Deck 8: Political Participation and Voting

Question 1

What is social capital?

A) campaign contributions made by community organizations
B) community networks that motivate political participation
C) the funds that interest groups raise during election campaigns
D) an individual's belief in his or her ability to competently engage in personal interactions with other people

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Approximately ________ percent of Americans lack high-speed Internet access in their homes.

A) 10
B) 20
C) 35
D) 50

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a reason that digital politics fosters political participation?

A) Information and political news is easier to obtain online and is available 24 hours a day for those who have Internet access.
B) The Internet creates a form of "accidental mobilization" for those who are greeted by political news when they open their email, check social media, or conduct online searches.
C) Many state governments have made it possible for citizens to vote online rather than in person.
D) Online politics makes it easier for people to participate in politics because it requires less effort.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

"Point-and-click" activism involving minimal personal effort or sustained engagement with political issues and a campaign is referred to as

A) accidental mobilization.
B) "slacktivism."
C) "hacktivism."
D) targeted mobilization.

Question 5

The modern low for voter turnout in a presidential election was ________ percent of eligible voters in the ________ election.

A) 44; 1992
B) 44; 1996
C) 52; 1996
D) 55; 2000

Question 6

The "Black Lives Matter" protest movement started after

A) the death of Trayvon Martin in 2012.
B) Rodney King's beating by Los Angeles police officers in 1991.
C) Barack Obama's election in 2008.
D) the killing of Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014.

Question 7

The Jim Crow era refers to the period

A) between the ratification of the Constitution and the start of the Civil War.
B) between the Supreme Court's decision in the Dred Scott case and the start of the Civil War.
C) immediately following the Civil War in which the federal government set the conditions that would allow the rebellious Southern states back into the Union.
D) after the Civil War and before the 1960s.

Question 8

Which of the following is a traditional form of political activity?

A) protesting
B) cyberactivism
C) tweeting
D) visiting a candidate's website

Question 9

________ 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 10

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

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

Question 11

The digital divide refers to the

A) tendency for liberals and conservatives to visit very different sites online.
B) line separating citizens with Internet access from those without.
C) finding that Facebook users have fundamentally different political views than MySpace users.
D) differences between how people use cell phones and how they use personal computers for political purposes.

Question 12

What was the primary venue for citizen participation in national politics until the early 1900s?

A) U.S. Senate elections
B) U.S. presidential elections
C) U.S. House elections
D) recall elections

Question 13

World War I was an important factor in advancing the cause of women's suffrage because

A) the peace treaty that stopped the fighting required all countries to give women the right to vote.
B) a number of European nations threatened to refuse military assistance to the United States unless women were given the right to vote.
C) President Woodrow Wilson and members of Congress believed that women would support the war effort if they were granted the right to vote.
D) too many men were serving in the military overseas to have meaningful elections without the participation of women.

Question 14

Accidental mobilization occurs when

A) people are mistakenly contacted by a political party on Election Day.
B) individuals are exposed to political information that they did not explicitly seek out.
C) a candidate makes a verbal gaffe that leads new groups of people to vote in an election.
D) turnout in a midterm congressional election is much higher than analysts predict.

Question 15

Women won the right to vote in ________.

A) 1790
B) 1865
C) 1920
D) 1965

Question 16

What was the main cause for reducing the legal voting age to 18?

A) Young American citizens effectively organized and protested for the right to vote.
B) The Constitution mandated that the draft age be equivalent to the voting age.
C) Government officials hoped it would lead to a decline in disruptive student protests.
D) A decision by the Supreme Court justices determined that voting requirements based on age were unconstitutional.

Question 17

During the colonial and early national periods of American history, suffrage was generally restricted to white males over the age of ________.

A) 18
B) 21
C) 25
D) 30

Question 18

The main goal of the group Rock the Vote is to

A) encourage increased voting by musicians.
B) encourage young people to vote.
C) encourage states to use voting machines with paper ballots.
D) eliminate voter fraud.

Question 19

Which of the following statements about women's suffrage is most accurate?

A) Women were given the right to vote under the Articles of Confederation, but not under the Constitution.
B) Every state and territorial government adopted women's suffrage before the federal government granted women the vote.
C) A number of state and territorial governments adopted women's suffrage before the federal government granted women the vote.
D) The federal government adopted women's suffrage before any state or territorial government granted women the vote.

Question 20

When was the Twenty-Sixth Amendment ratified?

A) during the Korean War
B) right after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik
C) during the Vietnam War
D) during the Iranian hostage crisis

Question 21

What bloc of voters has recently been called "the sleeping giant"?

A) African Americans
B) Latino Americans
C) Asian Americans
D) middle-class whites

Question 22

The Supreme Court ruled that prayer in public schools was unconstitutional in ________.

A) Baker v. Carr (1962)
B) Engel v. Vitale (1962)
C) Hustler Magazine v. Fallwell (1988)
D) New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964)

Question 23

A state with a roughly equal number of Democrats and Republicans in the population is often referred to as a ________ state.

A) battleground
B) split-ticket
C) red-blue
D) gerrymandered

Question 24

In the 2008 presidential election, youth turnout

A) rose and most young people voted for Barack Obama.
B) rose and most young people voted for John McCain.
C) declined, but most young people voted for Barack Obama.
D) was the same as it was in 2004, 2000, and 1996.

Question 25

The goal of the EMILY's List organization is to

A) promote the expansion of pro-life legislation.
B) advocate a pro-life position to the public.
C) raise money for Democratic women candidates interested in running for office.
D) increase the number of African American representatives in Congress.

Question 26

Approximately ________ percent of young people voted for Barack Obama in 2012.

A) 40
B) 60
C) 80
D) 95

Question 27

One-third of all Asian Americans live in which state?

A) California
B) New York
C) Florida
D) Washington, D.C.

Question 28

The belief among African Americans that their own self-interests are linked to the interests of their race is called ________.

A) black power
B) racial resentment
C) ethnocentrism
D) linked fate

Question 29

Descriptive representation occurs when

A) individuals are represented in government by officials who share their core values or policy preferences.
B) individuals are represented in government by officials of their same race, ethnicity, or gender.
C) elected officials take the time to explain the details of each of their policy votes to their constituents.
D) individuals are allowed to vote directly on the law.

Question 30

Approximately ________ percent of African Americans voted for Barack Obama in 2008.

A) 40
B) 60
C) 80
D) 95

Question 31

Over the past decade, polls have shown that Asian American voters are moving

A) toward the Republican Party.
B) toward the Democratic Party.
C) away from all forms of partisan identity.
D) toward the Green Party.

Question 32

In terms of socioeconomic status, Asian Americans are closest to

A) whites.
B) African Americans.
C) Latinos.
D) Native Americans.

Question 33

About ________ percent of U.S. senators and U.S. representatives serving in Congress are women.

A) 5
B) 20
C) 35
D) 55

Question 34

The number one reason Americans gave for not voting in 2012 was that

A) an illness or disability prevented them from going to the polls.
B) they were "not interested in politics."
C) they were "too busy" or had "conflicting schedules."
D) they "didn't like the candidates running for office or the campaign issues."

Question 35

Asian Americans are approximately ________ percent of the U.S. population.

A) 1
B) 6
C) 10
D) 14

Question 36

Which of the following characteristics constitutes one's socioeconomic status?

A) level of income, level of education, and prestige of occupation
B) level of income, level of political participation, and number of friends
C) level of income, level of political participation, and level of intelligence
D) level of education, number of friends, and age

Question 37

On average, women tend to vote for ________ candidates and men tend to vote for ________ candidates.

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

Question 38

About ________ percent of political advertising is aimed at Americans between 18 and 34 years of age.

A) 14
B) 25
C) 40
D) 50

Question 39

Which of the following statements about Asian Americans is most accurate?

A) Although a majority of Asian Americans voted Republican in the 1990s, in the 2000s, they have been voting increasingly Democratic.
B) Although a majority of Asian Americans voted Democratic in the 1990s, in the 2000s, they have been voting increasingly Republican.
C) There are more Asian Americans in the United States than African Americans.
D) Voter turnout is typically higher among Asian Americans than among whites.

Question 40

Which of the following groups typically has the highest level of political participation?

A) senior citizens (65 and older)
B) Asian Americans
C) young people (18-24)
D) people who did not graduate high school

Question 41

Studies have shown that ________ is the most effective means to mobilize voters.

A) an email
B) a piece of direct mail
C) personal contact
D) a telephone call

Question 42

Which of the following has not been a "battleground state" in recent presidential elections?

A) Ohio
B) Florida
C) California
D) Pennsylvania

Question 43

During the nineteenth century, about ________ percent of eligible voters usually cast a ballot on Election Day.

A) 30
B) 50
C) 70
D) 90

Question 44

When congressional districts are drawn to favor one political party over another, it is referred to as

A) partisan packing.
B) partisan sorting.
C) bundling.
D) gerrymandering.

Question 45

Which of the following statements about race and political participation is most accurate?

A) African Americans and Latinos are less likely to participate in politics than whites.
B) African Americans and Latinos participate in politics at the same levels as whites.
C) African Americans hardly participate in politics at all, while Latinos participate at extraordinarily high levels.
D) Whites hardly participate in politics at all, while African Americans and Latinos participate at extraordinarily high levels.

Question 46

Evangelical Protestants are more likely to be associated with ________.

A) the Republican Party
B) the Democratic Party
C) the Socialist Party
D) no party; they are typically nonpartisan

Question 47

Women are disadvantaged as candidates for office because

A) too many women run in elections every year.
B) male voters almost never support female candidates.
C) male candidates are more likely to have the advantage of incumbency in office.
D) there are still many state laws that prevent women from running in elections.

Question 48

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 49

Which statement about religion and political participation is correct?

A) Religion has played an important role in organizing political participation.
B) Religious groups have played a relatively minor role in politically mobilizing Americans.
C) The Moral Majority was the first broad-based political organization of atheists in the United States.
D) White evangelicals have become closely aligned with the Democratic Party in recent years.

Question 50

Which of the following statements is most accurate?

A) Most U.S. House seats are not electorally competitive.
B) Most U.S. House seats are electorally competitive.
C) No other country uses an electoral college to mediate between a national vote for presidential candidates and the actual winner.
D) A person becomes president when he or she wins 51 percent of the electoral votes.

Question 51

What is one reason that political parties and politicians view Latinos as a critically important group?

A) The Latino population in the United States is large and rapidly growing.
B) Latinos register to vote at higher levels than whites and African Americans.
C) Latinos contribute more money to political parties and campaigns than whites and African Americans combined.
D) Latinos consistently vote for candidates from the Republican Party.

Question 52

During presidential election years, the nation's first caucus is held in ________ and the first primary election is held in ________.

A) Iowa; New Hampshire
B) New Hampshire; Iowa
C) Iowa; South Carolina
D) New Hampshire; South Carolina

Question 53

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

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

Question 54

One of the limitations of focusing only on socioeconomic characteristics in explaining political participation is that

A) African Americans with high levels of education do not participate.
B) education levels have risen over time but rates of participation have fallen.
C) people from the lowest income brackets participate the most in politics.
D) income levels have decreased over time but rates of participation have increased.

Question 55

Which of the following statements about religion is most accurate?

A) The Moral Majority is the first broad-based political organization of evangelical Christians.
B) Walter Mondale received 80 percent of the evangelical Christian vote in 1984, compared to 20 percent for Ronald Reagan.
C) The televangelist Pat Robertson ran for the presidency in 2008.
D) Bill Clinton started the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.

Question 56

Latinos tend to favor Democratic Party candidates in national elections because they

A) disagree with the Republican Party's stance on immigration.
B) support the Democratic Party's foreign policy toward Cuba.
C) typically find the Democratic Party's candidates more charismatic than the Republican Party's candidates.
D) are socially conservative and, as a result, support the Democratic Party's positions more.

Question 57

Journalists dubbed 1992 the "Year of the Woman" because

A) it was the first election in American history where more than 50 percent of eligible women turned out to vote.
B) women doubled their numbers in the House and tripled them in the Senate during that year's election.
C) it was the first election in American history where at least one woman was elected to Congress from each state.
D) it was the first election in American history where more than half of the candidates running for state-level offices were women.

Question 58

Voter turnout in the states that hold their presidential primary elections late in the nomination process is usually

A) the same as states that hold their primary elections early in the process.
B) much higher than states that hold their primary elections early in the process.
C) much lower than states that hold their primary elections early in the process.
D) never reported by the political parties.

Question 59

Statewide controversial initiatives on the ballot

A) increase voter turnout in elections.
B) decrease voter turnout in elections.
C) advantage the Democratic Party.
D) advantage the Republican Party.

Question 60

Which of the following statements about African Americans and voting is NOT accurate?

A) Approximately 95 percent of African Americans who voted in 2008 cast ballots for Barack Obama.
B) The 2008 and 2012 elections witnessed a significant increase in African American voter turnout relative to historical levels.
C) African Americans represented by a black member of Congress are more likely to vote in elections.
D) The black-white gap in voter turnout has been at least 10 percent since the 1960s.

Question 61

________ is the only state that does not require voter registration.

A) California
B) Wisconsin
C) Indiana
D) North Dakota

Question 62

Which of the following is a reform that has attempted to make voting easier?

A) literacy tests
B) Election Day registration
C) voter identification laws
D) the elimination of absentee ballots

Question 63

Which of the following statements about political parties is correct?

A) During the nineteenth century, political parties employed hundreds of thousands of workers to organize and mobilize voters.
B) During the nineteenth century, political parties were more interested in fund-raising than in organizing and mobilizing voters.
C) Political parties have never attempted to organize and mobilize voters because doing so would violate the Constitution.
D) Since 2000, political parties have reduced efforts to organize and mobilize voters because doing so would violate federal campaign finance laws.

Question 64

Which of the following statements about voter identification laws is most accurate?

A) States with Republican-led governments were more likely to pass a new law requiring citizens to have photo identification in order to vote.
B) Every state requires all voters to show identification before voting at the polls.
C) The Supreme Court justices ruled that voter identification laws would not go into effect until after the 2016 elections.
D) In every state with a voter identification law, a person must have a photo ID issued by the federal government in order to cast a legal ballot.

Question 65

According to political scientists, the passage of voter registration requirements in the early nineteenth century reduced voter turnout by as much as ________ percent.

A) 15
B) 25
C) 33
D) 50

Question 66

During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the criteria for determining one's eligibility to vote were established by ________.

A) the Supreme Court
B) the federal government
C) state governments
D) the Twentieth Amendment

Question 67

Which of the following states has had the highest voter turnout in recent presidential elections?

A) Minnesota
B) New York
C) California
D) Mississippi

Question 68

About ________ million Americans have lost their voting rights as a result of felony convictions.

A) 1
B) 5
C) 14
D) 23

Question 69

Studies show that people are most likely to participate in politics when

A) they are paid to do so.
B) someone asks them to get involved.
C) government officials officially invite input and feedback.
D) they are able to participate electronically through email and computer voting.

Question 70

Studies suggest that

A) stringent voter identification laws have the effect of lowering overall turnout.
B) stringent voter identification laws have the effect of substantially lowering the turnout of the rich.
C) the Twenty-Sixth Amendment has resulted in a sharp increase in voter turnout.
D) the electoral college will be abolished by a constitutional amendment in the next few years.

Question 71

________ conducts its elections entirely by mail.

A) New Mexico
B) Oklahoma
C) Oregon
D) Michigan

Question 72

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

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

Question 73

Gerrymandering may

A) reduce voter turnout by creating fewer competitive elections.
B) reduce voter turnout by increasing the amount of money that is spent on advertising.
C) increase voter turnout by creating fewer competitive elections.
D) increase voter turnout increasing the amount of money that is spent on advertising.

Question 74

The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, mandated that

A) states were forbidden to impose poll taxes.
B) no state could prevent the right to vote on account of race.
C) no state could deny the right to vote on account of gender.
D) no state could deny the right to vote on account of property requirements.

Question 75

Which of the following statements about felony voting laws is NOT accurate?

A) In Maine and Vermont, felons never lose their right to vote.
B) In Kentucky and Virginia, felons and ex-felons permanently lose their right to vote.
C) One in eight black men cannot vote because of a criminal record.
D) There are only eight states where felons on probation are not permitted to vote.

Question 76

Online political participation has increased considerably in recent years. What reasons are there to believe that online participation will lead to more participation? What reasons are there to believe that online participation will lead to less participation?

Question 77

Under the Constitution, ________ the power to regulate elections.

A) Congress has
B) the president has
C) the Federal Election Commission has
D) state legislatures have

Question 78

________ states prohibit prison inmates who are serving a felony sentence from voting.

A) Five
B) Twenty-three
C) Thirty-three
D) Forty-eight

Question 79

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

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

Question 80

The original purpose of voter registration was to

A) reduce corruption by making it more difficult to vote.
B) simplify the voting process.
C) make voters more dependent on the political parties.
D) raise revenues for the government.