Deck 5: Voting,campaigns,and Elections

Question 1

In which type of election is money not the most important resource?

A)​municipal
B)county
C)state
D)​federal
E)none of these, as money is important in all types of elections

Answer 1

A

Question 2

To be eligible to vote in Texas,residents are required to register to vote at least how many days before the next election?

A)​30
B)​15
C)​45
D)​60
E)0, as residents can register onelection day

Answer 2

A

Question 3

How often is an election decided by one vote? ​

A)​almost never
B)​about 25 percent of the time
C)​about 50 percent of the time
D)​about 75 percent of the time
E)​almost always

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which statement about the present system of voter registration in Texas is not correct?

A)The voter must register in person unless ill or disabled.
B)A parent, child, or spouse who is registered may register for the voter.
C)The voter remains registered as long as he or she remains qualified.
D)The voter may register at any time.
E)The voter is eligible to vote if registered thirty days prior to the election.

Question 5

In 2011,Governor Rick Perry signed a law that would require voters to provide which of these prior to voting? ​

A)​a photo ID card
B)asignature that matches theone on their driver's license
C)​payment for the poll tax currently in effect
D)​proof of passing the state literacy test
E)​a credit card

Question 6

The primary reason most people vote is that they _____.

A)believetheir vote may determine the outcome of the election
B)understand the importance of voting as a means of decreasing alienation
C)wish to confer legitimacy on democratically elected officeholders
D)view a large turnout as a means of preventing dishonesty in elections
E)have been taught to believe that voting is their duty

Question 7

What two resources mustall political candidateshave regardless of their strategies?

A)time and money
B)people and money
C)time and information
D)media and information
E)polling data and money

Question 8

When minorities in Texas fail to vote,_____ candidates are hurt most.

A)liberal Democratic
B)conservative Democratic
C)Republican
D)Independent
E)Libertarian

Question 9

Which of these is not afactor that reduces voter turnout in Texas?

A)Texas has no law that requires all registered voters to turn out during elections.
B)Voting levels tend to be lower in states lacking competitive party systems.
C)The poverty rate in Texas is high and the poor tend not to vote.
D)The state's African American and Mexican American citizens are less likely to vote than Whites.
E)All of these are suchfactors.

Question 10

The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1972 limited contributions by individuals to no more than _____ in each primary or general election campaign for federal office.

A)$1,000
B)$2,000
C)$5,000
D)$7,500
E)$10,000

Question 11

​Which of these would be considered a reason in opposition to Texas having more publicly funded campaigns?

A)​State support of candidates would free them of dependence on special interests.
B)​Citizens would be forced to subsidize candidates whose views many citizens would strongly disagree with.
C)​States would have the autonomy to devise a means of ensuring that participation in the system remained voluntary.
D)Allowing some fringe groups an opportunity to express their extremist views is good for democracy.
E)​All of these are reasons in opposition to more publicly funded campaigns.

Question 12

Voter turnout in Texas is _____.

A)above the national average
B)below the national average
C)approximately the same as the national average
D)above the national average for presidential elections but below for others
E)below the national average for presidential elections but above for others

Question 13

The _____ is the period of time before the voting day in which the candidates attempt to persuade potential voters to support them.

A)election
B)primary
C)runoff
D)campaign
E)contest

Question 14

The Twenty-fourth Amendment to the U.S.Constitution outlawed _____.

A)White-only primaries
B)property qualifications for voting
C)annual registration requirements for voting
D)the poll tax
E)literacy tests

Question 15

​Whichof thesewould be considered a reason in favor of Texas having more publicly funded campaigns?

A)​State support of candidates would free them of dependence on special interests.
B)​Citizens would be forced to subsidize candidates whose views many citizens would strongly disagree with.
C)​Publicly funded campaigns would be limited to general elections; primary elections would still be dependent on special interests.
D)​If publicly funded campaigns were limited to major parties, it would suppress the expression of alternative views.
E)​If publicly funded campaigns were open to all parties, it would provide incentive for small fringe groups to claim subsidies to publicize their extremist views.

Question 16

The equal protection clause,which guaranteeseach citizen the same rights as all other citizens,can be found in which amendment to the U.S.Constitution?

A)Thirteenth
B)Fourteenth
C)Fifteenth
D)Sixteenth
E)Seventeenth

Question 17

Not until Congress passed the _____ in 1965 did the federal government begin to enforce the right of African Americans to vote.

A)Voting Rights Act
B)Civil Rights Act
C)Universal Suffrage Act
D)Fourteenth Amendment
E)Twenty-sixth Amendment

Question 18

Poll taxes and literacy tests were designed to _____.

A)increase voter turnout rates
B)discourage voting by African Americans, Mexican Americans, and poor Whites
C)eliminate voter fraud in local elections
D)encourage two-party competition
E)ensure an educated and responsible electorate

Question 19

Which type of election campaign in the United States is publicly funded?​

A)presidential
B)statewide
C)any federal
D)​county
E)municipal

Question 20

Why are elections and campaigns in Texasincompatible with democratic theory?

A)The low voter turnout in state elections raises questions about the legitimacy of government, and the disproportionately high turnout of minority voters biases the patterns of public policy.
B)The disproportionately high turnout of minority voters biases the patterns of public policy, and the impact of money on campaigns suggests that wealthy elites control the policy process.
C)The impact of money on campaigns suggests that wealthy elites control the policy process, and men vote at much higher rates than women.
D)The disproportionately high turnout of minority voters biases the patterns of public policy, and men vote at much higher rates than women.
E)The low voter turnout in state elections raises questions about the legitimacy of government, and the impact of money on campaigns suggests that wealthy elites control the policy process.

Question 21

Texas citizens may vote absentee _____.

A)without restriction in any election
B)without restriction in primary elections only
C)only when necessary due to a planned absence from the county on election day
D)only when necessary due to illness
E)only when necessary due to disability

Question 22

What happened in the 2002 elections in Texas?

A)Former President Bill Clinton helped the Democrats make a comeback.
B)The Democratic "dream team" won a narrow victory.
C)Republicans won every statewide office and captured control of the House of Representatives.
D)Republicans captured a majority of Hispanic and African American voters.
E)Democrats won several statewide offices and regained a majority in the Senate.

Question 23

​Which individual was not part of the "dream team" the Democratic Party wanted to get elected into statewide office?

A)​Rick Perry
B)​John Sharp
C)​Tony Sanchez
D)​Ron Kirk
E)​All of these were part of the dream team.

Question 24

The U.S.Supreme Court's ruling in the 1976 case of _____ paved the way for Clayton Williams and Tony Sanchez to spend millions of dollars of their own money to finance their campaigns for Texas governor.

A)Baker v. Carr
B)Smith v. Allwright
C)Buckley v. Valeo
D)Kirkpatrick v. Preisler
E)Mapp v. Ohio

Question 25

In Texas,most cities choose their councils in _____ elections.

A)primary
B)runoff
C)general
D)nonpartisan
E)partisan

Question 26

Who is the principal election officer in Texas?

A)the attorney general
B)the secretary of state
C)the lieutenant governor
D)the governor
E)the chief justice of the Supreme Court

Question 27

In Texas,primary elections are administered by officials of the _____.

A)city government
B)county government
C)state government
D)national government
E)political parties

Question 28

Assume that in the Democratic primary,Candidate A won 48 percent of the vote while Candidate B won 45 percent and Candidate C won 7 percent.What happens next?

A)​Candidate A and B, the top two vote-getters, will face each other in a runoff.
B)Candidate A, the top vote-getter, officially wins the Democratic nomination due to winning more votes than the other candidates.
C)​Multiple, repeated elections will be conducted until a candidate receives a majority of the primary vote.
D)Because none of the candidates received a majority of the vote, a new primary with different candidates will take place in the near future.
E)​None of these will happen.

Question 29

In Texas,in which situation would a special election not be called?​

A)to elect the governor of Texas
B)​on a Texas constitutional amendment
C)to fill a vacancy in a U.S. House of Representatives congressional seat
D)on a bond issue or referendum that might affect a local municipality or a count
E)none of these, sincea special election can be called in any of these situations

Question 30

Avoter whowishes to vote early must vote _____before the official election day.

A)​two weeks
B)​one week
C)​three weeks
D)​one month
E)​two months

Question 31

Primary elections in Texas are _____.

A)technically closed but open in practice
B)technically open but closed in practice
C)held only by the Democratic Party
D)held only by the Republican Party
E)often called"blanket primaries"

Question 32

General elections in Texas are held on Tuesday after the first Monday in _____of even-numbered years.

A)March
B)May
C)June
D)September
E)November

Question 33

The ethics bill passed by the Texas legislature in 1991 _____.

A)limited campaign contributions in all state elections
B)limited campaign contributions only in judicial elections
C)limited campaign contributions only in legislative elections
D)limited campaign contributions only in gubernatorial elections
E)did not place any limits on campaign contributions for state elections

Question 34

​Campaign contributions that go directly to a candidate are known as _____ money.

A)hard
B)​soft
C)​skimmed
D)​corrupt
E)​public interest

Question 35

The Texas Campaign Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1973 requires that every candidate for political office appoint a(n)_____ before accepting contributions or making expenditures.

A)campaign manager
B)campaign treasurer
C)legal adviser
D)interest group liaison
E)ethics counselor

Question 36

In a blanket primary,which of these takes place?

A)​All candidates of all parties run on one list, and any registered vote can participate.
B)​Each party will hold a primary election in which only registered members of that party can vote for the party nominee.
C)​Each party will hold a primary electionin whichany registered voter can vote for the party nominee.
D)​The state governor will appoint a personfrom any political party from a list of candidates.
E)​The chosen nominees from all participating parties will run against each other in a general election.

Question 37

Voters who ​vote on election day must get to a polling place during which hours?

A) 7 a.M. to 7 P.M.
B) 12 P.M. to 6 P.M.
C) 7 A.M. to 12 P.M.
D) 3 P.M. to 7 P.M.
E) 7 A.M. to 3 P.M.

Question 38

Campaign contributions that go to political parties for party building activities are called _____ money.

A)hard
B)soft
C)skimmed
D)corrupt
E)public interest

Question 39

Why does negative campaigning undermine democracy?

A)Such campaigning means some elections are decided on the basis of inaccurate charges.
B)Discussions of public policy are discouraged as candidates throw mud.
C)Many good people may decide not to enter political life.
D)Negative campaigning disheartens citizens, contributing to many deciding not to vote.
E)All of these are reasons negative campaigning undermines democracy.

Question 40

​Which type of electionallows only registered members of a political party to vote in that party's primary?

A)​closed
B)​open
C)​runoff
D)​blanket
E)​general

Question 41

How does soft money differ from hard money?​

Question 42

Who did Ted Cruz defeat in the 2012 Republican primary to win his party's nomination for the U.S.Senate? ​

A)​David Dewhurst
B)​Kay Bailey Hutchison
C)​Dan Patrick
D)​Bill White
E)​Wendy Davis

Question 43

​Which of these did not support the Texas Democratic Party?

A)​wealthy Anglos
B)​lower-income Anglos
C)​African Americans
D)​Mexican Americans
E)​all of these supported the Democratic Party

Question 44

Discuss the impacts of negative campaigning on elections.Explain how negative campaigning has influenced at least one recent election in Texas.

Question 45

How might a Texas primary election​ trigger a runoff election?

Question 46

​Republicans elected as judges were considered _____.

A)​pro-lawsuit
B)​plaintiff-oriented
C)​business-oriented
D)​anti-lawsuit
E)​both pro-lawsuit and business-oriented

Question 47

Which statement most accurately describes the situation after the 2012 elections?

A)​The Republican Party had majority control of both chambers in the Texas legislature.
B)​The Democratic Party had majority control of both chambers in the Texas legislature.
C)​The Republicans had control of the state House while the Democrats had control of the state Senate.
D)​The Democrats had control of the state House while the Republicans had control of the state Senate.
E)​The Republican Party had control of the state House while the Tea Party had control of the state Senate.

Question 48

Which of these best describes the 2012 election results in Texas?​

A)​ambiguous Democratic victory
B)​unambiguous Democratic victory
C)​unambiguous Republican victory
D)ambiguous Republican victory
E)​none of these accurately describes the election results

Question 49

Which of these best describes the 2012 election results at the national level?​

A)​ambiguous Democratic victory
B)unambiguous Democratic victory
C)​unambiguous Republican victory
D)​ambiguous Republican victory
E)​none of these

Question 50

Which group came to prominence during the 2010 and ​2012 elections?

A)​Tea Party Republicans
B)​establishment Republicans
C)​social conservative Republicans
D)conservative Democrats
E)​liberal Democrats

Question 51

Compare and contrast the implications for democracy of private financing versus public financing of election campaigns.What has been done in Texas to try to control money in campaigns? What,if anything,should be done by the state to improve campaign finance regulation? Explain why your suggested reform might have a positive effect.

Question 52

​Who did Rick Perry's campaign team insinuate was involved in the killing of a federal Drug Enforcement Administration agent?

A)​Tony Sanchez
B)​Bill White
C)​Gary Mauro
D)​Kay Bailey Hutchison
E)​Wendy Davis

Question 53

One of the basic rights of citizenship in the United States is the right to vote.In your essay,briefly trace the extension of suffrage in the United States by race,gender,and age.Be sure to explain the various factors that have limited suffrage in Texas.

Question 54

How does voter turnout in Texas differ from turnout in the rest of the United States? ​

Question 55

Discuss variations in the level of political participation in Texas by wealth,education,and ethnicity.Explain the effect that higher voter turnout might have on state politics.

Question 56

​As of the 2012 elections,what was a lasting effect in Texas following the 1994 elections? ​

A)​The Republican Party continued the historical pattern of Republican dominance.
B)The Democratic Party maintained their one-party dominance of Texas.
C)​Texas continued its reputation as a two-party state.
D)​Texas continued its pattern of being a harbinger of what would happen in federal elections.
E)​None of these accurately depicts Texas as of 2012.

Question 57

How does a Tea Party Republican differ from an establishment Republican?​

Question 58

Discuss the distinctions between primary and general elections.Explain why primary elections in Texas can be labeled "open."

Question 59

How did the enforcement of poll taxes lower voter registration? ​

Question 60

Until which year was Texas considered a one-party Democratic state?

A)​1984
B)​1994
C)​2002
D)​2010
E)​1960

Question 61

Cross-Chapter Essay Question (Chapters 4 and 5): Explain what we mean when we say that Texas has tough ballot access laws for third parties.How might these laws affect or complicate voter turnout in Texas?

Question 62

Cross-Chapter Essay Question (Chapters 5 and 13): ​Explain why Texas has low voter turnout.How do you think such low voter turnout affects the state's policies on issues like education and health and human services?