Question 1

Early voting in Texas makes it possible for a person to vote early

Accepted Answer

Early voting in Texas allows any registered voter to vote early without having to state a reason.

Question 2

By the early twentieth century, ________ no longer had an impact on the political suffrage struggles faced by Texan minorities in primary and general elections.

Accepted Answer

Property ownership laws were not a significant factor in the political suffrage struggles faced by Texan minorities by the early twentieth century, as other mechanisms like the poll tax, white primary, and Jim Crow laws were more directly used to disenfranchise minority voters.

Question 3

Recent legislation allows local government to call off an election if

Accepted Answer

Recent legislation allows local government to call off an election if no offices are contested. This means if all the candidates running for election are unopposed, then the local government can cancel the election.

Question 4

Why have minority groups such as Hispanics and African Americans criticized the current primary system in Texas?

Accepted Answer

Minority groups such as Hispanics and African Americans have criticized the absolute majority requirement in the current primary system in Texas. This requirement states that in order to win a party nomination, a candidate must receive more than 50% of the vote. This can be difficult for minority candidates who may not have as strong of a voting bloc as their Caucasian counterparts. As a result, they believe this requirement discriminates against their candidates.

Question 5

Ina democracy, elections enable individuals to

Accepted Answer

Elections allow individuals to exercise their right to vote and have a say in who represents them in government. By holding elected officials accountable for their past actions and making choices about future policies, citizens have the ability to control their leaders and provide judgment. This is a key aspect of democracy - the power ultimately rests with the people.

Question 6

The________ is responsible for the administration of the general election in November.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The________ is responsible for the administration of...

Question 7

What brought about the legislature's adoption of the poll tax in 1904?

Accepted Answer

The adoption of the poll tax in 1904 was primarily driven by the increasing influence of Populist movements and the perceived threat they posed to the Democrats. The Populist movement sought to represent the interests of farmers and laborers, challenging the political dominance of the Democratic Party in the South. By instituting a poll tax, the Democrats aimed to disenfranchise poor white and African American voters, who were more likely to support Populist causes, thereby reducing the Populist movement's influence and maintaining their own political power.

Question 8

A period before the regularly scheduled election date during which voters are allowed to cast ballots is called

Accepted Answer

The period before the regularly scheduled election date during which voters are allowed to cast ballots is commonly referred to as early voting or extended early voting. This allows voters to cast their ballots at a time that is convenient for them and can help to increase voter turnout. Options A, B, and C refer to different types of elections or voting procedures, which are not specific to the period of early voting. Option D does not accurately reflect the concept of early voting.

Question 9

For ideological reasons, primaries can result in an unbalanced ticket that has limited appeal in a general election and essentially produces a weak candidate.How is this possible?

Accepted Answer

In primaries, candidates typically play to their base and attempt to appeal to the most active and ideologically driven members of their party. This often results in the selection of a candidate who holds more extreme views, which can be off-putting to centrist or independent voters in a general election. As a result, the ticket can become unbalanced and less appealing to a broader electorate.

Question 10

________ is the responsibility of a party's county chairman and county executive committee.

Accepted Answer

Locating polling places is typically a responsibility of a party's county chairman and county executive committee to ensure that voters have accessible locations to cast their votes during an election.

Question 11

Though elections provide broad statements of the voters' expectations,

Accepted Answer

E  C  Elections often provide general expectations rather than specific programs (A, E). These expectations need to be translated into actionable mandates (C).

Question 12

Electionsenablevoterstoreplacepublicofficialsorforceofficeholdersto

Accepted Answer

E  Elections allow voters to express dissatisfaction with current policies, prompting officials to change or rethink their policies to align with voter preferences.

Question 13

According to the text, some observers believe that the real brokers of politics and public policy inTexas are

Accepted Answer

The text states that "some observers believe that the real brokers of politics and public policy in Texas are interest groups and political action committees." This suggests that these entities have significant influence over the political process and the formation of public policy in Texas.

Question 14

________ helped lead Texas to adopting the primary in 1903.Prior to this, political parties nominated candidates in party conventions.

Accepted Answer

A Progressive reform movement helped lead Texas to adopt the primary in 1903. Prior to this, political parties nominated candidates in party conventions. The primary system allowed for greater participation and input from voters in the candidate selection process.

Question 15

If no candidate in a primary election receives an absolute majority of the votes cast,

Accepted Answer

If no candidate in a primary election receives an absolute majority of the votes cast, a runoff primary between the top two candidates is held. This ensures that the winning candidate has a majority of the votes and is not simply the candidate with the most votes in a crowded field. It also gives voters another opportunity to consider the top two candidates and make a decision between them.

Question 16

________ are partisan and held in November of even-numbered years.

Accepted Answer

County government elections are partisan and held in November of even-numbered years. City council, school board, special district, and single-purpose district elections may or may not be partisan and may be held at different times throughout the year.

Question 17

What is the effect of dividing election cycles so that state and local elections are separate?

Accepted Answer

Separating state and local elections from other election cycles can lead to voter fatigue, as voters may feel overwhelmed or disinterested in participating in multiple elections within a short period. This can decrease overall voter engagement and turnout.

Question 18

Several reasons have been given for ________ in Texas.Some Texans only care about their own selfish needs; others feel a sense of disenchantment, disillusion, or downright alienation; and still others care, but feel that a single vote is not enough to make a difference.

Accepted Answer

The sentence mentions "others care, but feel that a single vote is not enough to make a difference," indicating that low voter turnout is a possible reason for the issue in Texas. The other options, such as low voter registration or political distrust, are not specifically mentioned in the sentence.

Question 19

If third-party candidates wish to have their names included on the ballot, they must collect petitions bearing the names of registered voters equal to ________ of the vote in the last gubernatorial election.

Accepted Answer

The requirement for third-party candidates to have their names included on the ballot by collecting petitions varies by jurisdiction. However, a common threshold is 1 percent of the vote in the last gubernatorial election. This is a relatively low barrier intended to allow for a diversity of candidates while preventing the ballot from being overwhelmed by too many candidates.

Question 20

In the most basic sense, elections serve to

Accepted Answer

Elections primarily serve to establish the legitimacy of governments by allowing citizens to participate in a democratic process and express their support for those who make decisions. The goal is not necessarily to achieve a majority vote in favor of a policy, but rather to ensure that the government has the popular support needed to govern effectively. Eliminating the opposition party and assuring continuity and expertise are not the main purposes of elections.

Quiz 7: Elections, campaigns, and political behavior