Deck 7: Political Parties, Participation, and Elections

Question 1

In a proportional representation electoral system

A) seats in the legislature are allocated to political parties based on their share of the total vote cast in the election.
B) each political party receives an equal number of seats in the legislature.
C) every candidate that receives above a certain percentage of the vote (usually set at 20 percent) is awarded a seat in the legislature.
D) candidates can only win an election if they receive a majority of the overall votes.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following parties originated from internal mobilization?

A) the Jeffersonian Party
B) the Green Party
C) the Reform Party
D) the Republican Party

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The establishment of the Republican Party is a good example of

A) external mobilization.
B) internal mobilization.
C) elite bargaining.
D) proportional representation.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

In 2008, about ________ percent of Latino Americans voted for Barack Obama.

A) 20
B) 45
C) 67
D) 95

Question 5

Third-party candidates are better off under

A) the majority system.
B) the plurality system.
C) proportional representation.
D) the spoils system.

Question 6

America's ________ developed during the early nineteenth century.

A) single-party mandate
B) two-party system
C) multiparty system
D) 527 committees

Question 7

What is the ultimate goal of a political party?

A) raising the most money
B) creating the party platform
C) winning elections
D) nominating candidates

Question 8

External mobilization occurs when

A) conflicts within the government create divided factions that try to mobilize popular support.
B) party leaders try to rally support for their platforms once they are in the government.
C) citizens deemed to be undesirable outsiders are excluded from the party.
D) a group of politicians outside government organizes popular support to win governmental power.

Question 9

An individual's psychological attachment to one party or another is called a party

A) ideology.
B) opinion.
C) identification.
D) tradition.

Question 10

Women in the United States are ________ the ________ Party.

A) overwhelmingly committed to; Republican
B) somewhat more likely to support; Republican
C) overwhelmingly committed to; Democratic
D) somewhat more likely to support; Democratic

Question 11

________ is the practice of tailoring campaign messages to individuals in small, homogenous groups.

A) Micro-targeting
B) Winnowing
C) Message bundling
D) Redlining

Question 12

Men in the United States are ________ the ________ Party.

A) overwhelmingly committed to; Republican
B) somewhat more likely to support; Republican
C) overwhelmingly committed to; Democratic
D) somewhat more likely to support; Democratic

Question 13

A political party is an organization

A) that falls under section 501(c)(4) of the United States tax code.
B) established by the Constitution to nominate candidates.
C) that tries to influence the government by getting its members elected to office.
D) that collects fees from its members in order to pay the salaries of government officials.

Question 14

Internal mobilization occurs when

A) conflicts within the government create divided factions that try to mobilize popular support.
B) party leaders try to rally support for their platforms once they are in the government.
C) citizens deemed to be undesirable outsiders are excluded from the party.
D) a group of politicians outside government organizes popular support to win governmental power.

Question 15

________ warned Americans against the dangers of political parties in his farewell address.

A) George Washington
B) Thomas Jefferson
C) James Madison
D) James Monroe

Question 16

Organizing for America is a

A) government program funded through the 2009 stimulus bill that provides job training for unemployed Americans.
B) 501(c)(4) organization that raises and spends money to reduce taxes.
C) group that mobilizes grassroots support for Obama's legislative agenda.
D) 527 committee that contributes to Republican Party candidates at the state and local levels.

Question 17

Throughout its history, American politics has been dominated by ________ major political party/parties.

A) one
B) two
C) three
D) four

Question 18

Which of the following statements about party building is true?

A) Republicans have paid much more attention to party building than Democrats since the Eisenhower presidency.
B) Democrats have paid much more attention to party building than Republicans since the Eisenhower presidency.
C) Both parties have completely abandoned party building since the Eisenhower presidency.
D) The Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act outlawed party-building activities.

Question 19

During the early nineteenth century, the Jeffersonian Party's main base of strength was in

A) the South.
B) the West.
C) New England.
D) the western territories.

Question 20

Between the Civil War and the 1960s, the ________ was a Democratic stronghold.

A) Midwest
B) West
C) South
D) Southwest

Question 21

The Federalist Party disappeared, in part, as a result of

A) Lincoln's election in 1860.
B) the War of 1812.
C) Alexander Hamilton being killed by Aaron Burr.
D) the Civil War.

Question 22

In 1964, Republican Party presidential nominee ________ was in favor of less taxation and less government regulation of the economy-two ideas that became major themes for the modern Republican Party.

A) Richard Nixon
B) Barry Goldwater
C) Ronald Reagan
D) Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Question 23

Which of the following groups was NOT part of the New Deal coalition?

A) Jews
B) Catholics
C) Asian Americans
D) African Americans

Question 24

Between 1812 and 1830, the United States had

A) three political parties: the Federalists, the Jeffersonian Republicans, and the Whigs.
B) two political parties: the Federalists and the Jeffersonian Republicans.
C) one political party: the Jeffersonian Republicans.
D) one political party: the Federalists.

Question 25

From 1896 to 1932, the ________ Party was the nation's majority party.

A) Republican
B) Democratic
C) Populist
D) Whig

Question 26

The two major parties in the United States during the 1830s and 1840s were the ________ and the ________.

A) Federalists; Jeffersonians
B) Federalists; Whigs
C) Democrats; Whigs
D) Democrats; Republicans

Question 27

During the late 1840s and early 1850s, both the Democratic and Whig parties were divided by

A) conflicts over slavery.
B) fiscal policies imposed during the tariff crisis.
C) the westward expansion of the United States.
D) the appropriate amount of government regulation of the economy.

Question 28

The Jeffersonian Republicans were best known for their support of

A) a weak national government, with the states retaining most powers.
B) a strong national government, with little role for state governments.
C) women's suffrage.
D) abolishing slavery.

Question 29

The United States has had ________ party systems since 1789.

A) 2
B) 6
C) 9
D) 12

Question 30

The first party system was characterized by conflict between the ________ and the ________.

A) Federalists; Jeffersonian Republicans
B) Whigs; Democrats
C) Whigs; Jeffersonian Republicans
D) Whigs; Federalists

Question 31

Historically, realignments occur

A) when new issues combine with economic or political crises to mobilize new voters and persuade large numbers of voters to reexamine their traditional partisan loyalties.
B) when Congress approves of them.
C) after midterm congressional elections but not after presidential elections.
D) only when the Constitution is amended.

Question 32

During the 1980s, the Republicans added ________ to their coalition.

A) religious conservatives and working-class whites
B) African Americans and upper-class intellectuals
C) Latinos and the business community
D) Jews and unionized workers

Question 33

"Me too" Republicanism refers to

A) the tendency of Republican politicians during the New Deal to support popular programs such as Social Security rather than advocate alternative policies.
B) the tendency of southern Republican politicians after the Civil War to demand that all federal laws apply equally to the northern and southern states.
C) the tendency of northern Republican politicians after the Civil War to demand that all federal laws favor the northern states over the southern states.
D) an ideology that argues a strong federal government should promote economic equality.

Question 34

From the end of the Civil War to the 1890s, the ________ Party was the party of the North, while the ________ Party was the party of the South.

A) Democratic; Republican
B) Republican; Democratic
C) Federalist; Whig
D) Whig; Federalist

Question 35

Which of the following occurs when one party replaces another party that has dominated national politics for a lengthy period of time?

A) an electoral realignment
B) proportional representation
C) divided party government
D) external mobilization

Question 36

Dealignment refers to

A) the decline of partisan attachment within the electorate, the growth in the number of voters identifying themselves as independents, and the rise of split-ticket voting.
B) the point in history where a new party becomes the dominant political force by supplanting the ruling party.
C) conflicts within the government that create divided factions, each of which tries to mobilize popular support.
D) attempts by politicians outside of government to mobilize popular support in order to win governmental power.

Question 37

The Populist Party appealed to which of the following groups?

A) western mining interests, small farmers, and urban workers
B) eastern bankers, southern planters, and wealthy merchants
C) northern bankers, landowners, and factory workers
D) eastern mining interests, southern merchants, and small farmers

Question 38

What issue led to the demise of the Whig Party?

A) slavery
B) the admission of California into the Union
C) the death of Andrew Jackson
D) industrialization

Question 39

When Richard Nixon employed his "Southern strategy," he

A) used the FBI to help collect secrets and blackmail southern Democratic leaders.
B) ignored the southern states in favor of voters in the Midwest and Northeast.
C) appealed to disaffected white voters in the South.
D) appealed to black southerners who had recently mobilized for civil rights.

Question 40

Reconstruction after the Civil War was led by the ________ Party.

A) Democratic
B) Republican
C) Whig
D) Free Soil

Question 41

What is the most important factor in predicting whether an individual votes?

A) sexual orientation
B) race
C) education level
D) religious affiliation

Question 42

Third parties in the United States typically represent

A) extremist religious groups.
B) recent immigrants.
C) the political interests of America's allies who attempt to influence the American decision-making process because U.S. policies can affect their futures.
D) social and economic interests that are disregarded by the two major parties for certain reasons.

Question 43

________is the single-most important political act for most Americans.

A) Peaceful protest
B) Writing a letter to the editor
C) Contributing to political campaigns
D) Voting

Question 44

________ states currently require all voters to show some form of ID before voting at the polls.

A) Sixteen
B) Twenty-seven
C) Thirty-six
D) Fifty

Question 45

Which of the following periods had the greatest increase in voter turnout for presidential elections?

A) 1904-1916
B) 1932-1940
C) 1940-1952
D) 1952-1964

Question 46

Approximately ________ percent of eligible voters turn out for midterm congressional elections.

A) 10
B) 35
C) 60
D) 75

Question 47

Partisan loyalty is likely to be highest in the election of

A) the president.
B) a state legislator.
C) a U.S. senator.
D) a governor.

Question 48

________ occurs when one party controls the presidency while another party controls one or both houses of Congress.

A) An electoral realignment
B) Divided government
C) Internal mobilization
D) External mobilization

Question 49

It is likely that eliminating state-level voter registration laws would ________ voter turnout among ________.

A) decrease; younger people
B) decrease; older people
C) decrease; all voters
D) increase; younger people

Question 50

The Tea Party movement is an

A) official third party that challenges both Democrats and Republicans in national elections.
B) organized challenge to incumbents in the Republican Party by the most conservative wing of the Republican Party.
C) organized challenge to incumbents in the Democratic Party by the most liberal wing of the Democratic Party.
D) offspring of the Green Party that runs for state and local office in many Midwestern states.

Question 51

State ballot access laws, such as registration fees and petition requirements, have the effect of

A) increasing the number of people who are willing to vote for third-party candidates.
B) reducing the number of people who are willing to vote for third-party candidates.
C) reducing the number of third-party and independent candidates who can run for office.
D) increasing the number of third-party and independent candidates who can run for office.

Question 52

The New Deal coalition was severely strained and ultimately broken apart by the

A) popularity of Dwight Eisenhower.
B) end of the Great Depression.
C) political views of Ronald Reagan.
D) Vietnam War and the issue of civil rights.

Question 53

Politicians attempt to "balance the ticket" with members of many important groups because

A) interest groups frequently engage in direct lobbying to enhance diversity in campaigns.
B) affirmative action legislation from the 1960s requires proportional representation in all elections.
C) voters tend to prefer candidates who are closer to themselves in terms of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, geography, and social background.
D) the Constitution requires at least minimal levels of representation in election campaigns.

Question 54

Which three types of factors influence the decisions of voters at the polls?

A) wealth, education, and issues
B) advertising, partisan loyalty, and personality
C) partisan loyalty, issues, and the characteristics of candidates
D) advertising, debates, and issues

Question 55

In which of the following years was there an electoral realignment?

A) 1864
B) 1896
C) 1942
D) 1976

Question 56

Which of the following statements concerning third parties is true?

A) Third parties are often long-lived.
B) Third parties often have their programs adopted by one of the two major parties.
C) The earliest third parties in the United States arose as a result of the Great Depression.
D) Third parties almost always win at the national level.

Question 57

Which of the following statements about age and political participation is true?

A) Young people are far less likely to participate in politics than older people.
B) Young people are just as likely to participate in politics as older people.
C) Neither young people nor older people participate much in politics.
D) Both old people and young people participate in politics at a very high level.

Question 58

National elections are held in the United States on the first Tuesday of November ________ year(s).

A) every
B) every other
C) every three
D) every four

Question 59

Which two periods saw a decline in voter turnout for presidential elections and midterm elections?

A) 1904-1928 and 1928-1940
B) 1964-1976 and 1976-1988
C) 1988-2000 and 2000-2012
D) 1892-1904 and 1928-1940

Question 60

As a third-party candidate, Ross Perot captured approximately ________ percent of the popular vote in the 1992 presidential election.

A) 10
B) 20
C) 30
D) 40

Question 61

In order for a political party to select a candidate to run in the general election, it holds a(n)

A) primary election.
B) referendum.
C) midterm election.
D) exploratory committee.

Question 62

The winner of the electoral college vote has not won the popular vote ________ time(s) in American history.

A) one
B) four
C) ten
D) thirty-four

Question 63

Smaller and weaker parties are most likely to have electoral success under which system of elections?

A) the proportional representation system
B) the majority system
C) the plurality system
D) the unitary system

Question 64

The ________ is the last example of indirect voting in national elections.

A) referendum
B) electoral college
C) open primary
D) closed primary

Question 65

What is a referendum?

A) It is the congressional election held between presidential elections.
B) It is the power to remove an elected official from office during the middle of his or her term.
C) It is the practice of referring a proposed law passed by a legislature to the vote of the electorate for approval or rejection.
D) It is the process by which a party selects its candidates for the general election.

Question 66

When Hillary Clinton won the plurality of votes in California during the 2016 election, and California had 53 representatives in the House of Representatives, how many electoral votes from California did she win?

A) 53
B) 55
C) 62
D) 77

Question 67

The primary responsibility for conducting public elections rests with

A) the federal government.
B) state and local governments.
C) political parties.
D) the candidates running for office.

Question 68

If a citizen votes for a Republican for president and a Democrat for senator, he or she has engaged in

A) an open primary.
B) split-ticket voting.
C) the coattail effect.
D) a closed primary.

Question 69

A(n) ________ does NOT coincide with a presidential election.

A) closed primary election
B) open primary election
C) midterm election
D) referendum

Question 70

Which of the following is the best example of direct democracy in the United States?

A) gerrymandering
B) retrospective voting
C) prospective voting
D) a referendum

Question 71

Which of the following political officers is/are subject to recall elections?

A) the president
B) members of the House of Representatives
C) federal judges
D) the governor of the state of California

Question 72

A(n) ________ occurs when a voter must be registered with a party prior to voting in that party's election.

A) open primary
B) closed primary
C) majority system
D) referendum

Question 73

Which of the following statements about campaign spending in Senate elections is true?

A) Incumbents generally spend less money than challengers in Senate campaigns.
B) Incumbents and challengers generally spend the same amount of money in Senate campaigns.
C) Incumbents generally spend more money than challengers in Senate campaigns.
D) Incumbents and challengers in Senate campaigns are legally limited to spend only $2 million.

Question 74

The idea behind micro-targeting is to

A) send different campaign messages to different demographic groups of voters.
B) send hundreds of very short messages to the largest possible number of voters.
C) spend as little money as possible on advertising and to instead maximize "free media" coverage.
D) raise money through thousands of small donations rather than a small number of large donations.

Question 75

Which of the following politicians was recalled from office?

A) President Warren Harding (1921)
B) New York City mayor David Dinkins (1993)
C) California governor Gray Davis (2003)
D) President Richard Nixon (1972)

Question 76

Who is an incumbent?

A) the current officeholder, running for reelection
B) the candidate who raises the most money during the campaign
C) whoever is leading in the polls on the day of the election
D) a candidate who is running against a current officeholder in an election

Question 77

During midterm elections, voters are selecting

A) federal judges.
B) members of Congress.
C) the president.
D) national-level referendums.

Question 78

Generally speaking, a recall effort begins with a

A) petition campaign.
B) lawsuit.
C) law passed by the state legislature.
D) decree by the governor.

Question 79

A(n) ________ occurs when a voter can wait until the day of the primary to choose which party to enroll in to select candidates for the general election.

A) open primary
B) closed primary
C) majority system
D) referendum

Question 80

Primary elections were introduced by

A) the Federalists in the late eighteenth century.
B) the Democrats in the 1830s.
C) the Republicans in the 1870s.
D) reformers at the start of the 1900s who hoped to weaken the power of party leaders.