Columbia in the Electoral College.
D.The District of Columbia's representatives in the U.S. House and Senate introduced legislation to make the change.
E.A federal law was created that extended the right to vote.
Q:
The Twenty-Second Amendment, ratified in 1951, limits presidents to how many terms?
A.no limit
B.one term
C.no limit as long as there is a four-year break between terms
D.two consecutive terms
E.two terms
Q:
What was the importance of the Twelfth Amendment, which was ratified in 1804?
A.It created a requirement that electors cast two votes: one for president and one for vice president.
B.It created the right to vote for all Americans.
C.Women gained the right to vote.
D.It abolished the poll tax and literacy test that were used to deny suffrage to minority groups.
E.It mandated that two political parties must always exist in order to give balance to the electoral process.
Q:
In the early days of American democracy, state legislatures chose electors who then cast two votes for president of the United States. Why cast two votes?
A.One vote was for their state and the other vote for the other states.
B.If voters rejected the electors' first choice, then the second place finisher became the winner.
C.If one candidate was ruled as ineligible, it would not be necessary to hold another election.
D.The candidate with the most votes became president, while the second-place candidate became the vice president.
E.To ensure that the vote totals were the same.
Q:
Jimmy Carter won the Democratic Party nomination for president in 1976 and went on to win the presidency. Carter was considered a low-key outsider who was not the first pick of the party power elites. How did Carter win the Democratic primary election?
A.He swayed the party leaders to back his candidacy.
B.Many consider the 1976 election as a "stolen election."
C.Carter won enough primary votes in the southern states that he did not need states from other areas of the country.
D.Carter was the only major candidate running for president in 1976.
E.He was the first to appeal directly to the primary voters and gain their support.
Q:
During the Progressive era of the early 1900s, the direct primary was created and implemented. What was the purpose of this direct primary?
A.It bypassed the voters and placed the election of candidates in the hands of the governor.
B.It cut out the campaign phase and proceeded directly to the voting phase.
C.It gave voters the opportunity to select party candidates rather than party leaders choosing the person who would represent the party.
D.It eliminated the power of the political parties.
E.It eliminated the voter registration process so voters had less chance of losing their right to vote.
Q:
In 1824 Andrew Jackson was the first presidential candidate in American history to win the popular vote but not win a majority of the Electoral College. What happened as a result of these election results?
A.The election was scratched and a new election held with Jackson losing in the second election.
B.Since Jackson did not win a majority of the Electoral College, the House of Representatives made the choice.
C.The Republican Party was created from the turmoil and began to win elections.
D.A political stalemate formed which prohibited the formation of other parties.
E.The turmoil was so great that the election was not held and the existing president served for three more years.
Q:
By the 1796 presidential election, just eight years after the signing of the Constitution, two political parties had formed and were actively seeking candidates to represent them in the elections. What were these first two political parties?
A.Democrats and Republicans
B.Democrats and Liberals
C.Republicans and Independents
D.Federalists and Democratic-Republicans
E.Communists and Socialists
Q:
Why did the Framers of the U.S. Constitution not anticipate the first phase of the presidential elections?
A.In that period, two elections were illegal.
B.They did not anticipate that a two-party system would emerge.
C.There was not enough population to warrant an election.
D.The population was so low that it was possible to create a ballot with all names listed.
E.It was very likely an oversight on their part.
Q:
Political parties select individuals to serve the parties as presidential and vice presidential candidates. This duo is referred to as
A.the force.
B.the executive branch.
C.the "party ticket."
D.democracy.
E.plurality.
Q:
Presidential elections have two distinct phases. The phase in which the political parties select candidates to run against other party candidates is called the
A.nomination phase.
B.general election.
C.interview process.
D.categorizing procedure.
E.indoctrination phase.
Q:
What does the U.S. Constitution say about the choosing of candidates or the process by which individuals become candidates for president?
A.The Constitution restricts the number of political parties that can be active in an election.
B.The Constitution requires that an individual file as a candidate for president at least two years before the election.
C.Beyond setting eligibility requirements, the Constitution has nothing to say about choosing candidates or the process of becoming a candidate.
D.The Constitution sets high filing fees for the office of president in order to keep the field of candidates at a moderate level.
E.The Constitution requires that political parties hold their presidential primary elections in the same year as the general election.
Q:
Which of the following is NOT one of the groups of citizens that have at some point in U.S. history been denied the right to vote?
A.minorities
B.women
C.property owning males
D.poor citizens of both genders
E.Native Americans
Q:
The U.S. Constitution does not explicitly state that all citizens have the right to vote; therefore, we have seen an historic battle to grant these rights. The right of all citizens to vote is commonly referred to as
A.the franchise.
B.patronage.
C.universal suffrage.
D.specific suffrage.
E.naturalization.
Q:
Which of the following is NOT an official duty of the state governments concerning elections and voting?
A.creating regulations for voter registration
B.setting the minimum age limit for voter eligibility
C.choosing methods for casting ballots
D.choosing formats and setting restrictions for a candidate to appear on a ballot
E.tallying and reporting official election results
Q:
What is meant when a certain group of citizens is "given the franchise"?
A.The citizens are granted suffrage, or the right to vote.
B.The citizens are granted legal alien status with all the rights attached.
C.Certain low-income citizens are assisted by the federal government in establishing small businesses.
D.The citizens are granted more rights than other groups.
E.Certain groups of citizens are targeted for criminal prosecution.
Q:
The system of voting, including the mechanisms by which voting procedures are actually carried out, is a function of
A.political parties.
B.state governments.
C.city and county governments.
D.the candidates' campaigns.
E.Congress.
Q:
Beyond voting, citizens participate in the political process in many other ways. Which of the following would NOT be included in a list of common and legitimate methods of citizen participation?
A.contributing time and money to a campaign
B.supporting opposition groups outside of the United States that oppose its system of government
C.writing letters that are critical of the president's policies to newspaper editors
D.holding rallies in public places to protest public policies
E.launching economic boycotts to protest a city's policies
Q:
If a particular group does not yet have the right to vote, that group does not have
A.suffrage.
B.democratic ideals.
C.voter preference.
D.majoritarianism.
E.universal suffrage.
Q:
How is "consent of the governed" determined in a representative democracy?
A.True consent can never be determined.
B.Majority rule is determined by an election.
C.It is determined by proclamation of the president.
D.It is determined by a ruling of the Supreme Court.
E.It is determined by the wishes and desires of Congress.
Q:
What is a core principle underlying representative democracy whereby the choice supported by the most voters is the choice that prevails, regardless of whether everyone favors or agrees with the choice?
A.elections
B.majoritarianism
C.rule of law
D.free will
E.realism
Q:
What is the primary characteristic of representative democracy?
A.Each citizen has a right to appear before Congress and speak to an issue.
B.Only selected and properly trained citizens are allowed to vote.
C.Citizens do not have a vote, since representatives are appointed for that purpose.
D.The people do not directly rule but they have the opportunity to exercise power indirectly by choosing those whom they wish to lead them.
E.A monarch rules for the citizens.
Q:
The core of political participation in a functional democracy is
A.impeachment.
B.taxation.
C.elections and voting.
D.the media.
E.free speech.
Q:
Representative democracy is a form of indirect democracy that is also commonly referred to as
A.a republican form of government.
B.a monarchy.
C.tyranny.
D.Greek democracy.
E.theocracy.
Q:
Discuss the incumbency advantage in congressional elections. Would we end up with an improved legislature if congressional elections were more competitive? Why?
Q:
Discuss efforts to promote universal suffrage. Have efforts to expand the franchise been effective? What issues persist over time? How can they be resolved in the future?
Q:
Discuss voter turnout. Who votes and why? How does voter turnout compare with other democracies?
Q:
Most Americans like to think of themselves as objective persons who can weigh and balance complex issues, yet several factors seem to be consistent throughout all elections. Discuss the concepts of candidate familiarity, party identification, issue voting, retrospective voting, and candidate image voting. Briefly define these concepts and explain how they affect the individual voter.
Q:
Discuss voter turnout and some of the factors that can cause it to increase or decrease. What are some of the methods currently used to increase voter turnout?
Q:
Discuss some of the historical trends in women's suffrage. When did women's advocates first organize and what were some of the challenges they faced? Also, what role did individual states play in women's suffrage prior to ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment?
Q:
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a comprehensive piece of federal legislation that addresses inequities in voter access to registration and the polling places. Two of the issues addressed by the act were poll taxes and literacy tests. Describe these two tactics, how they were used to defer certain voters from the polls, and the possible impact they had on election results.
Q:
Describe the historical struggles and challenges in the United States toward a system of universal suffrage. For example, what were some of the demographic groups that were denied the franchise and when and how did they gain the franchise?
Q:
One of the common reason Americans report for not voting is
A.they don"t feel smart enough.
B.they just don"t care.
C.they don"t have time.
D.they have a felony conviction.
E.none of the above.
Q:
The procedure by which the state legislature offers proposed legislation for voter approval is called a/an
A.initiative.
B.referendum.
C.contrapositive.
D.ratification.
E.submission.
Q:
The process that allows citizens to propose legislation and submit it to the electorate for popular vote is called a/an
A.referendum.
B.recall.
C.initiative.
D.plebiscite.
E.caucus.
Q:
A primary election that is held to choose a party's candidate and that allows those registered with the party and independents to vote is called a/an
A.simple primary.
B.closed primary.
C.blanket primary.
D.open primary.
E.caucus.
Q:
For elections to be considered free and fair, there must be
A.very long intervals between elections.
B.very short intervals between elections.
C.restricted suffrage.
D.voting by secret ballot.
E.access to polling places according to one's social class.
Q:
What is voter turnout like in states with Election Day voter registration?
A.Turnout in these states is considerably lower.
B.Turnout in these states is slightly lower.
C.Turnout in these states is about equal to turnout in other states.
D.Turnout in these states is higher.
E.There is no relationship between voter turnout and Election Day voter registration.
Q:
Which of the following statements about the voting rights of felons is accurate?
A.The Supreme Court has ruled that felons cannot be deprived of the constitutional right to vote once they have completed their sentences.
B.The Supreme Court has ruled that convicted felons are no longer U.S. citizens and, therefore, are ineligible to vote.
C.Some states allow felons who have served their sentences to vote, while others do not.
D.The recent trend is for increasingly strict restrictions on voting rights for felons.
E.Felons who are on probation can vote, but those who are on parole cannot vote.
Q:
Which of the following is a reason for the low U.S. voter registration rate?
A.Citizens are responsible for registering themselves; the government does not do it for them.
B.The time and effort required to register to vote is relatively low.
C.Most states permit Election Day voter registration.
D.The Motor Voter act has made it more difficult to register.
E.Election Day is a national holiday in the United States.
Q:
Voter registration in the United States
A.is automatic at age 18.
B.must be done by the individual.
C.is required by law for everyone over age 21.
D.is not necessary for college students who wish to vote.
E.was made more difficult by the Motor Voter Act.
Q:
Which of the following statements is accurate?
A.Hispanics vote more than African Americans; African Americans vote more than whites.
B.Hispanics vote more than whites; whites vote more than African Americans.
C.African Americans vote more than Hispanics; Hispanics vote more than whites.
D.Whites vote more than Hispanics; Hispanics vote more than African Americans.
E.Whites vote more than African Americans; African Americans vote more than Hispanics.
Q:
This group now represents a majority of the electorate because they are a majority of the population.
A.White men
B.Women
C.African Americans
D.Hispanics
E.Senior citizens
Q:
Approximately ________ percent of eligible voters rarely or never vote.
A.5
B.10
C.35
D.50
E.65