Deck 10: Elections and Campaigns

Question 1

Which is not a reason to have elections rather than the random selection of lawmakers?

A) Election campaigns stimulate public deliberation.
B) Elections are less costly than random selection would be.
C) Elections foster more active citizenship.
D) Elections provide a way for the people to check and control their government.
E) It is not necessarily desirable for officials to be a perfect cross-section of the public.

Answer 1

Elections are less costly than random selection would be.

Question 2

The three basic features of American politics that contribute to the complexity of the electoral system are

A) executive power, bicameralism, and federalism.
B) executive powers, democracy, and federalism.
C) separation of powers, bicameralism, and democracy.
D) separation of powers, bicameralism, and federalism.
E) separation of powers, executive powers, and federalism.

Answer 2

separation of powers, bicameralism, and federalism.

Question 3

Every two years the nation elects

A) all House members and one-third of the senators.
B) all senators and one-third of the House members.
C) the president and one-third of Congress.
D) the president and all of Congress.
E) one-third of the Congress.

Answer 3

all House members and one-third of the senators.

Question 4

In principle, the most direct way in which people can guide public policy is by

A) calling their representatives.
B) taking out newspaper ads.
C) joining interest groups.
D) placing legislation on the ballot.
E) refusing to reelect an incumbent.

Question 5

Why did the Framers of the Constitution set up a representative government and not provide for a popular vote on federal legislation?

A) They believed that most people were not interested in legislative issues.
B) They believed that the country should be governed by the elite.
C) They believed the deliberative work of legislation could not take place among a large mass of citizens.
D) They did not believe that ordinary citizens could understand the complexity of legislative issues.
E) They feared secret influences from abroad.

Question 6

In 2008, Californians gathered signatures and placed Proposition 8 on the ballot, providing for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. This is an example of a(n)

A) elector.
B) initiative.
C) legislative referendum.
D) popular referendum.
E) recall.

Question 7

In some states, citizens can gather signatures to enable voters to accept or reject measures the legislature has passed. This is called a(n)

A) elector.
B) initiative.
C) legislative referendum.
D) popular referendum.
E) recall.

Question 8

A measure that is submitted to the people by the state legislature for approval or rejection is called a(n)

A) elector.
B) initiative.
C) legislative referendum.
D) popular referendum.
E) recall.

Question 9

Why are recall elections seldom successful statewide?

A) Most elected officials step down before the recall can be completed.
B) Most people are not so dissatisfied with their elected officials to give recall elections the required time.
C) Recall elections require a high percentage of voters' signatures.
D) The state legislature is seldom willing to ratify the recall.
E) Voters are seldom willing to foot the bill for another election.

Question 10

Which statement is true of direct democracy procedures such as initiatives and referenda?

A) Each voter's choices are on public record.
B) Ballot campaigns tend to favor rich interest groups and politicians.
C) The main goal of initiative qualification firms is to educate voters.
D) All states have procedures in place for voter initiatives.
E) Voters have the option to amend each measure on the ballot.

Question 11

In a federal election the ballots list each candidate with his or her party affiliation. This would be a(n) ________ election.

A) bipartisan
B) democratic
C) equal
D) nonpartisan
E) partisan

Question 12

How might nonpartisan elections foster voter deliberation?

A) Each vote is made public so the voters can discuss them.
B) The election is held after a town meeting in which citizens have discussed the issues.
C) They force voters to weigh the candidates' merits rather than their party labels.
D) They require the voter to give an explanation of his or her vote.
E) They usually involve obscure items that force voters to do some research before casting their ballots.

Question 13

What are the two phases of most American elections?

A) Local election and federal election
B) Partisan election and nonpartisan election
C) Party nomination and party convention
D) Popular election and electoral college
E) Primary election and general election

Question 14

Some states provide for a runoff primary in case

A) a candidate disputes the results.
B) no one gets a majority in the first round.
C) one candidate drops out.
D) there are more than two candidates.
E) there is only one candidate.

Question 15

Runoff elections tend to favor

A) candidates with a broad base of support.
B) extremists.
C) more conservative candidates.
D) more liberal candidates.
E) third party candidates.

Question 16

Instant-runoff voting allows voters to

A) vote online in order to obtain the results instantly.
B) cast their vote for the run-off at the same time as they cast their primary vote.
C) recall state legislators.
D) vote against a candidate rather than for a candidate.
E) rank candidates in order of preference.

Question 17

In an at-large election, candidates run

A) in a specific district.
B) in an entire state, county, city, or town.
C) nationwide.
D) on the coattail effect.
E) without a party label.

Question 18

In ___________, states divide themselves into constituencies, and each elects its own member.

A) single-member districts
B) at-large elections
C) run-off elections
D) recall elections
E) referendum proceedings

Question 19

What is one difficulty with large districts?

A) Campaigning is done more efficiently.
B) The election process is slower.
C) The representative from that district has less voter contact and perhaps more difficulty representing constituents.
D) The representative may not be from the area that he is representing so would have less understanding of his constituents.
E) The voters do not know who their representative is.

Question 20

The Supreme Court has ruled that under the principle of "one person, one vote," all House districts should

A) have equal populations across all states.
B) have equal populations within each state.
C) have two representatives.
D) be geographically equal.
E) receive federal aid adjustments based on population.

Question 21

In the process of reapportionment, each state gets

A) a new district.
B) a new senator.
C) a share of representatives according to population.
D) another seat in the House of Representatives.
E) federal aid adjustments based on population.

Question 22

Equal populations may have unequal electorates because apportionment depends on

A) the ratio of registered Republicans to registered Democrats.
B) the amount of federal aid a district receives.
C) only registered voters.
D) total residents, including minors, aliens, and those who abstain from voting.
E) Supreme Court designations.

Question 23

The redrawing of congressional and state legislative district lines is called

A) delegating.
B) gerrymandering.
C) merging.
D) politicking.
E) redistricting.

Question 24

The drawing of district lines, often in odd shapes to benefit a particular party or constituency, is called

A) delegating.
B) gerrymandering.
C) merging.
D) politicking.
E) redistricting.

Question 25

A majority-minority district is based on

A) district reporting measures.
B) the racial identity of a majority of the potential voters.
C) financial contributions within a state.
D) merging ideas of the majority and minority.
E) educational funding.

Question 26

What is one possible benefit of long ballots that have many offices and measures?

A) They require voters to demonstrate knowledge of each office before casting a vote.
B) They give rise to more campaigns and provide more opportunities for citizen activism.
C) They raise money for the government by requiring extra postage to return the ballot.
D) They result in less campaigning by the candidates, which results in less debt for the state.
E) They deter undereducated or uninterested voters from going to the polls.

Question 27

In comparison with state and local elections, federal elections have

A) fewer elected offices.
B) fewer eligible voters.
C) longer ballots.
D) more elected offices.
E) more initiatives and referenda.

Question 28

What makes presidential elections unique when compared with other elections?

A) Presidential elections have the smallest constituency.
B) Presidential elections receive less media coverage than other elections.
C) The president and the vice president are the only elected officials who answer to a national electorate.
D) There are more candidates in general presidential elections.
E) They are held in odd years.

Question 29

Until the early twentieth century, delegates were chosen by

A) popular vote.
B) the president.
C) a majority vote in the Senate.
D) a majority vote in the House.
E) state party leaders.

Question 30

Although party leaders still drove the delegate selection process in 1960, why did John F. Kennedy, a Catholic, choose to run in the primary in West Virginia, a predominately Protestant state?

A) Candidates were required to run in all available primaries.
B) He wanted to prove that a Catholic could win Protestant votes.
C) He wanted to prove that his policies were not those of the Catholic Church.
D) Party leaders pushed him into it, hoping to prove that he was not a viable national candidate.
E) West Virginia law automatically places all candidates' names on the ballot.

Question 31

In the modern delegate selection process, the alternative to a primary is a(n)

A) caucus.
B) elector.
C) initiative.
D) recall.
E) referendum.

Question 32

What is the main reason the early primaries and caucuses have so much influence?

A) Candidates who win early in the process are able to get more endorsements and contributions that help them in the remaining races.
B) Federal law prohibits any candidate who has not won a primary or caucus by February 20^th from continuing a presidential bid.
C) Later in the election season people begin to lose interest.
D) Other candidates drop out of the race if they do not win at least one of the first three primaries or caucuses.
E) States with earlier primaries and caucuses have more delegates to send to the convention.

Question 33

In the general election, the president is chosen by

A) direct popular vote.
B) the Electoral College.
C) the House of Representatives.
D) the Senate.
E) the Supreme Court.

Question 34

During election seasons, candidates tend to spend their campaign funds in

A) areas that could go to either party.
B) areas where their party is weak.
C) areas where they are likely to win.
D) large urban areas, regardless of their political history.
E) rural areas, regardless of their political history.

Question 35

If no one wins a majority of electoral votes in a presidential election, how is the president chosen?

A) A runoff election is held.
B) The candidate with the majority of the popular vote wins.
C) The House of Representatives chooses from among the three candidates with the most electoral votes.
D) The Senate chooses from the two candidates with the most electoral votes.
E) The Supreme Court determines the winner.

Question 36

If no one wins a majority of the electoral votes in an election, how is the vice president chosen?

A) As the president and vice president run together, the selection of the vice president is the same as the selection of the president in case of an electoral deadlock.
B) The candidate with the majority of the popular vote wins.
C) The House of Representatives chooses from among the three candidates with the most electoral votes.
D) The presidential candidate with the second most electoral votes becomes vice president.
E) The Senate chooses from the two candidates with the most electoral votes.

Question 37

How does the winner-take-all feature of the Electoral College system support the two-party system?

A) It gives electoral votes only to the two largest parties.
B) It makes it hard for a third or fourth party candidate to win electoral votes.
C) It makes the campaign more costly which is difficult for third parties who have a harder time raising funds.
D) There are no delegates slated for third or fourth party candidates in most states.
E) Third party candidates do not receive any electors even if they win the popular vote.

Question 38

When compared to most states, people in the battleground states have

A) more opportunities for active citizenship.
B) fewer opportunities for active citizenship.
C) longer ballots.
D) shorter ballots.
E) longer poll hours.

Question 39

The Seventeenth Amendment provides for

A) nationwide primary elections.
B) six year terms for senators.
C) the direct election of senators.
D) the establishment of the Electoral College.
E) the selection of senators by state legislatures.

Question 40

What is the main advantage of senators' longer terms?

A) It is easier to get contributions for their campaigns.
B) The longer commitment draws more prominent candidates.
C) They are able to focus on public policy more than on campaigning.
D) They can focus on policy without worrying about their constituents.
E) They have time to work with special interest groups.

Question 41

What is one disadvantage of senators' longer terms?

A) It is harder to get contributions for their campaigns.
B) There are fewer qualified candidates who are interested in the longer commitment.
C) They are able to spend more time campaigning.
D) They can easily lose touch with their constituents.
E) They do not have to work with special interest groups.

Question 42

In the 2008 election, the Democratic Party gained a surprising 21 seats in the House of Representatives while Democrat Barack Obama won the presidency. This is an example of

A) a nonpartisan election.
B) an at-large election.
C) reapportionment.
D) the coattail effect.
E) ticket-splitting.

Question 43

In mid-term elections since 1934, the president's party has typically

A) gained House seats.
B) gained Senate seats.
C) lost House seats.
D) maintained its number of congressional seats.
E) won a majority in Congress.

Question 44

In the case Bush v. Gore, a 5-4 majority ruled that there was no more time for recounts, a decision which underscored the

A) certainty of the recount.
B) dominant role of the Supreme Court in elections.
C) importance of voting procedures.
D) reliability of current voting procedures.
E) unreliability of electronic voting.

Question 45

Which of the following is not a form of voting that has been used in general elections in American politics?

A) Hand counted paper ballots
B) Mechanical lever machines
C) Open caucuses
D) Optically scanned paper ballots
E) Punch cards

Question 46

Early voting is a response to the complaint that

A) absentee votes are seldom counted.
B) campaigns run too long.
C) election officials are too vulnerable to corruption.
D) voting on Election Day takes too much time.
E) voting procedures favor western states.

Question 47

Why are voting hours a cause of controversy?

A) Some critics believe polls should close later to reduce the number of votes that are cast.
B) Because polls close earlier in the East than in the West, the winner of the presidential election is often clear before many people in the West have voted.
C) Long voting hours result in more mistakes on the part of tired poll workers.
D) Polls that are open only in the morning draw more conservative voters.
E) Polls that are open only during the evening draw more liberal voters.

Question 48

Voters who identify themselves with a particular party most often

A) cast their ballots for third party candidates.
B) do not vote.
C) split their votes for different offices between parties.
D) support a candidate of another party.
E) support a candidate of the same party.

Question 49

In the twenty-first century, the practice of ticket splitting has

A) declined.
B) exceeded the levels of ticket-splitting in the middle of the twentieth century.
C) increased dramatically.
D) remained about the same as throughout the twentieth century.
E) slowly increased.

Question 50

The effort to motivate supportive voter groups to turn out in higher numbers is called

A) early voting.
B) front-loading.
C) gerrymandering.
D) microtargeting.
E) mobilization.

Question 51

During a presidential campaign, a household receive several phone calls and pieces of mail directly aimed at their individual interests. This practice is called

A) early voting.
B) front-loading.
C) gerrymandering.
D) microtargeting.
E) mobilization.

Question 52

In times of economic or international turmoil, the voting public tends to

A) call for impeachment.
B) refrain from voting.
C) support the presidential party.
D) vote against the presidential party.
E) vote in dramatically larger numbers.

Question 53

A sitting senator has a large staff at his disposal during his reelection bid. This is an example of a(n)

A) coattail effect.
B) incumbency advantage.
C) initiative.
D) mandate.
E) popular referendum.

Question 54

On average, incumbent House members in 2010 spent

A) significantly less than in previous elections.
B) more than the presidential candidates.
C) about the same as incumbent senators.
D) much more than incumbent senators.
E) much less than incumbent senators.

Question 55

Campaign finance regulations are administered by the

A) Campaign Finance Committee.
B) Congressional Business Office.
C) Federal Election Commission.
D) Securities Exchange Commission.
E) Federal Campaign Commission.

Question 56

In the case Buckley v. Valeo, the Supreme Court upheld contribution limits as a way to

A) avoid real or apparent bribery.
B) control campaign fraud.
C) encourage political participation.
D) level the playing field for third parties.
E) spur public deliberation.

Question 57

An advertisement that addresses a particular topic but does not specifically mention words like "vote for" or "reject" is called a(n)

A) direct mailing.
B) incumbency advantage.
C) issue-advocacy advertisement.
D) mandate.
E) section 527 advertisement.

Question 58

What effect did the Citizens United v. FEC ruling have on campaign finance law?

A) It banned soft money contributions.
B) It removed all bans on soft money contributions.
C) It instituted a blackout period for broadcast ads within 60 days of an election.
D) It struck down the ban on independent campaign expenditures by corporations.
E) It permitted corporations to make contributions directly to candidates and political parties.

Question 59

Under current campaign finance laws, corporations, unions, and individuals may make unlimited donations to

A) the Federal Election Commission.
B) individual candidates.
C) political parties.
D) PACs.
E) super PACs.

Question 60

To qualify for matching funds from the government, a candidate must

A) agree to a blackout on television ads in the sixty days before the election.
B) agree to certain spending limits.
C) agree to repay the funds.
D) contribute to a certain number of congressional candidates.
E) raise a certain amount of money.

Question 61

Why do House and local candidates tend not to focus their campaign resources on television ads?

A) A district may represent only a small portion of a station's market.
B) Polls indicate that voters are alienated by television ads.
C) Television stations do not reach a large enough audience.
D) The government does not reimburse them for such ads as it does for presidential candidates.
E) They prefer to go personally door to door.

Question 62

Advisors who are responsible for nearly every aspect of a campaign are

A) campaign consultants.
B) delegates.
C) electors.
D) issue advocates.
E) party specialists.

Question 63

A mandate is a(n)

A) executive order issued by the president on matters of domestic policy.
B) indication that voters desire to modify the incumbent's policies.
C) election victory that indicates strong voter approval of the winner's plans and policies.
D) Supreme Court ruling that requires Congress to take immediate action.
E) piece of legislation placed on the ballot by voters.

Question 64

In the 2006 midterm election, Republicans lost thirty seats in the House and six seats in the Senate. In this way the people indicated

A) a desire to modify or reverse President Bush's policies.
B) a desire to move toward a three party system.
C) their boredom with politics.
D) their lack of understanding of the issues.
E) their support for the president's policies.

Question 65

What is one limit of the midterm policy effect?

A) New representatives chosen in midterm elections have little impact on the course of policies since there are only two years left in the president's term.
B) Presidents often prefer that Congress be controlled by the opposing party.
C) The executive can misinterpret the public's intentions.
D) The president is generally unconcerned with his party's numbers in Congress.
E) The president still has enormous power over foreign policy and national security.

Question 66

What are the advantages of holding elections rather than randomly selecting lawmakers as was the custom in ancient Greece?

Question 67

Why did the Framers choose a representative government rather than direct democracy? What are some advantages of direct democracy and how do some states give voters a more direct voice?

Question 68

How do lawmakers often use redistricting to their political advantage?

Question 69

How do presidential and congressional elections provide opportunities for active deliberation among citizens?

Question 70

What are some of the concerns about the modern system of selecting delegates for each party's national convention?

Question 71

What are the arguments for and against convenience voting?

Question 72

What factors contribute to the success and failure of campaigns?

Question 73

Where do candidates get the money to finance their campaigns? How have rules governing donations changed, and how have those changes impacted decisions candidates make about how to raise and spend funds? What are the arguments for and against campaign finance laws?

Question 74

How do campaigns and elections contribute to deliberation? How might they hinder deliberation?