Deck 7: Democracys Moment: Voting, Campaigns, and Elections

Question 1

Voter turnout is measured as ___ .

A) The percentage of voting age population that does not vote
B) The percentage of voting age population that does vote
C) The percentage voting age population that is registered to vote
D) Election turnout compared to turnout in the previous election

Answer 1

B

Question 2

What is one method that has been employed to increase voter registration and turnout in American elections?

A) There have been no such efforts since Americans have higher voter turnout rates than any other democracy in the world
B) Increasing income levels because wealthy people vote more
C) Previous existing obstacles to registration and voting have been gradually removed over time
D) Limiting early voting to focus on election day turnout

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Partisanship is only a single indicator of how voters make up their minds in elections. What are two others?

A) Candidate attributes
B) Issue positions of candidates
C) Prayer and fasting
D) Values training and reflection

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which party is seen as better able to handle issues such as national security, crime, inflation, business, and regulatory policy?

A) The Greens
B) The Democrats
C) The Republicans
D) The Libertarians

Question 5

Which party is associated with being more sensitive to the poor, minorities, social welfare issues, income, and employment issues?

A) The Greens
B) The Democrats
C) The Republicans
D) The Libertarians

Question 6

In 2016, Donald Trump, a first-time candidate, ran on a platform of which of the following promises?

A) to build a wall to keep out illegal immigrants
B) to ban Muslim immigrants
C) speeding the transition from manufacturing to services
D) to return jobs lost to overseas competition

Question 7

In selecting the president, the electoral college requires that each political party select a number of the state's leading citizens __________to vote for president.

A) who are serving in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives
B) equal to the number of the state's U.S. Senators and members of the U.S. House of Representatives
C) who are serving in the Senate and House of Representatives of the state's legislature
D) equal to the number of the state's senators and members of the House of Representatives in the state's legislature

Question 8

In the history of presidential elections, how many times has the outcome of the popular vote not been in accordance with the outcome of the electoral vote?

A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5

Question 9

Which was the last group added to the U.S. electorate?

A) poor white males
B) women
C) young people between the ages of 18 and 21
D) black men

Question 10

No question is more fundamental to a free society than ___ .

A) who gets to vote
B) the right to bear arms
C) freedom of religion
D) due process of law

Question 11

Democrats argue that ___ .

A) illegal voting is a serious problem and that laws should require a government-issued photo ID to vote
B) requiring photo IDs to vote will work a particular hardship on the poor, the elderly, and minorities
C) illegal immigrants vote in large numbers
D) former felons are too dangerous to vote

Question 12

Republicans argue that ___ .

A) illegal voting is a serious problem and that laws should require a government-issued photo ID to vote
B) requiring photo IDs to vote will work a particular hardship on the poor, the elderly, and minorities
C) current laws make illegal voting extremely unlikely
D) former felons are the best voters

Question 13

Which of the following statements is not true regarding voter turnout?

A) Voters are more likely to turn out if the offices at stake are important and visible.
B) Voters are more likely to turn out if the candidates are well known, popular, and attractive.
C) Voters are more likely to turn out if the main election is not competitive.
D) Voters are more likely to turn out if other key issues, such as hotly contested initiatives or referenda, are on the ballot.

Question 14

The well-educated now vote at a rate more than __________times that of the least educated.

A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5

Question 15

In the wake of the 2016 presidential election, President Trump claimed that he lost the popular vote only because __________for Hillary Clinton.

A) Russians meddled in the elections by posting fake news articles
B) three to five million illegal votes were cast
C) all felons voted for Clinton
D) New York, her home state, inflated its vote

Question 16

After analyses of the 2000 presidential election voting irregularities, Congress passed the __________to improve the accuracy of vote counting throughout the country.

A) Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)
B) National Popular Vote Plan (NVP)
C) Help America Vote Act (HAVA)
D) Same day voting laws

Question 17

Which of the following statements is not true regarding the age of those who vote?

A) Young people usually turn out in larger numbers than older voters.
B) Age is an important factor in discriminating between voters and nonvoters.
C) Wealthy voters turn out at higher rates than poor voters
D) Rural voters turn out at higher rates than urban voters

Question 18

In the presidential election of 2016, women cast __________votes than men.

A) less
B) about the same number of
C) more
D) None of the above, because women didn't vote

Question 19

__________is the strongest and steadiest influence on the political behavior of individuals.

A) Income
B) Education
C) Occupational status
D) Partisanship

Question 20

Which of the following statements regarding political information and voting behavior is true for pure independent voters?

A) Pure independents tend to have a great deal of information about politics and to vote infrequently.
B) Pure independents tend to have very little information about politics and to vote infrequently.
C) Pure independents tend to have very little information about politics and to vote frequently.
D) Pure independents tend to have a great deal of information about politics and to vote frequently.

Question 21

In the congressional elections of 2016, of the incumbents who chose to run for reelection, won ___ .

A) fully 60 percent of senators won, as did 67 percent of their House colleagues
B) fully 70 percent of senators won, as did 77 percent of their House colleagues
C) fully 80 percent of senators won, as did 87 percent of their House colleagues
D) fully 90 percent of senators won, as did 97 percent of their House colleagues

Question 22

Incumbent members of Congress control a variety of resources that come with the office, including all but which of the following ___ .

A) a paid staff distributed between Washington and a number of home district offices
B) free postage from Washington (called the franking privilege) and a communication allowance
C) a travel allowance permitting approximately one trip a week home to the district
D) the right to raise campaign funds in unlimited amounts throughout their terms in office

Question 23

Which one of the following statements regarding congressional candidate name recognition by voters is true?

A) Less than half of eligible voters even at the height of a congressional campaign were unable to name either candidate running in their district.
B) Only one-half of eligible voters even at the height of a congressional campaign were unable to name either candidate running in their district.
C) More than half of eligible voters even at the height of a congressional campaign were unable to name either candidate running in their district.
D) None of eligible voters even at the height of a congressional campaign were able to name either candidate running in their district.

Question 24

Which one of the following statements regarding congressional incumbency and campaign contributions is not true?

A) House incumbents seeking reelection, on average, are equal to their challengers in total campaign resources.
B) Campaign contributions flow much more readily to incumbents than to challengers.
C) Interest groups want to make contributions to those more likely to be in a position to help them later.
D) Incumbency is worth about half a million dollars in additional contributions, mostly from business political action committees.

Question 25

Which one of the following is true between American democratic politics and officeholders?

A) The American political process is less open than any other in the world. Nonetheless, the higher up the electoral system one goes, the more direct the contact with voters becomes.
B) The American political process is more open to gender equality than any time in history. Nevertheless, the higher up the electoral system one goes, fewer women have been elected over time.
C) The American political process is more open than any other in the world. Nonetheless, the higher up the electoral system one goes, the more indirect the contact with voters becomes.
D) The American political process is less open to gender equality than any time in history. Nevertheless, the higher up the electoral system one goes, more women have been elected over time.

Question 26

Which one of the following statements is true with regard to what candidates need to know when campaigning for office?

A) Candidates must know the mix of characteristics, preferences, and attitudes held by their supporters and then micro target those who share that political DNA.
B) Candidates must know the voters, divisions or groups that exist among them, and how a majority might be created from them.
C) Candidates need to know what likely voters think both of its candidate and of the major issues of the day so that the two can be related to maximum advantage.
D) All of the above

Question 27

An increasingly large percentage of campaign costs go for fundraising, that is, money spent to ___ .

A) offset the growing use of in-kind contributions in lieu of direct cash
B) pay increasingly high interest-rate debt on campaign loans
C) raise more money as well as media and candidate marketing
D) support the candidate's cost of living needs as a result of increased time spent campaigning

Question 28

If the presidency is the focal point of the American political system and, therefore, the ultimate goal of every American politician, who has a more plausible chance of attaining this goal?

A) non-politicians
B) most state and local politicians
C) prominent cultural figures
D) sitting and former governors, senators, and leading members of the House

Question 29

The need of candidates to raise increasing amounts of money has produced the phenomenon of the ___ .

A) reduction of elective offices
B) permanent campaign
C) universal public funding
D) moratorium on media buys

Question 30

In the presidential campaign of 2016, Donald Trump proved that the presidency may also be open to ___ .

A) military heroes
B) prominent non-politicians
C) charitable donors
D) All of the above

Question 31

Presidential campaigns usually begin __________before the actual election.

A) after the national party conventions
B) months
C) years
D) After Labor Day

Question 32

In presidential campaigns, the strategy of front-loading refers to ___ .

A) securing the minimal campaign contributions needed to qualify early for federal matching funds
B) more and more states crowding to the front of the primary and caucus electoral calendar
C) coordinating donations from potential well-heeled donors before other candidates
D) coalition building of potential interest-group support early in the campaign

Question 33

Today, national party conventions are ___ .

A) scenes of high drama, where national party leaders, regional leaders, and state "favorite sons" lead their followers into the national convention and struggle publicly
B) the final stop to ratify decisions made by the voters in their primaries and caucuses
C) increasingly important because of social media
D) Closely followed by voters through 24/7 coverage on broadcast and cable tv

Question 34

Today, national party conventions have become all but which of the following ___ .

A) increasingly controlled and stylized events where the parties seek to present their best face to the voters
B) attempts to portray themselves, with the whole nation watching, as unified behind a leader and a program
C) the final stop on the road to ratify decisions made by the voters in their primaries and caucuses
D) the last chance for voters to hear from the candidates before the election

Question 35

In the Electoral College, all of each state's electoral votes go to the winner of the popular vote, except for ___ .

A) Iowa and New Hampshire
B) Nebraska and Maine
C) Texas and Virginia
D) Iowa and Maine

Question 36

In presidential elections, the logic of the general election is to win ___ .

A) as many popular votes in the nation as possible
B) more votes than your opponent in as many states as possible
C) Both of the above
D) None of the above

Question 37

In this century, the state most frequently seen as the key battleground state has been ___ .

A) Pennsylvania
B) Michigan
C) Florida
D) California

Question 38

Which one of the following is not a duty of the manager of a political campaign?

A) heads the rapid response team
B) assist in setting general strategy
C) coordinate the state operations
D) try to keep the campaign on message

Question 39

In political campaigns for elective office, a ready response team refers to a group within the campaign organization that ___ .

A) coordinates the candidate's response to media inquiries for live interviews on short notice
B) responds immediately and forcefully to any charge or comment from the candidate's opposition
C) meets with wealthy campaign donors before the candidate's opponent has had a chance in order to secure a large financial contribution
D) heads the get out the vote effort on election day

Question 40

After the site of a presidential candidate's visit has been determined, __________begins work to see that the candidate, an enthusiastic crowd, and the media, are in place.

A) a scheduling team
B) a ready response team
C) an advance team
D) a legal team

Question 41

In political campaign financing, "soft money" refers to ___ .

A) unlimited contributions to political parties for party building, voter registration, and voter turnout
B) unrestricted funds donated to candidates to cover their campaign election costs
C) Both of the above
D) None of the above

Question 42

In the 2012 presidential campaign between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, a total of ___ , a record, was spent.

A) $560 million
B) $995 million
C) $3 billion
D) $6 billion

Question 43

In political campaigns, the term "bundlers" refers to ___ .

A) staff persons in the national campaign organization who bundle the efforts of state political parties in each region of the country
B) media specialists who bundle the buying and airing of campaign ads to more efficiently use financial resources and maximize their influence
C) lawyers representing diverse campaigns who bundle their services to meet legal challenges from campaign opponents regarding voting irregularities
D) fundraisers who not only make their own contributions but solicit them from others and bundle all of the contributions together

Question 44

In the case of Buckley v. Valeo (1976), the Supreme Court ___ .

A) struck down Congress's right to set limits on the amount an individual can contribute to federal campaigns, but upheld limits on overall spending in campaigns
B) upheld Congress's right to set limits on the amount an individual can contribute to federal campaigns, and upheld limits on overall spending in campaigns
C) upheld Congress's right to set limits on the amount an individual can contribute to federal campaigns, but struck down limits on overall spending in campaigns
D) struck down Congress's right to set limits on the amount an individual can contribute to federal campaigns, and struck down limits on overall spending in campaigns

Question 45

In the case of Buckley v. Valeo (1976), the Supreme Court reasoned that campaign spending is ___ .

A) speech intended to communicate ideas and as such is protected from government regulation by the First Amendment
B) private property intended for personal campaign purposes and as such is protected from government expropriation by the Fifth Amendment
C) interstate commerce and not subject to congressional regulation
D) intrastate commerce and not subject to congressional regulation

Question 46

In which one of the following cases did the Supreme Court uphold campaign spending restrictions?

A) Buckley v. Valeo (1976)
B) McConnell v. Federal Election Commission (2003)
C) Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life (2007)
D) Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

Question 47

In the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), the Supreme Court ___ .

A) struck down limits on corporate and union spending on elections
B) upheld limits on corporate and union spending on elections
C) struck down limits on corporate spending but upheld limits on union spending on elections
D) upheld limits on corporate spending but struck down union spending on elections

Question 48

In the election of 1800, which two of the following candidates for president and vice-president received the same number of electoral votes, which then triggered the passing of the Twelfth Amendment?

A) John Adams
B) Aaron Burr
C) Thomas Jefferson
D) Alexander Hamilton

Question 49

Which two of the following presidential candidates lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and became president?

A) Jimmy Carter
B) George W. Bush
C) Bill Clinton
D) Donald Trump

Question 50

To amend the Constitution, which two of the following events must occur to succeed?

A) Proposal by two-thirds of both houses of Congress
B) Signature of the president
C) Ratification by three-fourths of the states
D) Majority opinion of the Supreme Court

Question 51

Beginning in 2013, federal courts in North Carolina and Texas began __________strict voter ID laws as ___ .

A) upholding
B) striking down
C) constitutional
D) unconstitutional

Question 52

In general, candidates running for political office are constrained by positions that they have __________and by the core positions of their ___ .

A) advanced for the future
B) party
C) campaign
D) taken in the past

Question 53

Over the past six decades, incumbent members of the House of Representatives have generally won reelection more than __________percent but less that __________percent of the time.

A) 70
B) 80
C) 90
D) 100

Question 54

Over the past six decades, incumbent members of the Senate have generally won reelection more than __________percent but less that __________percent of the time.

A) 70
B) 80
C) 90
D) 100

Question 55

What kinds of candidates make the best campaign challengers to incumbents in elective office?

A) former public officials
B) candidates appointed by the state legislature
C) novice candidates with substantial financial backing
D) current officeholders seeking to move up to a higher office

Question 56

What are the two national influences on the prospects of a congressional challenger being able to dislodge an incumbent?

A) the national provision of matching campaign funds
B) the national political and economic climate
C) the national media
D) the national system of party committees, interest groups, and campaign consultants

Question 57

The nomination phase of presidential campaigns begins in the states of ____ in the month of ___ .

A) Iowa and New Hampshire
B) Texas and Virginia
C) February
D) March

Question 58

The Founders of the American republic intended for the Electoral College to select the president based on the judgments of the __________in each ___ .

A) members
B) house of Congress
C) state
D) political elite

Question 59

After decades of concentrating on the ___ , since 2004 both parties have put new assets into the ___ .

A) war chests
B) air wars
C) ground game
D) battleground states

Question 60

Fewer Americans take advantage of their rights to vote than do citizens in other advanced, industrial democracies.

Question 61

In the presidential election of 2016 between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, voter turnout was slightly higher than the turnout in the previous presidential election between Barrack Obama and Mitt Romney in 2012.

Question 62

Most states allow online registration to vote.

Question 63

In the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination contest, the fact that young people were among Bernie Sanders's most fervent supporters supports the hypothesis that young people usually turn out in greater numbers than older voters.

Question 64

The Obama effect refers to the higher than usual turnout of black voters in the presidential election of 2012.

Question 65

Social science research suggests that voters make their decisions for whom to vote as much and perhaps more from gut reactions as from strictly rational calculations.

Question 66

All other things being equal, partisanship will be the dominant influence on the voters' decision.

Question 67

Although independents now make up almost 40 percent of the electorate, two-thirds of independents admit that they "lean" toward the Democrats or the Republicans.

Question 68

The majority of independent voters who are leaners in fact behave more like "pure" independents than like partisans.

Question 69

In their reelection bids, incumbent members of Congress are usually defeated by their challengers.

Question 70

Voters like to vote for candidates they know, or at least know of, and that is why they like to spend time getting to know candidates.

Question 71

Experienced challengers run when the general prospects of their party look bright and step aside for the sacrificial lambs when the party's prospects look dim.

Question 72

In the presidential election of 2016, unemployment had dropped to 5 percent and wages had begun to pick up, and yet many voters were convinced that the economic gains had passed them by.

Question 73

As the cost of elections has continued to escalate, national sources have increasingly displaced local sources of funds.

Question 74

By early 2015, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump had full-blown campaigns and hundred-million-dollar war-chests in place before they formally declared their decision to run.

Question 75

The Founders who wrote the Constitution were concerned that voters would not have enough information or judgment to select the nation's chief executive.

Question 76

Today in the Electoral College, the electors of each state exercise independent judgment.

Question 77

Donald Trump claimed to be worth as much as $10 billion and declared his willingness to spend up to $1 billion of his own money on the 2016 presidential race, but he was out-raised by Hillary Clinton throughout the contest.

Question 78

In Buckley v. Valeo (1976), the only spending limits left in place by the Supreme Court were limits attached to voluntary acceptance of public funding.

Question 79

In McConnell v. Federal Election Commission (2003), the Supreme Court held that the prohibition of soft money contributions by wealthy donors and interests were unconstitutional limitations on free speech.

Question 80

In the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), the Supreme Court upheld most of the McCain-Feingold limits on corporate and union campaign contributions.