Deck 8: Political Participation and Voting

Question 1

The modern low for voter turnout in a presidential election was ________ percent of eligible voters in the ________ election.

A)44; 1992
B)44; 1996
C)52; 1996
D)55; 2000

Answer 1

C

Question 2

During the colonial and early national periods of American history, suffrage was generally restricted to white males over the age of

A)18.
B)21.
C)25.
D)30.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

What was the main cause for reducing the legal voting age to 18?

A)Young American citizens effectively organized and protested for the right to vote.
B)The Constitution mandated that the draft age be equivalent to the voting age.
C)Government officials hoped it would lead to a decline in disruptive student protests.
D)A decision by the Supreme Court justices determined that voting requirements based on age were unconstitutional.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Voting rights for black men were established in the Constitution by the ________ Amendment.

A)Tenth
B)Thirteenth
C)Fifteenth
D)Twenty-Sixth

Question 5

The Black Lives Matter protest movement started after

A)the death of Trayvon Martin in 2012.
B)Rodney King's beating by Los Angeles police officers in 1991.
C)Barack Obama's election in 2008.
D)the killing of Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014.

Question 6

Approximately ________ percent of Americans lack high-speed internet access in their homes.

A)10
B)20
C)35
D)50

Question 7

Voter turnout in state and local elections is generally ________ turnout in national elections.

A)much higher than
B)slightly higher than
C)much lower than
D)about the same as

Question 8

Which of the following statements best characterizes the relationship between education, income, and voting?

A)In every Western democracy, those who vote tend to have higher income and more education.
B)In every Western democracy, those who vote tend to have lower income and less education.
C)In the United States but not in other Western democracies, those who vote tend to have higher income and more education.
D)In the United States but not in other Western democracies, those who vote tend to have lower income and less education.

Question 9

The largest single-day protest in U.S.history was the

A)Taxpayer March on Washington in 2009 to protest federal government spending.
B)Occupy Wall Street protest in opposition to income inequality.
C)Women's March on Washington, D.C., to protest Donald Trump's inauguration as president.
D)March on Washington in 1963 to advocate for the civil and economic rights of African Americans.

Question 10

The digital divide refers to the

A)tendency for liberals and conservatives to visit very different sites online.
B)line separating citizens with internet access from those without.
C)finding that Facebook users have fundamentally different political views than MySpace users.
D)differences between how people use cell phones and how they use personal computers for political purposes.

Question 11

What is social capital?

A)campaign contributions made by community organizations
B)community networks that motivate political participation
C)the funds that interest groups raise during election campaigns
D)an individual's belief in his or her ability to competently engage in personal interactions with other people

Question 12

When was the Twenty-Sixth Amendment ratified?

A)during the Korean War
B)right after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik
C)during the Vietnam War
D)during the Iranian hostage crisis

Question 13

Women won the right to vote in

A)1790.
B)1865.
C)1920.
D)1965.

Question 14

________ is the single most important political act for most Americans.

A)Peaceful protest
B)Writing a letter to the editor
C)Contributing to political campaigns
D)Voting

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 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.

Question 16

The 1965 Voting Rights Act

A)authorized the federal government to register voters in states that discriminated against minority citizens.
B)required that all citizens show a government-issued identification before voting.
C)granted 18-year-olds the right to vote in federal elections.
D)established the direct election of U.S.senators.

Question 17

What was the primary venue for citizen participation in national politics until the early 1900s?

A)U.S.Senate elections
B)U.S.presidential elections
C)U.S.House elections
D)recall elections

Question 18

Compared to other developed democracies, the United States is ranked ________ in terms of voter turnout.

A)first
B)second
C)32nd
D)112th

Question 19

Which of the following is a so-called traditional form of political activity?

A)protesting
B)cyberactivism
C)tweeting
D)visiting a candidate's website

Question 20

The Jim Crow era refers to the period

A)between the ratification of the Constitution and the start of the Civil War.
B)between the Supreme Court's decision in the Dred Scott case and the start of the Civil War.
C)immediately following the Civil War in which the federal government set the conditions that would allow the rebellious southern states back into the Union.
D)after the Civil War and before the 1960s.

Question 21

Since 1992, the percentage of people donating money to political campaigns has

A)decreased by half.
B)doubled.
C)quadrupled.
D)remained constant.

Question 22

African Americans represented by a black member of Congress are

A)no different in terms of their political behavior and beliefs than African Americans not represented by a black member of Congress.
B)less likely to have a strong sense of political efficacy than African Americans not represented by a black member of Congress.
C)less likely to vote than African Americans not represented by a black member of Congress.
D)more likely to vote than African Americans not represented by a black member of Congress.

Question 23

In terms of socioeconomic status, Asian Americans are closest to

A)whites.
B)African Americans.
C)Latinos.
D)Native Americans.

Question 24

Which of the following statements about women's suffrage is MOST accurate?

A)Women were given the right to vote under the Articles of Confederation, but not under the Constitution.
B)Every state and territorial government adopted women's suffrage before the federal government granted women the vote.
C)A number of state and territorial governments adopted women's suffrage before the federal government granted women the vote.
D)The federal government adopted women's suffrage before any state or territorial government granted women the vote.

Question 25

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)President Woodrow Wilson and members of Congress believed that women would support the war effort if they were granted the right to vote.
D)too many men were serving in the military overseas to have meaningful elections without the participation of women.

Question 26

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

A)African Americans
B)Latino Americans
C)Asian Americans
D)middle-class whites

Question 27

The main goal of the group Rock the Vote is to

A)encourage increased voting by musicians.
B)encourage young people to vote.
C)encourage states to use voting machines with paper ballots.
D)eliminate voter fraud.

Question 28

Fake political ads and posts published on Facebook from accounts controlled by Russian operatives are estimated to have reached ________ Americans.

A)126,000
B)1.2 million
C)126 million
D)261 million

Question 29

Descriptive representation occurs when

A)individuals are represented in government by officials who share their core values or policy preferences.
B)individuals are represented in government by officials of their same race, ethnicity, or gender.
C)elected officials take the time to explain the details of each of their policy votes to their constituents.
D)individuals are allowed to vote directly on the law.

Question 30

Digital forms of participation that require little effort and may not actually translate into offline acts of political engagement are often referred to as

A)e-democracy.
B)i-participation.
C)clicktivism.
D)like-tivism.

Question 31

When millions of people used Facebook's tool to add a rainbow-colored background to their profile pictures after the Supreme Court's 2015 decision to legalize same-sex marriage it was
An example of

A)micro-targeting.
B)the digital divide.
C)impressive politics.
D)expressive politics.

Question 32

The number-one reason Americans gave for not voting in 2016 was that they

A)were "prevented from voting by a government official."
B)did not want to travel during "bad weather."
C)were "too busy" or had "conflicting schedules."
D)"did not like the candidates or campaign issues."

Question 33

The belief among African Americans that their own self-interests are linked to the interests of their race is called

A)black power.
B)racial resentment.
C)ethnocentrism.
D)linked fate.

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT a reason that digital politics fosters political participation?

A)Information and political news is easier to obtain online and is available 24 hours a day for those who have internet access.
B)The internet creates a form of "accidental mobilization" for those who are greeted by political news when they open their email, check social media, or conduct online searches.
C)Many state governments have made it possible for citizens to vote online rather than in person.
D)Online politics makes it easier for people to participate in politics because it requires less effort.

Question 35

Asian Americans are approximately ________ percent of the U.S.population.

A)1
B)6
C)10
D)14

Question 36

The ________ Act is a bill designed to prevent foreign influence on elections by subjecting political ads sold online to the same rules and transparency that applies to TV and radio ads.

A)Federal Election Campaign
B)Bipartisan Campaign Reform
C)Honest Ads
D)Free and Fair Elections

Question 37

The primary goal of Russian propaganda to disrupt the 2016 election was to

A)mobilize Trump supporters to vote, demobilize Clinton supporters, and promote third-party candidates to Bernie Sanders's supporters.
B)mobilize Clinton supporters to vote, demobilize Trump supporters, and promote third-party candidates to Bernie Sanders's supporters.
C)demobilize Clinton and Trump supporters while also promoting third-party candidates to Bernie Sanders's supporters.
D)demobilize all American voters.

Question 38

Which of the following statements about government regulation of political advertisements is MOST accurate?

A)Unlike traditional media (radio, television, print media), political ads on Google, Twitter, and Facebook are not regulated.
B)Unlike Google, Twitter, and Facebook, political ads on traditional media (radio, television, print media) are not regulated.
C)All political advertisements-regardless of whether they are run online or through the traditional media-are regulated by the federal government.
D)All political advertisements-regardless of whether they are run online or through the traditional media-are not regulated by the federal government.

Question 39

Approximately ________ percent of African Americans voted for Barack Obama in 2012.

A)40
B)60
C)80
D)95

Question 40

________ are now the largest age cohort in the United States.

A)Baby boomers
B)Gen X-ers
C)Millennials
D)Members of the "Greatest Generation"

Question 41

When congressional districts are drawn to favor one political party over another, it is referred to as

A)partisan packing.
B)partisan sorting.
C)bundling.
D)gerrymandering.

Question 42

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

Question 43

Divisions over issues such as abortion, birth control, and same-sex relationships are often referred to as the

A)"battle of the sexes."
B)"culture war."
C)"God gap."
D)"pulpit polarization."

Question 44

Latinos tend to favor Democratic Party candidates in national elections because they

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

Question 45

What is the MOST important factor in predicting whether an individual votes?

A)sexual orientation
B)race
C)education level
D)religious affiliation

Question 46

The goal of the EMILY's List organization is to

A)promote the expansion of pro-life legislation.
B)advocate a pro-life position to the public.
C)raise money for pro-choice, Democratic women candidates interested in running for office.
D)increase the number of African American representatives in Congress.

Question 47

Which of the following groups typically has the highest level of political participation?

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

Question 48

Studies have shown that ________ is the MOST effective means to mobilize voters.

A)an email
B)a piece of direct mail
C)personal contact
D)a telephone call

Question 49

During the nineteenth century, about ________ percent of eligible voters usually cast a ballot on Election Day.

A)30
B)50
C)70
D)90

Question 50

Evangelical Protestants are more likely to be associated with

A)the Republican Party.
B)the Democratic Party.
C)the Socialist Party.
D)no party; they are typically nonpartisan.

Question 51

On average, women tend to vote for ________ candidates and men tend to vote for ________ candidates.

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

Question 52

One-third of all Asian Americans live in which state?

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

Question 53

In terms of voter turnout, Asian Americans are

A)very similar to whites.
B)very similar to African Americans.
C)very similar to Latinos.
D)much lower than all other racial or ethnic groups.

Question 54

Over the past decade, polls have shown 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.

Question 55

Women are disadvantaged as candidates for office because

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

Question 56

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 contribute more money to political parties and campaigns than whites and African Americans combined.
D)Latinos consistently vote for candidates from the Republican Party.

Question 57

Which of the following statements about voter participation among young people is MOST accurate?

A)Young people vote at higher rates than older people.
B)Youth voter turnout is much lower in midterm congressional elections than in presidential elections.
C)Youth voter turnout is much lower in presidential elections than in midterm congressional elections.
D)Youth voter turnout in a presidential election has never been greater than 40 percent.

Question 58

Which of the following statements about race and political participation is MOST accurate?

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

Question 59

Journalists dubbed 1992 the "Year of the Woman" because

A)it was the first election in American history where more than 50 percent of eligible women turned out to vote.
B)women doubled their numbers in the House and tripled them in the Senate during that year's election.
C)it was the first election in American history where at least one woman was elected to Congress from each state.
D)it was the first election in American history where more than half of the candidates running for state-level offices were women.

Question 60

A state with a roughly equal number of Democrats and Republicans in the population is often referred to as a ________ state.

A)battleground
B)split-ticket
C)red-blue
D)gerrymandered

Question 61

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

A)the Supreme Court.
B)the federal government.
C)state governments.
D)the Twentieth Amendment.

Question 62

Which of the following election reforms is designed to make voting easier?

A)literacy tests
B)same-day voter registration
C)voter identification laws
D)poll taxes

Question 63

________ states currently require all voters to show some form of identification before voting at the polls.

A)Sixteen
B)Twenty-seven
C)Thirty-four
D)Fifty

Question 64

Gerrymandering may

A)reduce voter turnout by creating fewer competitive elections.
B)reduce voter turnout by increasing the amount of money that is spent on advertising.
C)increase voter turnout by creating fewer competitive elections.
D)increase voter turnout, increasing the amount of money that is spent on advertising.

Question 65

Laws that automatically register residents to vote in elections

A)are explicitly prohibited by the Constitution.
B)have been enacted by all 50 states.
C)have been enacted by exactly half of states.
D)have been enacted by only five states.

Question 66

Voter turnout in the states that hold their presidential primary elections late in the nomination process is usually

A)the same as states that hold their primary elections early in the process.
B)much higher than states that hold their primary elections early in the process.
C)much lower than states that hold their primary elections early in the process.
D)never reported by the political parties.

Question 67

The passage of voter registration requirements in the early nineteenth century

A)dramatically increased voter turnout.
B)slightly increased voter turnout.
C)dramatically decreased voter turnout.
D)had no effect on voter turnout.

Question 68

Under the Constitution, ________ the power to control voter registration.

A)Congress has
B)the president has
C)the Federal Election Commission has
D)state legislatures have

Question 69

It is likely that eliminating state-level voter registration laws would ________ voter turnout among ________ voters.

A)decrease; younger
B)decrease; older
C)decrease; all
D)increase; younger

Question 70

________ is usually a "safe" state for the Republican Party in presidential elections; ________ is usually a "safe" state for the Democratic Party.

A)California; Texas
B)Texas; California
C)Pennsylvania; Texas
D)Texas; Pennsylvania

Question 71

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

A)they are paid to do so.
B)someone they know asks them to get involved.
C)government officials officially invite input and feedback.
D)they are able to participate electronically through email and computer voting.

Question 72

Which of the following statements about political parties and voter mobilization 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)Political parties have never attempted to organize and mobilize voters because doing so would violate the Constitution.
D)Since 2000, political parties have reduced efforts to organize and mobilize voters because doing so would violate federal campaign finance laws.

Question 73

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

A)States with Republican-led governments were more likely to pass a new law requiring citizens to have photo identification in order to vote.
B)Every state requires all voters to show identification before voting at the polls.
C)The Supreme Court justices ruled that voter identification laws would not go into effect until after the 2016 elections.
D)In every state with a voter identification law, a person must have a photo ID issued by the federal government in order to cast a legal ballot.

Question 74

Strict voter identification laws require that voters present a(n) ________ in order to cast a ballot.

A)copy of their criminal records
B)electric or credit card bill from their current residence
C)birth certificate
D)government-issued photo ID

Question 75

________ states prohibit prison inmates who are serving felony sentences from voting.

A)Five
B)Twenty-three
C)Thirty-three
D)Forty-eight

Question 76

The original purpose of voter registration was to

A)reduce corruption by making it more difficult to vote.
B)simplify the voting process.
C)make voters more dependent on the political parties.
D)raise revenues for the government.

Question 77

During presidential election years, the nation's first caucus is held in ________ and the first primary election is held in ________.

A)Iowa; New Hampshire
B)New Hampshire; Iowa
C)Iowa; South Carolina
D)New Hampshire; South Carolina

Question 78

________ have an initiative process that lets citizens draft legislation, circulate petitions, and place the issue on the ballot for a popular vote.

A)Only two states
B)Only five states
C)Twenty-four of the 50 states
D)Forty-nine of the 50 states

Question 79

Statewide controversial initiatives on the ballot

A)increase voter turnout in elections.
B)decrease voter turnout in elections.
C)advantage the Democratic Party.
D)advantage the Republican Party.

Question 80

About ________ million Americans have lost their voting rights as a result of felony convictions.

A)1
B)5
C)14
D)23