Deck 8: Political Participation and Voting

Question 1

The main problem with voting as a form of political participation is that

A) citizens cannot communicate very much information by only casting a ballot.
B) the electoral system is rigged to favor the status quo.
C) voting is a form of political participation that requires the most time and commitment.
D) voting has very little impact on what government does.
E) there are many legal obstacles that prevent most citizens from voting.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

How many Americans claimed to be completely offline in 2012?

A) 1 percent
B) 5 percent
C) 20 percent
D) 50 percent
E) 75 percent

Answer 2

C

Question 3

In 2008,volunteering for a political campaign was

A) a less common activity than contributing money.
B) a more common activity than contributing money.
C) a more common activity than voting.
D) a more common activity than contacting an elected official.
E) a more common activity than attending a rally.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The Fifteenth Amendment,passed in 1870,mandated that

A) states were forbidden to impose poll taxes.
B) no state could prevent the right to vote on account of race.
C) no state could deny the right to vote on account of gender.
D) no state could deny the right to vote on account of property requirements.
E) literacy tests were forbidden in federal elections.

Question 5

During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries,the criteria for determining one's eligibility to vote were established by

A) the U.S.Constitution.
B) the federal government.
C) state governments.
D) the common-law tradition.
E) the Articles of Confederation.

Question 6

Which of the following is not a traditional form of political activity?

A) protests
B) contributing to a candidate
C) litigation
D) voting
E) visiting a candidate's website

Question 7

Throughout American history,which of the following was not a common restriction the government placed on voting rights?

A) racial restrictions
B) property requirements
C) occupational requirements
D) residency requirements of long duration
E) gender restrictions

Question 8

Which of the following statements about the digital divide is not true?

A) A lack of skills is a primary reason Latinos are offline.
B) A lack of interest is a primary reason elderly Americans are offline.
C) Cost is a primary reason the poor are offline.
D) All racial and ethnic groups in the United States are equally likely to have online access.
E) Racial minorities and younger Americans are likely to access the Internet through mobile devices such as cell phones,even if they lack home access.

Question 9

The fact that many people are exposed to political information when they check their e-mail or conduct an online search illustrates

A) the size of the digital divide.
B) the importance of citizen journalism.
C) the Internet's ability to enhance democratic accountability.
D) the potential for "accidental mobilization" to occur on the Internet.
E) the end of "accidental mobilization" in election campaigns.

Question 10

Which of the following statements about the impact of the SOPA and PIPA protests is most accurate?

A) The protests led to congressional ethics investigations against three members of the House of Representatives and two senators.
B) The protests led Congress to pass new laws outlawing political action by search engines and social networking sites.
C) The protests created a grassroots backlash that caused the bills to lose support among many members of Congress.
D) The protests created a surge in popular support for the bills and led many additional members of Congress to vote in favor of them.
E) The protests had no noticeable effect on the congressional debate.

Question 11

The protests against SOPA and PIPA are an example of

A) how members of Congress can use new media to ensure the passage of their preferred pieces of legislation.
B) how online political action can never achieve its goals.
C) how new media can be effectively used to mobilize offline participation in politics.
D) how new media cannot be effectively used to mobilize offline participation in politics.
E) how new media has made offline participation in politics completely obsolete.

Question 12

Which of the following did not take part in the 2012 protests against SOPA and PIPA?

A) Wikipedia
B) Google
C) Facebook
D) Twitter
E) U.S.Chamber of Commerce

Question 13

Political ______ is the process in which large numbers of people are organized for political action.

A) socialization
B) mobilization
C) saliency
D) citizenship
E) efficacy

Question 14

SOPA and PIPA were

A) interest groups who protested congressional attempts to outlaw online piracy.
B) bills considered by Congress in 2011 to eliminate all forms of censorship online.
C) bills considered by Congress in 1993 to allow people to register to vote at the Department of Motor Vehicles when they applied for a driver's license.
D) bills considered by Congress in 2012 to extend U.S.copyright laws beyond U.S.borders.
E) bills considered by Congress in 1996 to outlaw pornography online.

Question 15

Accidental mobilization occurs when

A) people are mistakenly contacted by a political party on Election Day.
B) individuals are exposed to political information that they did not explicitly seek out.
C) a candidate makes a verbal gaffe that leads new groups of people to vote in an election.
D) turnout in a midterm congressional election is much higher than analysts predict.
E) interest groups,rather than political parties,mobilize the majority of voters in an election.

Question 16

The term suffrage refers to

A) the misery that results from being unable to vote.
B) the right to vote.
C) paying poll taxes.
D) the right to hold public office.
E) the right to assemble.

Question 17

State governments

A) have had total power to regulate suffrage throughout American history.
B) used to have far more power to regulate suffrage than they currently do.
C) used to have far less power to regulate suffrage than they currently do.
D) have never had any power to regulate suffrage at any point in American history.
E) have seen their power to regulate suffrage increase and decrease roughly every thirty years throughout American history.

Question 18

Social capital refers to

A) campaign contributions made by community organizations.
B) community networks that motivate political participation.
C) the fees associated with membership in a club or social group.
D) the fund that interest groups raise during election campaigns.
E) an individual's belief in his or her ability to competently engage in personal interactions with other people.

Question 19

The digital divide refers to

A) the tendency for liberals and conservatives to visit very different sites online.
B) the line separating citizens with Internet access from those without.
C) the finding that Facebook users have fundamentally different political views than Myspace users.
D) the fact that only a small number of people read political stories online.
E) the large differences between how people use cell phones and how they use personal computers for political purposes.

Question 20

New media can level the electoral playing field for third-party candidates by

A) increasing the number of candidates who run in elections.
B) increasing candidate reliance on money from special interests,corporations,special interests,and wealthy donors.
C) reducing the number of people who vote in elections.
D) reducing candidate reliance on money from special interests,corporations,special interests,and wealthy donors.
E) reducing the number of candidates who run in elections.

Question 21

The Constitution was amended to allow women to vote during all public elections in

A) 1870.
B) 1885.
C) 1920.
D) 1948.
E) 1965.

Question 22

Studies show that people are most likely to participate in politics when

A) they are paid to do so.
B) someone asks them to get involved.
C) government officials officially invite input and feedback.
D) they are able to participate electronically through e-mail and computer voting.
E) the media devotes a great deal of time to covering politics.

Question 23

Which of the following statements about voting rights is correct?

A) Many states have laws restricting the voting rights of persons convicted of felonies.
B) Laws passed by Congress prevent the abridgement of a felon's voting rights.
C) According to the Supreme Court,the Constitution prevents felons from having their right to vote limited due to their criminal status.
D) According to the Supreme Court,the Constitution requires that felons have their right to vote limited due to their criminal status.
E) Even though prison inmates cannot vote,federal law states that an ex-con's voting rights cannot be restricted.

Question 24

What is a poll tax?

A) a tax that states impose on all citizens in order to pay for public opinion research
B) a fee that political parties charge people who want to become members and vote in their elections
C) a tax imposed by state governments for those registering to vote
D) a tax women had to pay if they wanted to vote in the nineteenth century
E) a tax the federal government charged to state governments in order to pay for the costs of running a federal election.

Question 25

What percentage of eligible voters participated in the 2008 presidential election?

A) 38 percent
B) 43 percent
C) 51 percent
D) 62 percent
E) 74 percent

Question 26

What was the main cause for dropping the legal voting age to eighteen?

A) Young American citizens effectively organized and protested for the right to vote.
B) It had been one of the civil rights movement's important goals.
C) The Constitution mandated that the draft age be equivalent to the voting age.
D) Government officials hoped it would lead to a decline in disruptive student protests.
E) A decision by the Supreme Court ruled that voting requirements based on age were unconstitutional.

Question 27

Which of the following statements about registration rules is false?

A) Twelve states allow citizens to register to vote on the same day as the election.
B) On average,Election Day registration increases turnout by 5 percent.
C) Turnout among the young,the less educated,and the poor is significantly higher in states allowing citizens to register to vote on the same day as the election.
D) No states have adopted Election Day registration since 1971.
E) North Dakota does not require voter registration at all.

Question 28

World War I was an important factor in advancing the cause of women's suffrage because

A) the peace treaty that stopped the fighting required all countries to give women the right to vote.
B) a number of European nations threatened to refuse military assistance to the United States unless women were given the right to vote.
C) soldiers returning from service began to demand the right to vote for their wives.
D) President Woodrow Wilson and members of Congress believed that women would support the war effort if they were granted the right to vote.
E) too many men were serving in the military overseas to have meaningful elections without the participation of women.

Question 29

The socioeconomic status model explains one's political participation by examining an individual's

A) level of education,income,and occupational status.
B) membership in community organizations.
C) legal right to vote.
D) membership in political organizations.
E) age.

Question 30

Which of the following have political parties been doing less of in recent years?

A) fund-raising
B) advertising
C) mobilizing voters
D) nominating candidates
E) presenting party platforms

Question 31

Approximately ______ of eligible voters turn out for midterm congressional elections.

A) one-tenth
B) one-third
C) half
D) three-fifths
E) three-fourths

Question 32

The term turnout describes the number of people that

A) register to vote.
B) actually vote.
C) vote for the incumbent.
D) volunteer for an election campaign.
E) make a monetary contribution to a political candidate.

Question 33

Which of the following statements about political parties is correct?

A) During the nineteenth century,political parties employed hundreds of thousands of workers to organize and mobilize voters.
B) During the nineteenth century,political parties were more interested in fund-raising than in organizing and mobilizing voters.
C) During the late twentieth century,political parties organized and mobilized a larger percentage of voters than at any other point in American history.
D) Political parties have never attempted to organize and mobilize voters because doing so would violate the Constitution.
E) Since 2000,political parties have ended efforts to organize and mobilize voters because doing so would violate federal campaign finance laws.

Question 34

Which of the following statements accurately describes the percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections since 1960?

A) The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections dropped significantly after 1960 but has been increasing in recent years.
B) The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections rose dramatically after 1960 but has been declining in recent years.
C) The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections rose dramatically after 1960 and has continued growing exponentially in recent years.
D) The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections dropped dramatically after 1960 and has continued dropping in recent years.
E) The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections has remained level since 1960.

Question 35

Compared with Western Europe,the United States has a(n)______ turnout in elections.

A) higher
B) lower
C) roughly equivalent
D) noncomparable
E) unstudied

Question 36

The Constitution was amended in ______ to give eighteen-year-olds the right to vote.

A) 1900
B) 1920
C) 1942
D) 1971
E) 1994

Question 37

Studies have discovered ______ to be the key element of successful mobilization efforts.

A) personal contact
B) direct mailings
C) extensive use of phone banks
D) advertising in local media
E) e-mail newsletters

Question 38

Which of the following methods of participation was an important part of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s?

A) mobilizing the power bloc of southern African American voters
B) violent protests
C) assassinations of political leaders
D) sit-ins and marches
E) placing initiatives on the ballot

Question 39

Nonelectoral forms of participation usually require more ______ than voting.

A) time,money,and effort
B) knowledge,passion,and cynicism
C) information,trust,and strategic thinking
D) economic security,perseverance,and alienation
E) intelligence,pessimism,and mobilization

Question 40

The 2008 presidential election was significant because

A) African American turnout was nearly equal to white turnout for the first time in modern electoral history.
B) African American turnout declined to its lowest point in over forty years.
C) younger people voted at far higher levels than older people.
D) poor people voted at a far higher rate than wealthy people.
E) Latino turnout declined dramatically.

Question 41

The political power of Asian Americans has recently been hindered because of the

A) diversity of national backgrounds and cultures.
B) political apathy among Asian American voters.
C) disenfranchisement of Asian American voters in the 1990s.
D) lack of a sufficiently large population for bloc voting.
E) absence of organizations working to mobilize Asian Americans.

Question 42

Which of the following statements about voter identification laws is most accurate?

A) Voter identification laws in the states disproportionately affect minority citizens and the less affluent.
B) Every state requires all voters to show ID before voting at the polls.
C) The Supreme Court has ruled that voter identification laws cannot go into effect until after the 2012 election.
D) In every state with a voter identification law,a person must have a government-issued photo ID in order to cast a ballot.
E) Every voter identification law was passed prior to 1956.

Question 43

Which of the following is not a reform that has attempted to make voting easier?

A) the National Voter Registration Act
B) early voting
C) Election Day registration
D) voter ID laws
E) permanent absentee ballot

Question 44

An example of the phenomenon called the gender gap would be that

A) more women than men vote for Democrats.
B) more women than men vote for Republicans.
C) more men than women turn out to vote.
D) in families,it is usually women who determine how the family votes.
E) more men than women have had their ballots invalidated.

Question 45

Which of the following statements about Asian Americans is true?

A) Although a majority of Asian Americans voted Republican in the 1990s,in the 2000s they have been voting increasingly Democratic.
B) Although a majority of Asian Americans voted Democratic in the 1990s,in the 2000s they have been voting increasingly Republican.
C) There are more Asian Americans in the United States than African Americans.
D) There are more Asian Americans in the United States than Latinos.
E) Turnout is higher among Asian Americans than among whites.

Question 46

What is one reason that political parties and politicians view Latinos as a critically important group?

A) The Latino population in the United States is large and rapidly growing.
B) Latinos register to vote at higher levels than whites and African Americans.
C) Latinos turn out to vote at higher levels than whites and African Americans.
D) Latinos contribute more money to political parties and campaigns than whites and African Americans combined.
E) Latinos consistently vote for candidates from the Republican Party.

Question 47

Election Day registration is opposed in some states because some believe that

A) it is an ineffective way to increase voter turnout.
B) it may violate the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution.
C) it may lead to election day fraud and noncitizens voting.
D) it will cost state governments billions of dollars every year.
E) it is likely to decrease voter turnout.

Question 48

Over the past decade,polls have revealed that Asian American voters are moving

A) toward the Republican Party.
B) toward the Democratic Party.
C) away from all forms of partisan identity.
D) toward the Green Party.
E) toward newly formed political parties that focus entirely on Asian American political issues.

Question 49

One-third of all Asian Americans live in

A) California.
B) New York.
C) Florida.
D) Texas.
E) Washington,D.C.

Question 50

What was the effect of the National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter Act)?

A) Voter registration rose,but voter turnout did not.
B) Both voter registration and voter turnout rose.
C) Neither voter registration nor voter turnout rose.
D) Voter registration did not rise,but voter turnout levels did.
E) The effect cannot be determined because voting is done through secret ballots.

Question 51

Since 1960,blacks have

A) overwhelmingly voted for candidates from the Republican Party.
B) overwhelmingly voted for candidates from the Democratic Party.
C) overwhelmingly voted for third-party and independent party candidates.
D) not displayed any consistent pattern in their voting behavior.
E) split their vote evenly between candidates from the Democratic Party and candidates from the Republican Party.

Question 52

What is the best explanation for the fact that Latinos have tended to favor Democratic Party candidates in national elections?

A) They disagree with the Republican Party's stance on immigration.
B) They support the Democratic Party's foreign policy toward Cuba.
C) They agree with the Democratic Party's stance on military issues.
D) They typically find the Democratic Party's candidates more charismatic than the Republican Party's candidates.
E) They are socially conservative and,as a result,support the Democratic Party's positions more.

Question 53

What was the original purpose of voter registration?

A) to reduce corruption by making it more difficult to vote
B) to simplify the voting process
C) to make voters more dependent on the political parties
D) to raise revenues for the government
E) to reduce the number of women who voted in national elections.

Question 54

The African American community

A) is economically diverse and typically votes as a bloc in most elections.
B) is economically diverse and typically does not vote as a bloc in most elections.
C) is economically homogeneous and typically votes as a bloc in most elections.
D) is economically homogeneous and typically does not vote as a bloc in most elections.
E) is economically homogeneous and almost never votes in elections.

Question 55

Which of the following was not an important part of the movement to expand civil rights for African Americans?

A) NAACP
B) DAR
C) SNCC
D) SCLC
E) black churches

Question 56

What bloc of voters has recently been called "the sleeping giant"?

A) African Americans
B) Latinos
C) Asian Americans
D) middle-class whites
E) upper-class whites

Question 57

How are election days in the United States different from those in Europe?

A) European elections are usually held on Sundays instead of working days.
B) European elections typically use only mail-in ballots.
C) Most Europeans vote at their place of employment.
D) Most European nations hold elections on January 1.
E) Most European elections last three days.

Question 58

Which of the following statements about the gender gap is false?

A) Women are more likely to oppose military activities than men.
B) The gender gap in voting behavior has always been about 20 percentage points since women's suffrage in 1920.
C) The voting differences between women who are homemakers and women who are in the workforce are almost as large as the differences between men and women.
D) Women are more likely to support social spending by government than men.
E) Women currently register and vote at rates similar to or higher than those of men.

Question 59

It is likely that eliminating state-level voter registration laws will

A) decrease voter turnout among younger people.
B) decrease voter turnout among older people.
C) decrease voter turnout among all voters.
D) increase voter turnout among younger people.
E) have no effect on voter turnout among any group.

Question 60

On average,more women vote for ______ candidates,and more men vote for ______ candidates.

A) Republican;Republican
B) Republican;Democratic
C) Democratic;Republican
D) Democratic;Democratic
E) Independent;Independent

Question 61

The main goal of the group Rock the Vote is to

A) encourage increased voting by musicians.
B) draw young voters into participating politically.
C) encourage states to use voting machines with paper ballots.
D) register more Latino voters.
E) eliminate voter fraud.

Question 62

The strongest critique of the socioeconomic status model's explanation of political participation is that

A) African Americans with high levels of education do not participate.
B) education levels are rising while rates of participation are falling.
C) people from the lowest income brackets participate the most in politics.
D) income levels are decreasing while rates of political participation are increasing.
E) many people who go to college do not vote in local elections.

Question 63

What Supreme Court case ruled that prayer in public schools was unconstitutional?

A) Plessy v.Ferguson
B) Engel v.Vitale
C) Roe v.Wade
D) Falwell v.Hustler
E) Brown v.Board of Education

Question 64

Which of the following is true about political participation?

A) Young people are far less likely to participate in politics than older people.
B) Older people are far less likely to participate in politics than younger people.
C) Young people are just as likely to participate in politics as older people.
D) Neither young people nor older people participate much in politics.
E) Both old people and young people participate in politics at a very high level.

Question 65

What has been one of the most pressing questions concerning socioeconomic status?

A) Why has the level of participation in politics not increased as a result of the rising level of education among Americans?
B) Why do recent immigrants display a higher level of political participation than second- and third-generation Americans?
C) Why is Catholic American participation consistently higher than that of Protestant Americans?
D) Why do citizens in coastal cities tend to have a voting rate approximately 5-7 percent higher than citizens in landlocked states?
E) Why have rising income levels not increased the number of people who are willing to make monetary contributions to political candidates?

Question 66

The power of the Christian Coalition in the 1990s was due to

A) its ability to donate large sums of money to candidates.
B) its success in mobilizing a large grassroots base.
C) the number of its members who were elected to political office.
D) its close alignment with the Democratic Party.
E) the number of its members who were appointed to the federal judiciary.

Question 67

The Supreme Court

A) has ruled that excessive campaign contributions must be strongly regulated by Congress since the electoral process may be in danger of becoming corrupted.
B) has ruled that campaign spending is a form of free speech.
C) has ruled that it is illegal for candidates to spend more than $10,000 of their own money to run for office.
D) has ruled that candidates cannot solicit campaign contributions from supporters but can receive them if they are unsolicited.
E) has made no comment pertaining to the issue of campaign contributions.

Question 68

Approximately what percentage of political advertising is aimed at those between eighteen and thirty-four years of age?

A) 14 percent
B) 25 percent
C) 40 percent
D) 50 percent
E) 67 percent

Question 69

Which of the following characteristics constitutes one's socioeconomic status?

A) level of income,level of education,and prestige of occupation
B) level of income,level of political participation,and number of friends
C) level of income,level of political participation,and level of intelligence
D) level of education,number of friends,and age
E) level of education,level of political participation,and age

Question 70

Which of the following statements about young people is true?

A) Although many young people feel that they can solve problems in their community,most express a deep cynicism about politicians.
B) Although many young people feel that they cannot solve problems in their community,they express strong feelings of trust in politicians.
C) Many young people feel that they can solve problems in their community and express strong feelings of trust in politicians.
D) Many young people feel that they cannot solve problems in their community and express a deep cynicism about politicians.
E) Whatever their feelings about the political process,young people participate in politics more than any other group in American society.

Question 71

Which of the following groups have had the highest levels of political participation?

A) senior citizens (65 and over)
B) Asian Americans
C) young people (18-24)
D) people who did not graduate high school
E) unemployed people

Question 72

Which statement is correct?

A) Religion has played an important role in organizing political participation.
B) Religious groups have played a relatively minor role in politically mobilizing Americans.
C) The Moral Majority was the first broad-based political organization of atheists in the United States.
D) Religious issues have not been important or divisive in American politics.
E) White evangelicals have become closely aligned with the Democratic Party in recent years.

Question 73

Evangelical Protestants are more likely to be associated with

A) the Republican Party.
B) the Democratic Party.
C) the Moral Majority Party.
D) the Green Party.
E) no party;they are typically nonpartisan.

Question 74

Which of the following best describes the goal of the EMILY's List organization?

A) to promote the expansion of pro-life legislation
B) to advocate a pro-life position to the public
C) to raise money for Democratic women candidates interested in running for office
D) to litigate sex discrimination cases in court
E) to increase the number of African American representatives in Congress

Question 75

Which of the following statements about youth participation in the 2008 presidential election is true?

A) Youth turnout rose in 2008,and most young people voted for Barack Obama.
B) Youth turnout rose in 2008,and most young people voted for John McCain.
C) Youth turnout declined in 2008,but most young people voted for Barack Obama.
D) Youth turnout declined in 2008,but most young people voted for John McCain.
E) Youth turnout was the same in 2008 as it was in 2004,2000,and 1996.

Question 76

The explanation for political participation that points to the characteristics of individuals focuses on

A) socioeconomic status.
B) membership in social organizations.
C) formal obstacles such as the poll tax or white primary.
D) mobilization by political institutions.
E) the regions of the country that people reside in.

Question 77

Which of the following is not a key factor in indicating one's level of participation?

A) age
B) income
C) geographic region
D) education
E) occupation

Question 78

Which of the following is true about political participation?

A) African Americans and Latinos are less likely to participate in politics than whites.
B) African Americans and Latinos participate in politics at the same levels as whites.
C) African Americans hardly participate in politics at all,while Latinos participate at extraordinarily high levels.
D) Latinos barely participate in politics,while African Americans participate at extraordinarily high levels.
E) Whites hardly participate in politics at all,while African Americans and Latinos participate at extraordinarily high levels.

Question 79

Approximately what percentage of senators and representatives in Congress are women?

A) 5 percent
B) 17 percent
C) 30 percent
D) 45 percent
E) 55 percent

Question 80

Women are disadvantaged as candidates for office because

A) too many women run in elections every year.
B) women only run in elections as candidates from the Democratic Party.
C) male voters almost never support female candidates.
D) male candidates are more likely to have the advantage of incumbency in office.
E) there are still many state laws that prevent women for running in elections.