Deck 13: Elections and Campaigns

Question 1

Miguel, Tammy, and Hyeran run against one another for class president. Each student in the class casts a ballot indicating only his or her top choice for the office. Miguel receives ten votes, Tammy receives eight votes, and Hyeran receives five votes. Under which electoral rule would Miguel be declared the winner without requiring a runoff election?

A) plurality rule
B) unanimity rule
C) majority rule
D) Borda count
E) consensus

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Henry is a Republican candidate for State Senate in New York. He asks you what strategy will maximize his ability to raise money from supporters. Which election policy strategy do you recommend to him?

A) median voter theory
B) moderate voter theory
C) spatial model
D) divergence theory
E) retrospective voting model

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The accountability effect deals with what happens ________ elections, and the selection effect deals with what happens ________ elections.

A) after; before
B) before; after
C) during; after
D) during; during
E) before; during

Answer 3

A

Question 4

There are two candidates in an election: George and Lucille. George is a liberal, while Lucille is a conservative. The electorate is 40 percent liberal, 15 percent moderate, and 45 percent conservative. If both George and Lucille rely on median voter theorem to guide their campaign strategies, what type of campaign will each run?

A) George will run a very liberal campaign, while Lucille will run a very conservative campaign.
B) Lucille will run a very liberal campaign, while George will run a very conservative campaign.
C) Both will run extremely liberal campaigns.
D) Both will run moderate campaigns.
E) Both will run extremely conservative campaigns.

Question 5

What strategy of voting assumes that candidates will moderate their election arguments to win elections?

A) retrospective voting model
B) maximum voter theorem
C) divergence theory
D) median voter theorem
E) a game of thrones

Question 6

How many votes must a candidate receive to win an election under a plurality rule?

A) more votes than all other candidates combined
B) more than half of any other candidate
C) all votes cast
D) more than half of all votes cast
E) two-thirds of the votes cast

Question 7

Which electoral rule governs the election of the president and vice president by the electoral college?

A) majority rule
B) unanimity rule
C) plurality rule
D) Borda count
E) consensus

Question 8

The accountability effect assumes that the main function of elections is to ________.

A) ensure that voters are held responsible for the electoral choices they make
B) promote Republican virtue among voters
C) ensure two-party dominance in government
D) protect the property rights of individuals
E) provide incentives for politicians to stay honest and hardworking

Question 9

According to Article I, Section IV of the U.S. Constitution, "the Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives" may be directly regulated by ________.

A) the president
B) the Federal Election Commission
C) state legislatures
D) city councils and county commissions
E) Congress

Question 10

Counties that use single-member district plurality elections are likely to see which of the following effects on policy, when compared to counties that use other electoral systems?

A) They will be less pro-business.
B) They will be more pro-business.
C) They will be more supportive of liberal social policy.
D) They will be more supportive of conservative social policy.
E) The type of election used by a country does not affect its policy preferences.

Question 11

According to the median voter theorem, which of the following election ideology strategies in a primary/general election system would be the most effective for a Democratic candidate for office?

A) Run a liberal campaign in the primary, then run a conservative campaign in the general election.
B) Run a liberal campaign in the primary, then a moderate campaign in the general election.
C) Run a moderate campaign in both primary and general elections.
D) Run a liberal campaign in both primary and general elections.
E) Run a conservative campaign in both primary and general elections.

Question 12

The difficulty voters face in evaluating whether candidates for office share their values and preferences, and whether candidates are corrupt, creates a/an ________.

A) coordination problem
B) prisoner's dilemma
C) collective action problem
D) principal-agent problem
E) unstable coalition

Question 13

________ often redraw(s) the boundaries of congressional districts after the redistribution of seats in Congress that follows each decennial census.

A) The Federal Election Commission
B) State governments
C) The Department of Justice
D) The Speaker of the House
E) The electoral college

Question 14

Why might candidates diverge toward the ideological extremes of their parties to win elections?

A) Candidates and parties need the support of intense partisans.
B) Some people on the extremes might not participate if the parties become too moderate.
C) Appealing to the median voter no longer works in American politics.
D) Candidates and parties need the support of intense partisans, and some people on the extremes might not participate if the parties become too moderate.
E) None of these is correct.

Question 15

In the United States, most elections for governmental office are conducted under ________.

A) plurality rule
B) majority rule
C) the electoral college
D) consensus rule
E) conservative rule

Question 16

What level of government operates and regulates all American elections?

A) the United Nations
B) the federal government
C) state governments
D) local governments
E) None; independent bodies administer elections.

Question 17

Arnold is running in the Republican primary for a congressional seat. Which of the following voters would Arnold be most likely to try and appeal to in the primary, according to the median voter theorem?

A) the extreme right-wing voter
B) the median voter for the entire district
C) the median voter in the Republican primary
D) the extreme left-wing voter in the Republican primary
E) the median voter in the Democratic primary

Question 18

The theory that parties will converge to a moderate position is an extension of which argument?

A) median voter theorem
B) retrospective voting theorem
C) moderate party theorem
D) general election theorem
E) extreme voter theorem

Question 19

Which electoral rule declares the candidate with the largest number of votes the winner without holding further runoff elections?

A) majority rule
B) unanimity rule
C) plurality rule
D) Borda count
E) consensus

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the theoretical effect elections have on corruptibility of politicians?

A) Voters could be on the jury of an elected official on trial, and hence politicians are checked on their ability to be corrupt.
B) Democracies are generally never corrupt.
C) Politicians want to stay in office, and generally want to do things, like avoiding corruption, that will keep them in office.
D) Elected politicians are more likely to take bribes than those who are not elected.
E) Elections have no effect on whether an elected official is corrupt or not.

Question 21

Ned and Jaime are registered voters going to vote in a Democratic primary. Ned is a registered Democrat, while Jaime is a registered Independent. In what primary system will both Ned and Jaime be able to vote?

A) open
B) free
C) closed
D) Australian
E) partisan

Question 22

A(n) ________ primary is one in which only voters registered with the party may participate.

A) open
B) free
C) closed
D) Australian
E) partisan

Question 23

A(n) ________ is an election held to vote directly on legislation or a constitutional amendment proposed by a group of citizens outside of the legislature.

A) convention
B) primary
C) referendum
D) initiative
E) palladium

Question 24

What distinguishes a ballot initiative from a referendum?

A) Nothing; the terms are interchangeable.
B) Private citizens or organizations finance a ballot initiative; the state finances a referendum.
C) A referendum is used to consider constitutional questions; a ballot initiative is used for ordinary legislation.
D) A ballot initiative is used to consider changes to federal law; a referendum is used to consider changes in state law.
E) A referendum considers legislation proposed by a legislature; a ballot initiative considers legislation proposed by citizens.

Question 25

A voter who casts a ballot for the candidates of one party for some offices and the candidates of another party for other offices has submitted a/an ________ ballot.

A) mixed
B) pluralist
C) Austrian
D) split
E) sideways

Question 26

Which federal agency is responsible for regulating campaign contributions to and spending by candidates for Congress and the presidency?

A) National Election Agency
B) Federal Election Commission
C) Office of the Solicitor General
D) Combined Federal Campaign
E) General Services Administration

Question 27

Which is NOT a feature of the Australian ballot?

A) The government prints it.
B) It lists all parties or candidates competing for each office.
C) It is identical for all voters.
D) It does not require advance voter registration.
E) It is marked in private.

Question 28

What group is the primary agenda setter on referendums?

A) the general populace
B) interest groups
C) state legislatures
D) a state's governor
E) the media

Question 29

Marc is a Democratic candidate running for State Senate in Louisiana, a state that uses a majority rule-based electoral system. How much of the vote would Marc need to receive to avoid a runoff and win the election?

A) He would need to receive more votes than any of the other candidates.
B) He would need to receive more votes than any of the other candidates, and at least 40 percent of the vote.
C) He would need to receive at least 50.1 percent of the vote.
D) He would need to receive at least 60 percent of the vote.
E) Majority rule systems do not have runoffs.

Question 30

Why do some researchers NOT believe that interest group involvement in direct democracy initiatives is a major problem?

A) Interest groups only get involved in a few issues, and therefore have little effect on general policy.
B) Interest groups are too small to have major effects on public policy.
C) Interest groups on both sides of an issue run ads, so they cancel each other out and don't have much effect on voters' preferences.
D) Interest groups are generally disliked by Americans, who see through their arguments very easily.
E) Interest groups are not allowed to get involved in direct democracy following the case Baumgartner v. Jones (1993).

Question 31

Which is an electoral district to which only one seat for a particular political office is allocated?

A) unitary
B) single-member
C) solitary
D) unified
E) common

Question 32

A(n) ________ primary is one in which registered voters may participate regardless of party affiliation.

A) free
B) open
C) closed
D) Australian
E) partisan

Question 33

Which country was the first to use the modern form of balloting, based on standardization of ballots to help increase privacy?

A) the United States
B) Canada
C) the United Kingdom
D) France
E) Australia

Question 34

A(n) ________ is an election held to vote directly on legislation or a constitutional amendment passed by a legislature.

A) referendum
B) primary
C) convention
D) initiative
E) palladium

Question 35

A ________ is a specific type of formal organization, regulated by the Federal Election Commission, that raises money from donors to support the election campaigns of candidates for federal offices.

A) political action committee
B) candidate support network
C) donor trust
D) political fund
E) 527

Question 36

Brian is a radio show host who wants to prolong the Republican primary for president. To do so, he suggests to his listeners (mostly registered Democrats) that they should all go vote in the Republican primary in a closed primary state, to help the second-place candidate win the state and prevent the first-place candidate from getting an insurmountable lead. What is the problem with Brian's plan?

A) According to the rules of the primary in the state in question, registered Democrats cannot vote in the Republican primary.
B) The tactic that Brian is using was deemed illegal in the case Snyder v. Phelps (2011).
C) Radio listeners are generally less likely to vote than TV watchers.
D) There are likely not enough Democratic voters to overwhelm the Republican voters in the primary.
E) There is no problem; this plan will work perfectly: the Republican primary will continue, and the Democratic Party will have a major advantage at election time due to its extra time to prepare.

Question 37

In 2012, voters in Maine voted at the ballot box to allow same-sex couples to legally marry, as the result of a petition brought by interested citizens. The result of the vote was that the state began to issue marriage certificates to same-sex couples following certification of the ballot results. What type of direct democracy best describes the events in Maine?

A) referendum
B) recall
C) initiative
D) Borda count
E) primary

Question 38

________ tend(s) to drive out minor parties.

A) Plurality rule
B) Single-member districts
C) Majority rule
D) Plurality rule and single-member districts
E) Single-member districts and majority rule

Question 39

Which of the following best describes the current state of presidential nominating power?

A) Most of the power rests in the hands of the party leadership and power brokers through the use of rule changes since the 1970s.
B) The candidates themselves have the most power, through their negotiations during the conventions.
C) All power rests in the hands of the primary voting constituency, who effectively chooses the nominee over the course of the primary season.
D) The media has enormous power in determining who the nominee will be based on coverage at debates.
E) Most of the power rests in the hands of party activists due to their ability to come out for early primaries and caucuses.

Question 40

On average, voters in primary elections are less ________ compared to voters in general elections.

A) educated
B) committed to partisan causes
C) ideologically extreme
D) affluent
E) politically moderate

Question 41

What type of organization, in the aftermath of Citizens United v. FEC (2010), was created to spend money raised from individuals, corporations, and unions, independent of political candidates?

A) super PAC
B) 527 organization
C) PAC
D) mega PAC
E) 504(c)3 organization

Question 42

The use of which of the following technologies is considered to have been the most important turning point in American election campaigns?

A) radio
B) telephone
C) the printing press
D) television
E) telegraph

Question 43

A state's sales tax rate is currently 8 percent. Peter would prefer to reduce the tax rate to 7 percent. The Republican candidate running for governor proposes cutting the tax rate to 3 percent. The Democratic candidate proposes raising the tax rate to 9 percent. Peter votes for the Democratic candidate. Peter's behavior is most consistent with which model of voting?

A) spatial
B) retrospective voting
C) valence voting
D) partisan
E) directional

Question 44

Though both candidates in an election may prefer to run positive campaigns, each candidate has incentives to "go negative" regardless of the type of campaign run by his or her opponent. This set of considerations creates a/an ________ for candidates when deciding what type of campaign to operate.

A) coordination problem
B) prisoner's dilemma
C) collective-action problem
D) principal-agent problem
E) unstable coalition

Question 45

Many thought the ruling in Citizens United v. FEC would benefit ________ candidates more than ________ candidates. In the 2016 presidential election, spending was ________.

A) Republican; Democratic; roughly the same
B) Republican; Democratic; skewed toward Democrats
C) Republican; Democratic; skewed toward Republicans
D) Democratic; Republican; roughly the same
E) Democratic; Republican; skewed toward Republicans

Question 46

Which is an organization without any formal relationship with any party or candidate that nonetheless advocates publicly for or against specific candidates, parties, or policies?

A) 9 3/4
B) candidate support network
C) 527
D) political action committee
E) 504(c)3

Question 47

Nigel identifies himself as a strong Republican. In 2008, he decided to vote for the Republican Party's nominee Senator John McCain, even though he had several important disagreements with him, and it is likely that he would have voted for any Republican nominee over Barack Obama. Nigel's behavior is most consistent with which model of voting?

A) directional
B) retrospective voting
C) valence voting
D) partisan
E) spatial

Question 48

In 2006, Markos Moulitsas, a prominent liberal blogger and founder of Daily Kos, endorsed Jon Tester, at the time a state senator, for the U.S. Senate election in Montana. Moulitsas focused extensive energy on Tester in the primary and general election, which helped his national profile and contributed to Tester's eventual victory. In terms of elections (and in terms of Jon Tester), what term best describes Moulitsas's actions?

A) free media
B) paid media
C) private media
D) online media
E) public media

Question 49

Americans Coming Together is a political organization that raises money to advocate publicly for and against specific candidates, parties, and policies in federal elections, though it has no formal association with any political party or candidate. Which term best describes Americans Coming Together?

A) 527
B) candidate support network
C) donor trust
D) political action committee
E) political party fund

Question 50

What was the primary effect of Citizens United v. FEC (2010)?

A) Corporations and unions were limited further in their abilities to donate to political campaigns.
B) All campaign finance laws were completely overturned, and now anyone can donate as much money as he or she would like directly to campaigns.
C) Individuals, but not corporations or unions, can donate as much money as they would like directly to candidates.
D) All campaigns must now be run with public funds.
E) Corporations and unions may spend unlimited amounts of money on campaigns, if the spending is independent of direct candidate donation.

Question 51

Which type of contributions are called "hard money"?

A) contributions to political parties for voter mobilization
B) contributions to 527 organizations
C) contributions to candidates for federal office
D) contributions to 501(c)3 organizations
E) contributions to political parties for voter education

Question 52

________ established the precedent that expenditures on behalf of candidates but independent of them could not be regulated because the First Amendment protects them.

A) Buckley v. Valeo
B) Citizens United v. FEC
C) The Federal Election Commission
D) Super PAC
E) 527s

Question 53

Presidential candidates ________ accept public money from the national government. The last major candidate to do so was ________.

A) often; John McCain in 2008
B) rarely; John McCain in 2008
C) often; Barack Obama in 2012
D) rarely; Donald Trump in 2016
E) rarely; Hillary Clinton in 2008

Question 54

Which type of contributions are typically subject to regulation by the Federal Election Commission?

A) contributions to political parties for voter mobilization
B) contributions to 527 organizations
C) contributions to candidates for federal office
D) contributions to 501(c)3 organizations
E) contributions to political parties for voter education

Question 55

Which model of voting emphasizes the role of a citizen's psychological attachment to a political party in shaping the way he or she responds to political information and makes voting decisions?

A) partisan
B) directional
C) valence voting
D) retrospective voting
E) spatial

Question 56

Pravarti is concerned about a period of economic trouble. She observes that the current president has successfully enacted several policies designed to catalyze economic growth; yet, the country's economy has grown very slowly and may be headed for another recession. She decides to vote against the incumbent president's party in the next election. Pravarti's behavior is most consistent with which model of voting?

A) directional
B) retrospective voting
C) perverse voting
D) partisan
E) spatial

Question 57

Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow was a political organization created by satirist Stephen Colbert to spend money raised from individuals, corporations, and unions using the rules created from Citizens United v. FEC (2010). As such, he could not collaborate with any candidate, and in fact had to turn power over the organization over to Jon Stewart when Colbert himself became a candidate for office. What term best describes Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow?

A) PAC
B) 527 organization
C) super PAC
D) mega PAC
E) 504(c)3 organization

Question 58

The use of campaign ads like Lyndon Johnson's "Daisy" and Ronald Reagan's "Morning in America" can best be described as ________ media.

A) free
B) paid
C) private
D) online
E) public

Question 59

Which model of voting emphasizes citizens' judgments about the past performance of officeholders in deciding whether to retain an individual or party in political office?

A) directional
B) spatial
C) valence voting
D) partisan
E) retrospective voting

Question 60

Which model of voting predicts that a voter will cast a ballot for the candidate who is ideologically closest to him or her?

A) directional
B) retrospective voting
C) valence voting
D) partisan
E) spatial

Question 61

What is a PAC? What is a 527? What sort of relationships do PACs and 527s have with parties and candidates? How do these organizations fit into the scheme of federal campaign finance regulations?

Question 62

Jack Flynt is running for reelection in the Georgia Senate race, and recent polls have him nearly 20 points ahead of his challenger. Based on recent research in political science, Senator Flynt ________.

A) is unlikely to run negative ads because his race is considered "safe"
B) is likely to run negative ads even though his race is considered "safe"
C) is likely to avoid advertising altogether
D) is likely to engage in a nasty fight with his competitor
E) None of the above is correct.

Question 63

Do campaigns matter?

A) Probably not for most people, but they can be decisive for some undecided voters.
B) There is no evidence to support that campaigns matter.
C) No, because campaigns cancel each other out.
D) Yes, because most voters switch their votes from election to election.
E) Almost all research on campaigns indicates they are decisive in elections.

Question 64

Recent research in political science has demonstrated that ________ in safe Senate races are ________ likely to run negative ads.

A) underdogs; more
B) underdogs; less
C) front-runners; more
D) front-runners; less
E) both parties; equally

Question 65

A state's sales tax rate is currently 8 percent. Jose would prefer to reduce the tax rate to 7 percent. The Republican candidate running for governor proposes cutting the tax rate to 3 percent. The Democratic candidate proposes raising the tax rate to 9 percent. Jose votes for the Republican because both he and that party's candidate favor tax cuts. Jose's behavior is most consistent with which model of voting?

A) directional
B) retrospective voting
C) valence voting
D) partisan
E) spatial

Question 66

Compare and contrast initiatives and referendums. How are these two forms of direct democracy different? Who are the main agenda setters in each case? What effect does direct democracy have on policy? What are the main arguments for and against the utility of direct democracy?

Question 67

Compare and contrast the spatial model of voting with the directional model of voting. What are the major assumptions of each model? How are these similar or different? What are the principal predictions of each model about the behavior of voters, and what implications do these predictions have for the behavior of parties and candidates in American national elections?

Question 68

Compare and contrast the partisan model of voting with the retrospective model of voting. What are the major assumptions of each model? How are these similar or different? What are the principal predictions of each model about the behavior of voters, and what implications do these predictions have for the behavior of parties and candidates in American national elections?

Question 69

Recent research in political science demonstrates that negative ads in Senate races are most likely in ________ races.

A) safe and toss-up
B) toss-up
C) leaning
D) likely and leaning
E) safe

Question 70

Which model of voting predicts that a voter will cast a ballot for the candidate who proposes to move policy in the direction preferred by the voter?

A) directional
B) retrospective voting
C) perverse voting
D) partisan
E) spatial

Question 71

In comparison, U.S. elections are more ________ focused than other countries due to the nature of American electoral rules.

A) party
B) media
C) candidate
D) locally
E) federally

Question 72

What is the plurality rule? What is a single-member district? Which federal elections are typically subject to these electoral institutions? What are two important consequences of the combination of the plurality rule with single-member districts in American national politics?