Question 1

In a five-year investigation of voter fraud during the presidency of George W. Bush, the Justice Department found ______________ cases of voter impersonation (a type of voter fraud).

Accepted Answer

The Justice Department's five-year investigation did not find any cases of voter impersonation. Therefore, the correct answer is A) 0.

Question 2

In 2004, what percent of House and Senate elections were won by the better-financed candidate?

Accepted Answer

In 2004, more than 90 percent of House and Senate elections were won by the candidate who had more money, highlighting the significant impact of campaign financing on electoral outcomes.

Question 3

Compared with other Western nations, in the United States the gap between the voting turnout of lower-class citizens and upper-class citizens is

Accepted Answer

The text states that "the voting turnout rate of lower-class citizens is consistently lower than that of upper-class citizens in the United States, and the gap between the two is wider than in other Western nations." Therefore, the best choice is A – greater.

Question 4

According to the text, the coalition of voters who supported President Obama for re-election in 2012 was made up of which of the following groups?

Accepted Answer

The text states that the coalition of voters who supported President Obama for re-election in 2012 was made up of "low- and moderate-income voters, women, and the young (under age 30)." Therefore, the best choice is E.

Question 5

In the Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010) decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that most existing laws and regulations setting limits on campaign donations, and prohibiting corporations and labor unions from endorsing and spending funds to promote political candidates, violated the ______________ of the Constitution.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that most existing laws and regulations setting limits on campaign donations, and prohibiting corporations and labor unions from endorsing and spending funds to promote political candidates, violated the First Amendment's protection of freedom of speech.

Question 6

Following the Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010) Supreme Court decision, how much money was spent in total on the 2012 presidential and congressional elections?

Accepted Answer

Following the Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010) Supreme Court decision, the amount of money spent in total on the 2012 presidential and congressional elections was $6 billion.

Question 7

The fastest growing demographic group in the United States is

Accepted Answer

According to recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Latinos are the fastest growing demographic group in the United States.

Question 8

States that are evenly divided among the two major political parties and in which presidential elections are often decided by very close margins are called

Accepted Answer

Swing states are states that are not firmly Republican or Democrat and can swing either way during presidential elections depending on the campaign strategies and issues that resonate with the voters in that state. These states are often targeted heavily by both political parties during elections.

Question 9

In the United States, lower-class citizens vote at roughly ______________ upper-class citizens.

Accepted Answer

Lower-class citizens in the United States tend to vote at about 60 percent the rate of upper-class citizens due to various factors such as socioeconomic barriers and lower political engagement.

Question 10

The president of the United States is elected

Accepted Answer

The president of the United States is elected by majority vote of Electoral College delegates. Although the people vote for their preferred candidate, it is the Electoral College that actually casts the votes for the presidency. Each state's number of Electoral College votes is equal to the number of its U.S. Senators and Representatives in Congress. The candidate who wins the majority of the Electoral College votes (at least 270 out of 538) becomes the President of the United States.

Question 11

Which of the following make U.S. elections exceptional compared to other Western democracies?

Accepted Answer

American political campaigns are largely privately funded, which is a notable difference from other Western democracies where campaigns are publicly funded. This has led to concerns about the influence of money in politics and the ability of wealthy individuals and special interest groups to sway elections.

Question 12

According to the text, the coalition of voters who supported former Governor Mitt Romney for president in the 2012 election were made up which of the following groups?

Accepted Answer

The text specifically mentions "Mr. Romney's coalition of white men and older voters, married women and the affluent" as being the group that supported him in the 2012 presidential election.

Question 13

In discussing the role of money in elections, the text says all of the following except

Accepted Answer

The text mentions the role of money in elections but specifically does not claim that U.S. political campaigns are more regulated than those in any other Western democracy.

Question 14

According to the text, all of the following are methods of voter suppression except

Accepted Answer

The text does not mention holding elections on Sundays or national holidays as a method of voter suppression. The other options are mentioned as methods of voter suppression in the text.

Question 15

In discussing voting turnout, the text makes all of the following points except

Accepted Answer

The text does not address whether felon disenfranchisement laws have any effect on voter turnout.

Question 16

The Supreme Court's 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission primarily serves to

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court's 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission struck down limits on independent expenditures by corporations and unions in political campaigns, effectively increasing restrictions on corporate and labor spending in politics. This decision allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns, leading to the creation of super PACs and significant growth in political spending by outside groups.

Question 17

In presidential elections, the unit rule primarily refers to

Accepted Answer

The unit rule, also known as winner-takes-all, is a practice in most states where all of the state's electoral votes are given to the candidate who wins a plurality of the state's popular votes. This means that even if a candidate wins a state by a small margin, they will receive all of the state's electoral votes.

Question 18

In the past fifty years, the percentage of the Democratic Party's voters who are white Christians has ______________, and the percentage of the Republican Party's voters who are white Christians has ______________.

Accepted Answer

The demographic composition of the Democratic Party's voters has become more diverse over the past fifty years, leading to a sharp drop in the percentage of white Christian voters. Conversely, the Republican Party has seen a slight decrease in the percentage of its voters who are white Christians, not an increase, reflecting shifts in the political and social landscapes of the United States.

Question 19

The Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission case (2010) was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in a ______________ decision.

Accepted Answer

The Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission case was decided by a 5-4 decision, with the majority opinion written by Justice Anthony Kennedy. The decision allowed corporations, labor unions, and other organizations to spend unlimited amounts of money in support of or opposition to political candidates, as long as the spending was not coordinated with the candidate's campaign. This decision has had a significant impact on American politics and has been the subject of ongoing debate and controversy.

Question 20

A(n) ______________ election is one in which a long-dominant party is defeated by a party with a different social base and ideological outlook, and after which the new party succeeds in governing for a significant period and sponsoring distinctive new policies.

Accepted Answer

A critical or realigning election is characterized by a shift in the dominant party or coalition, often due to changes in social and economic conditions. The new party that comes to power typically has a different social base and ideological outlook, and their victory often leads to the implementation of new policies and programs. This type of election is distinguished from other types like swing or proportional elections, which do not necessarily involve a significant shift in power dynamics.

Quiz 4: Political Parties and Elections

In a five-year investigation of voter fraud during the presidency of George W. Bush, the Justice Department found ______________ cases of voter impersonation (a type of voter fraud) .