Deck 4: Parties and Elections in the States

Question 1

Which amendment of the U.S.Constitution requires that U.S.senators be chosen directly by a state's voters rather than its legislatures?

A)Twenty-Fourth Amendment
B)Fifteenth Amendment
C)Seventeenth Amendment
D)Twenty-Sixth Amendment
E)Nineteenth Amendment

Answer 1

C

Question 2

According to the U.S.Constitution, which of following entities creates or regulates the laws regarding national elections?

A)The U.S.Congress
B)The President of the United States
C)The Governor
D)The State Legislature
E)The U.S.Senate

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is true of the constitutional roles of state and federal governments in regulating elections?

A)In the United States, elections for the presidency are purely national.
B)It seems to require only that states actually use and abide by elections.
C)The U.S.Constitution gives the federal government the leading role in regulating elections.
D)The federal government has no control over the regulation of national elections.
E)Senate elections are nationwide contests.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Janice Strong is the current governor of the state of California.Her performance has been extremely dismal and the state has fallen behind the country on almost every single socio-economic indicator.Which of the following political procedures can the people of California turn to, in order to remove Janice from office early?

A)general elections
B)special elections
C)recall elections
D)referendums
E)initiatives

Question 5

Which of the following brought about the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, which gave women the right to vote?

A)diplomatic pressure from international human rights agencies
B)pressure from all states of the country to include the provision
C)ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment that provided the right to vote regardless of race
D)several European countries providing the right to vote to women
E)women voting at the subnational level in some states

Question 6

Which of the following is true of the Fifteenth amendment of the provisions of the U.S.Constitution?

A)It requires that U.S.senators be chosen directly by a state's voters rather than its legislatures.
B)It states that state governments cannot deny franchise based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude."
C)It guarantees women the right to vote.
D)It prohibits states from requiring voters to pay a poll tax.
E)It prevents states from denying the vote to otherwise qualified persons aged 18 or older.

Question 7

________ refer to procedures whereby a certain number of voters may, by petition, propose a law or constitutional amendment and have it submitted to the voters.

A)General elections
B)Special elections
C)Recall elections
D)Referendums
E)Initiatives

Question 8

________ refer to procedures for submitting to popular vote the removal of officials from office before the end of their term.

A)General elections
B)Special elections
C)Recall elections
D)Referendums
E)Initiatives

Question 9

________ refer to procedures for submitting to popular vote measures passed by the legislature or proposed amendments to a state constitution.

A)General elections
B)Special elections
C)Recall elections
D)Referendums
E)Initiatives

Question 10

Which of the following is true of the nature of control over the vast electoral process in the United States in its rules and administration?

A)It is decentralized.
B)It is centralized.
C)It is federally controlled.
D)It is completely controlled by the state government.
E)It is completely controlled by the local government.

Question 11

"Marriage for All", a gay-rights group based in the state of Colorado, have petitioned the government to propose a law allowing same-sex marriages to be voted on in the upcoming elections.This is an example of a ________.

A)general election
B)special election
C)recall elections
D)public referendum
E)public initiative

Question 12

Which amendment of the constitution prohibits states from requiring voters to pay a poll tax?

A)Twenty-Fourth Amendment
B)Fifteenth Amendment
C)Seventeenth Amendment
D)Twenty-Sixth Amendment
E)Nineteenth Amendment

Question 13

The state of Connecticut has passed regulations making it legal to prescribe marijuana for medical purposes.However, several religious groups are opposed to the legislation and have petitioned the government to allow a ________ to be held to determine the public's wishes with regard to the bill.

A)general election
B)special election
C)recall election
D)public referendum
E)public initiative

Question 14

________ refer to elections used to determine who will run in the general elections under the party labels.

A)General elections
B)Special elections
C)Recall elections
D)Referendums
E)Primary elections

Question 15

________ refer to elections in which voters elect officeholders.

A)General elections
B)Special elections
C)Recall elections
D)Referendums
E)Initiatives

Question 16

Which of the following is true regarding the constitutional roles of state and federal governments in regulating elections?

A)In the United States, elections for the presidency are purely national.
B)The U.S.Constitution gives the federal government the leading role in regulating elections.
C)Senate elections are nationwide contests.
D)The federal government has no control over the regulation of national elections.
E)All elections for national offices are held by and within the states.

Question 17

________ refer to elections in which voters decide on ballot initiatives, vote on statewide constitutional changes or new constitutions, or elect a senator or representative to replace one who has died or resigned.

A)General elections
B)Special elections
C)Recall elections
D)Referendums
E)Initiatives

Question 18

Which amendment of the U.S.Constitution guarantees women the right to vote?

A)Twenty-Fourth Amendment
B)Fifteenth Amendment
C)Seventeenth Amendment
D)Twenty-Sixth Amendment
E)Nineteenth Amendment

Question 19

According to Article I, Section 4 of the U.S.Constitution, the U.S.Congress may not alter regulations regarding the ________.

A)time of holding elections for senators and representatives
B)manner of holding elections for senators and representatives
C)places of choosing senators
D)date on which the elections are being held
E)candidates being chosen for the elections

Question 20

Which of the following is true of the provisions of the Twenty-Sixth Amendment of the U.S.Constitution?

A)It requires that U.S.senators be chosen directly by a state's voters rather than its legislatures.
B)It states that state governments cannot deny franchise based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude."
C)It prohibits states from requiring voters to pay a poll tax.
D)It prevents states from denying the vote to otherwise qualified persons aged 18 or older.
E)It guarantees women the right to vote.

Question 21

A(n) ________ is a type of ballot offered in some states that can be requested by citizens who are unable to reach the polls on Election Day.The ballots are sent as well as submitted through the mail.

A)office block ballot
B)split ticket
C)straight ticket
D)party column ballot
E)absentee ballot

Question 22

Which of the following citizens are prohibited from voting in a majority of states in the United States?

A)prison inmates
B)ethnic groups
C)Native Americans
D)handicapped people
E)low-income families

Question 23

What was the biggest change affected by the passage of the Help America Vote Act?

A)There was a significant drop in the use of paper ballots.
B)Felons were allowed to vote.
C)An increased usage of punch card ballots was observed.
D)There was a change in the political alignment of the country.
E)Prison inmates were allowed to vote.

Question 24

A district in the state of Arizona has included new education requirements for voters that threaten to disenfranchise several citizens.Which act can prohibit such a regulation?

A)the Help America Vote Act
B)the Federal Election Campaign Act
C)the Voting Rights Act
D)the Universal Right to Vote by Mail Act
E)the Motor Voter Act

Question 25

________ is the term used to describe number of people in a state aged 18 or older minus non-citizens, prisoners and others who cannot vote.

A)Voter turnout
B)Voting-eligible population
C)Citizen population
D)Census
E)Poll workers

Question 26

Which of the following is a criticism of the vote-by-mail system?

A)absence of adequate information
B)increased difficulty for voters
C)pressure to vote in a certain way
D)lower turnout
E)higher costs

Question 27

Which is the only state in the United States that does not require its citizens to register before voting?

A)North Carolina
B)North Dakota
C)South Dakota
D)Virginia
E)Montana

Question 28

________ implement the rules on who may and may not vote, manage the entire process of voting, and have a strong impact on citizens' experience at the polls.

A)Party representatives
B)Candidates
C)State government employees
D)Federal government employees
E)Poll workers

Question 29

A(n) ________ is a ballot on which all candidates are listed under the office for which they are running.

A)office block ballot
B)split ticket
C)straight ticket
D)party column ballot
E)absentee ballot

Question 30

A(n) ________ is a vote for all of one party's candidates.

A)office block ballot
B)split ticket
C)straight ticket
D)party column ballot
E)absentee ballot

Question 31

Which of the following acts made it easier for Americans to register to vote?

A)the Help America Vote Act
B)the Voting Rights Act
C)the Motor Voter Act
D)the Federal Election Campaign Act
E)the Universal Right to Vote by Mail Act

Question 32

In the 1950s and 1960s, southern states disenfranchised ________ citizens by selectively enforcing poll taxes, literacy tests, and vouchers of "good character."

A)Native Americans
B)Pacific Islander Americans
C)Asian Americans
D)African Americans
E)Latino Americans

Question 33

What is the main concern of critics with regard to online voting?

A)voters easily coerced
B)increased difficulty for voters
C)security risks
D)time constraints
E)resource constraints

Question 34

The ________ is a type of ballot that encourages party line voting by listing all of a party's candidates in a column under the party name.

A)office block ballot
B)split ticket
C)straight ticket
D)party column ballot
E)absentee ballot

Question 35

Which of the following acts increased the focus on voter identification as a means to combat voter fraud?

A)the Help America Vote Act
B)the Voting Rights Act
C)the Motor Voter Act
D)the Federal Election Campaign Act
E)the Universal Right to Vote by Mail Act

Question 36

Which of the following are the only two states in the United States to allow prison inmates to vote?

A)Wisconsin and Minnesota
B)Texas and Oklahoma
C)Georgia and Florida
D)California and New Mexico
E)Maine and Vermont

Question 37

Which of the following factors is used as a requirement for voter registration in several states in the United States?

A)race
B)gender
C)physical handicap
D)mental competency
E)sexual orientation

Question 38

To combat disenfranchisement, which act was pushed for and signed by President Lyndon Johnson?

A)the Help America Vote Act
B)the Voting Rights Act
C)the Motor Voter Act
D)the Federal Election Campaign Act
E)the Universal Right to Vote by Mail Act

Question 39

Which of the following acts was used by the U.S.Department of Justice to block voter photo-identification rules in Texas and South Carolina?

A)the Help America Vote Act
B)the Federal Election Campaign Act
C)the Motor Voter Act
D)the Universal Right to Vote by Mail Act
E)the Voting Rights Act

Question 40

A(n) ________ is a vote for some of one party's candidates and some of another party's.

A)office block ballot
B)split ticket
C)straight ticket
D)party office ballot
E)absentee ballot

Question 41

________ laws are a fundamental element of campaign finance regulation that ask candidates to file statements specifying who contributed money to their campaigns, and how much the individuals or organizations gave and when.

A)Disclosure
B)Election regulation
C)Contribution limit
D)Public financing
E)Candidate expenditure

Question 42

What is a one-party state?

A)It is a state in which the two major parties alternate in winning majorities, and only one party is in power at a time.
B)It is a state in which one party wins all or nearly all of the offices, and the second party receives only one-third of the popular vote.
C)It is a state in which only one party is allowed to contest the elections for all elected official positions.
D)It is a state in which only one party is allowed to contest the elections for the position of governor, but other parties are allowed to take part for other elected offices.
E)It is a country where there is one party at a federal level and another party at the state level.

Question 43

________ may be used to amend the state's constitution or to enact ordinary legislation.

A)General elections
B)Special elections
C)Recall elections
D)Referendum elections
E)Primary elections

Question 44

________ refers to allowing voters from outside the party to help determine the party's nominee.

A)Closed primary
B)Crossover voting
C)Open primary
D)A general election
E)A special election

Question 45

The day-to-day operations of a political party are usually carried out by the party's ________, a full-time employee who oversees the staff, assists the chair, coordinates the work of the central committee and other party officials, and serves as a liaison with the national organizations.

A)treasurer
B)executive director
C)party chair
D)secretary
E)vice chair

Question 46

________ are laws authorizing grants of government funds to qualifying candidates for elective office, to be used in their campaigns.

A)Disclosure laws
B)Election regulation laws
C)Contribution limits
D)Public financing laws
E)Candidate expenditure laws

Question 47

Which of the following is the most important predictor of voting behavior?

A)voter mobilization
B)campaign resources
C)issues
D)candidate appeal
E)party identification

Question 48

Separating state elections from presidential or federal elections ________.

A)decreases election costs
B)is necessary when both incumbents are from the same party
C)permits voters to focus more closely on state issues
D)is not possible as all governors' terms end at the same time as the president
E)is necessary when incumbents are from different parties

Question 49

________ refer to the constraints on how much a single contributor may give to a candidate in an election or period of time.

A)Disclosure laws
B)Election regulation laws
C)Contribution limits
D)Public financing laws
E)Candidate expenditure laws

Question 50

States, cities, school boards, and other governmental organizations routinely issue ________ as a way to raise funds for a project now that can be paid off gradually over time.

A)initiatives
B)drafts
C)bills
D)referendums
E)bonds

Question 51

Two-thirds of the states elect governors ________.

A)in the year following a presidential election year
B)in presidential midterm years
C)in the same year as presidential election year
D)in the year preceding the presidential election year
E)during odd years

Question 52

Which of the following is true of politics in the U.S.post World War II?

A)The Republican Party lost its previously solid support in the South.
B)The Republican Party gained a stranglehold on elected offices in Maine and New Hampshire.
C)Former Confederate states were inclined to predominantly vote for Democratic candidates.
D)The number of Republicans decreased in southern state legislatures.
E)The Democratic Party lost its previously solid support in the South.

Question 53

State governments can also hold ________ to vote on a ballot initiative, a statewide constitutional change or a new constitution, or to replace a U.S.senator who has died or resigned.

A)special elections
B)presidential elections
C)recall elections
D)crossover voting
E)a referendum

Question 54

The ________ of the state's party is the spokesperson for the party, especially when the party does not control the governorship.He or she raises money for the party and its candidates.

A)executive director
B)treasurer
C)party chair
D)secretary
E)vice chair

Question 55

Which of the following activities of a party involves narrowing the field of candidates through a primary election or convention process, providing voters with fewer and more focused choices in the general election?

A)voter mobilization
B)candidate recruitment
C)voter registration
D)providing structure for elections
E)campaign resources

Question 56

What is the purpose of public financing of qualifying candidates?

A)to ensure that no private money is used during the campaign process
B)to reduce the potential for corruption in relationships between donors and elected officials
C)to prevent private candidates from spending private money that has not been disclosed
D)to increase spending on campaigns and thereby increase voter interest
E)to ensure that all campaign expenditure limits are met by limiting funding

Question 57

How is the party chair for a party chosen?

A)elected by the party's central committee
B)elected by the public
C)appointed by the governor
D)elected by registered members of the public
E)appointed by the national party committee

Question 58

In 2012, several residents of Wisconsin were unhappy with Governor Scott Walker's push for anti-union legislation.Which of the following should they have used to remove him from office?

A)an initiative
B)a general election
C)a recall election
D)a special election
E)a referendum

Question 59

What is a party caucus?

A)It is a gathering of party members to narrow the field of candidates before an election.
B)It is the gathering of delegates from all states that officially elects the President.
C)It is the meeting of party leaders and legislators to discuss party policy.
D)It is a televised meeting of a party's top candidates for elected office to discuss their views on several issues.
E)It is a meeting to redraw congressional and other legislative district lines based on the census.

Question 60

In the nineteenth century, a party leader who used patronage, government contracts, and access to power to dictate policy was knows as the ________.

A)party chair
B)governor
C)secretary
D)vice-chair
E)boss

Question 61

Voter registration rules are important because they can exclude or discourage people from participating in elections.

Question 62

Primary elections are elections in which voters elect officeholders.

Question 63

Political parties do not favor laws requiring voters to disclose their party preference at the time they register, as they feel that it might lead to discrimination.

Question 64

State law establishes the rules for local elections and it strictly enforces a set date of election upon cities and towns in the state.

Question 65

The prevalence of partisanship in American politics makes the appeal of the candidate an insignificant factor during elections.

Question 66

Separating state elections from presidential or federal elections means that state and local officials are less likely to be hurt by an unpopular presidential candidate at the top of the ticket.

Question 67

In an open primary, only voters registered in a party may vote in that party's primary.

Question 68

Voter turnout is the number of eligible public voters in a particular region.

Question 69

Amendments to the original U.S.Constitution maintained the primacy of states in regulating elections, although they placed constraints on how states could exercise that authority.

Question 70

Restrictive voting registration laws are expected to have no effect on voter turnout.

Question 71

Voter participation in bond elections is frequently quite low, and information about the issues at hand is generally scarce.

Question 72

Disclosure laws deal with candidates specifying where and how they earned their personal wealth and assets.

Question 73

The ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 came after a half-century of women voting at the subnational level in some states, which eventually forced national action.

Question 74

Party identification is the most important predictor of voting behavior.

Question 75

Unlike initiatives and referendums, recalls do not require sufficient petition signatures from registered voters to meet a pre-established threshold.

Question 76

In a closed primary, only voters registered in a party may vote in that party's primary.

Question 77

All elections for national offices are held by and within the states.

Question 78

Contemporary political parties are now more likely to have paid professional staffs.

Question 79

State party organizations nowadays do not vary greatly from one state to another, and are quite similar to the old political machines prevalent during the nineteenth century.

Question 80

National parties, aside from their congressional campaign committees, are largely federations of autonomous state parties.