Deck 14: Campaigns and Elections

Question 1

The phase of the presidential election process in which the political parties select candidates to run against other party candidates is called the ______________.

A) nomination phase
B) general election
C) interview process
D) categorizing procedure
E) indoctrination phase

Answer 1

A

Question 2

By the 1796 presidential election, just eight years after the signing of the constitution, two political parties had formed and were actively seeking candidates to represent them in the elections. What were these first two political parties?

A) Democrats and Republicans
B) Democrats and Liberals
C) Republicans and Independents
D) Federalists and Democratic-Republicans
E) Communists and Socialists

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which amendment limits presidents to two 4-year terms in office?

A) Twelfth Amendment
B) Fifteenth Amendment
C) Twenty-Second Amendment
D) Twenty-Fifth Amendment
E) There is no constitutional limitation

Answer 3

C

Question 4

An open caucus is a method where _________________________.

A) voters can show up on primary election day and cast their ballots without declaring party affiliation
B) the party's leaders hold informal meetings and discussions to choose a party nominee
C) the party's congressional delegation selects the party's nominee for president
D) voters choose which candidates they would like to fill elected office
E) party members formally meet to provide input as to who their party should nominate for elective office

Question 5

The first presidential election in which a state held a direct primary was _______.

A) 1880
B) 1912
C) 1900
D) 1916
E) 1892

Question 6

Jimmy Carter won the Democratic Party nomination for president in 1976 and went on to win the presidency. Carter was considered a low-key outsider who was not the first pick of the party power elites. How did Carter win the Democratic primary election?

A) He swayed the party leaders to back his candidacy.
B) Many consider the 1976 election as a "stolen election."
C) Carter won enough primary votes in the southern states that he did not need states from other areas of the country.
D) Carter was the only major candidate running for president in 1976.
E) He was the first to appeal directly to the primary voters and gain their support.

Question 7

What does the U.S. Constitution say about the choosing of candidates or the process by which individuals become candidates for president?

A) The constitution restricts the number of political parties that can be active in an election.
B) The constitution requires that an individual file as a candidate for president at least two years before the election.
C) Beyond eligibility requirements, the constitution says nothing about the process by which individuals become candidates.
D) The constitution sets high filing fees for the office of president in order to keep the field of candidates at a moderate level.
E) The constitution requires that political parties hold their presidential primary elections in the same year as the general election.

Question 8

During the presidential election process, what occurs in the period from January through June of the year of a presidential election?

A) The candidates declare their intention to seek the office of president.
B) All campaign funds are required to be expended.
C) Primary elections are held in each state to determine the number of delegates each candidate will be allowed to send to the nominating convention.
D) The electoral college meets to cast their formal votes.
E) The nationwide vote is held and the next president is chosen.

Question 9

The political elite of a party (governors, mayors, party chairs, and other officials) selected most of the delegates and thus had most input choosing the party's presidential nominee, until what decade?

A) 1820s
B) 1860s
C) 1910s
D) 1930s
E) 1960s

Question 10

In 1824 Andrew Jackson was the first presidential candidate in American history to win the popular vote but not win a majority of the electoral college. What happened as a result of these election results?

A) The election was scratched and a new election held with Jackson losing in the second election.
B) As Jackson did not win a majority of the electoral college, the House of Representatives made the choice.
C) Jackson subsequently created the Republican Party.
D) A political stalemate formed that prohibited the formation of other parties.
E) The turmoil was so great that the election was not held and the existing president served for three more years.

Question 11

In today's American society, what is the primary purpose of the national party conventions that are held in the summer prior to the presidential elections?

A) to showcase the party's presidential candidate and garner momentum for the upcoming election
B) to interview and narrow the field of candidates for the upcoming primary elections
C) to appoint cabinet members and other officeholders in case the party's candidate wins the election
D) to seek balance and a cooperative spirit between the two major parties on major issues prior to the election
E) to introduce new legislation to Congress in order to satisfy campaign promises

Question 12

During the Progressive era, the direct primary was created and implemented. What was the purpose of this direct primary?

A) It bypassed the voters and placed the election of candidates in the hands of the governor.
B) It cut out the campaign phase and proceeded directly to the voting phase.
C) It gave voters an opportunity to play a role in selecting party candidates.
D) It eliminated the power of the political parties.
E) It eliminated the voter registration process so voters had less chance of losing their right to vote.

Question 13

After the 1824 election, Jackson founded a new political party, which __________________.

A) believed in the enfranchisement of all white men, rather than just the propertied class
B) dramatically expanded white male suffrage throughout the country
C) saw more and more state political parties adopt open caucuses
D) was called the Democratic Party
E) all of these choices are correct.

Question 14

How did the District of Columbia obtain the ability to play a role in the presidential selection process?

A) The original wording of the constitution recognized District of Columbia as a state.
B) The District of Columbia became a state in 1961 and, as a result, gained electoral votes.
C) The U.S. Constitution was amended to include the District of Columbia in the electoral college.
D) The District of Columbia's representatives in the U.S. House and senate introduced legislation to make the change.
E) A federal law was created that extended the right to vote to citizens of the District of Columbia.

Question 15

The period between the national party conventions in the summer of the presidential election year and the actual election in November is referred to as the ________________.

A) nomination campaign
B) general election campaign
C) prenomination campaign
D) presidential debates
E) electoral wrap-up

Question 16

The first state to hold a direct primary in a presidential election was ______________.

A) Wisconsin
B) Illinois
C) Wyoming
D) New York
E) Florida

Question 17

Political parties select specific people to run as the presidential and vice presidential candidates in the general election. This duo is referred to as ______________.

A) the force
B) the executive branch
C) the "party ticket"
D) the democratic duo
E) the plurality

Question 18

Why did the framers of the U.S. Constitution not anticipate the first phase of the presidential elections?

A) In that period, two elections were illegal.
B) They did not anticipate that a two-party system would emerge.
C) There was not enough population to warrant an election.
D) The population was so low that it was possible to create a ballot with all names listed.
E) It was very likely an oversight on their part.

Question 19

What was the importance of the Twelfth Amendment, which was ratified in 1804?

A) It created a requirement that electors cast one ballot for president and one ballot for vice president.
B) It created the right to vote for all Americans.
C) It established a limit on the number of terms a president may serve.
D) It abolished the poll tax and literacy test that were used to deny suffrage to minority groups.
E) It mandated that two political parties must always exist in order to give balance to the electoral process.

Question 20

Political parties, though weaker today than in the past, have provided the framework for every presidential election since ____________.

A) 1788
B) 1792
C) 1796
D) 1828
E) 1860

Question 21

What is meant by the term battleground state?

A) The state is not reliably Democrat or Republican; either party has a chance of winning in the presidential election.
B) Party politics are so strong in the state that nearly all efforts to move forward are met with huge battles.
C) The state has a large military presence that influences election results.
D) A state that splits its distribution of votes in the electoral college.
E) Election results in such states are normally decided within the courts weeks after the election.

Question 22

The number of electoral votes from each state is determined by _________________.

A) the state legislatures of each state
B) a vote in Congress prior to each election
C) the number of seats each state has in Congress
D) each political party
E) results of a conference between the two major political parties

Question 23

Observers often list the first stage of a presidential election as the prenomination campaign that occurs shortly after a presidential election is concluded. What occurs during this phase?

A) The candidates for the next presidential election must be selected so that they have the full four years to campaign.
B) Political parties hold primary elections to determine who they can accept as possible candidates.
C) The president appoints committees from each party to begin searching for his competitors in the next election.
D) Possible candidates begin to test the waters, raise money, attract media attention, and try to sway support of influential party members.
E) The political parties hold their national conventions to plot the campaign for the next four years.

Question 24

A trend has emerged in the last 20 years or so in which states move their primary elections or caucuses earlier in the presidential election year in order to increase their significance nationwide. This process has become known as _____________.

A) frontloading
B) leap-frogging
C) intensifying
D) opening the process
E) narrowing the field

Question 25

A governor decides that he or she wants to explore a run for president. After six months, the prospective candidate cannot seem to generate any widespread interest or raise funds so he or she drops out of consideration for the presidential election. This scenario is an example of which stage of the presidential processes?

A) prenomination
B) nomination
C) national convention
D) general election
E) electoral college

Question 26

Candidates seeking a political party's nomination often battle each other for months while vying to achieve "frontrunner" status. This process is often referred to as ________________.

A) the primary election
B) the screening process
C) the debate process
D) self-identification
E) the invisible primary

Question 27

What is the primary benefit for a candidate who emerges as a frontrunner in a political party's campaign for president?

A) The federal government increases the amount of funding for the campaign.
B) Media coverage of the candidate tends to increase significantly.
C) The candidate will automatically be granted a win in the first round of primaries.
D) It guarantees the candidate a spot on the general election ballot.
E) State governments are required at this point to contribute campaign funding for the candidate.

Question 28

A handful of states do not hold elections for individual parties to select their candidates. Instead, the party members are invited to attend local meetings at which they choose delegates who make a commitment to a candidate for the party nomination. This process is called a(n) ______________________.

A) open primary
B) closed primary
C) caucus
D) referendum
E) sifting

Question 29

The __________ is a statewide election that serves to allocate delegates who will represent a state at the party's national convention.

A) general election
B) presidential primary
C) referendum
D) political party survey
E) party appointment

Question 30

How does a candidate win in the electoral college?

A) He or she must receive an outright majority of all electoral votes.
B) He or she must receive two-thirds of the electoral votes.
C) He or she must receive a unanimous vote in the electoral college.
D) He or she must receive three-fourths of all electoral votes.
E) The electoral college is symbolic and is no longer used in presidential elections.

Question 31

What is meant by the phrase, "open election"?

A) Voters from either party can vote for any candidate.
B) Anyone can file as a candidate for the seat.
C) Neither candidate is an incumbent.
D) Neither candidate has declared a party affiliation.
E) Non-registered citizens may still cast votes if they prove residency.

Question 32

What is the purpose of "exploratory committees"?

A) They seek negative publicity on electoral opponents.
B) They are formed in order to determine if public policy is in agreement with public opinion.
C) Potential presidential candidates use them to assess the feasibility of making a formal declaration of official candidacy.
D) They represent the electoral equivalent of an ethics investigation.
E) They are committees appointed by Congress to assess the needs of Americans.

Question 33

March 6, 2012-"Super Tuesday"-was so named because __________________________________.

A) with that day's results, 26 states had held their contests
B) with that day's results 28 contests (50 percent plus 1) had been held
C) fifteen states all held their contests on that day
D) nine states all held their contests that day
E) it was the day that the parties formally nominated their presidential candidates

Question 34

The nomination campaign is a state-by-state process over several months. What is the primary goal of the candidate during this part of the campaign?

A) to raise more money than all other candidates running of the party's nomination
B) to secure the most television interviews
C) to complete the process with the most delegates committed to support his or her campaign at the national convention
D) to win the general election in November
E) to garner support of each state's congressional delegation

Question 35

Which of the following would not be a consideration for a presidential candidate in choosing his or her vice presidential running mate?

A) geographical and regional balance
B) ideological balance
C) ensuring the candidate does not differ in any respect from the presidential candidate
D) physical and mental health
E) balance of experience

Question 36

In 2012, states that allocated their delegates proportionate to the voting outcome were permitted to hold contests as early as the first Tuesday in ___________.

A) February
B) March
C) April
D) May
E) January

Question 37

Which of the following is the correct order of stages in selecting the president?

A) the national convention; the prenomination campaign; the nomination campaign; the electoral college decision; the general election campaign
B) the prenomination campaign; the nomination campaign; the national convention; the general election campaign; the electoral college decision
C) the general election campaign; the national convention; the prenomination campaign; the nomination campaign; the electoral college decision
D) the electoral college decision; the national convention; the prenomination campaign; the nomination campaign; the general election campaign
E) the prenomination campaign; the national convention; the nomination campaign; the electoral college decision; the general election campaign

Question 38

A less common, but still utilized approach for selecting the party's candidate is for voters to show up at the polling place and request either a Republican or Democrat ballot, regardless of how they are registered with the Board of Elections. This approach is called a(n) ________________.

A) open primary
B) closed primary
C) the caucus
D) open referendum
E) cross-party poll

Question 39

A presidential race between a sitting president and a challenger is called ________________.

A) a primary election
B) an incumbent race
C) a policy referendum
D) a confirmation election
E) a tilted race

Question 40

Most states require that a voter declare a party affiliation ahead of time and, at the time of voting, he or she can only vote in that party's election. This process is called a(n) __________________.

A) open primary
B) closed primary
C) the caucus
D) forced selection
E) restricted access

Question 41

What effect have televised presidential debates had on election outcomes?

A) The impact of debates is unclear.
B) Research shows that debates are very effective in swaying voter opinion.
C) The majority of the potential voters will change their candidate preference following the debate.
D) Historically the winner of the debates usually wins the presidency.
E) It almost always helps the underdog candidate at the expense of the major candidate.

Question 42

Based on the current number of electoral college votes, how many votes must a candidate receive in order to win the presidency?

A) 120
B) 200
C) 270
D) 310
E) 538

Question 43

In the presidential election process, what is meant by the so-called unit rule?​

A) The popular vote winner in each congressional district receives the electoral vote from that district.
B) ​The state legislature selects the individuals who will be the state's electors.
C) ​The candidate who receives the most nation-wide popular votes will win the presidency.
D) ​The candidate who receives the most popular votes in a state will receive all the electoral votes from that state.
E) ​Each state's congressional delegation will select the state's electoral voters.

Question 44

According to public opinion polls, what is public sentiment regarding the manner in which the president is elected?​

A) ​Public opinion favors the electoral college.
B) ​Public opinion would prefer the national popular vote as a way of selecting the president.
C) ​Public opinion has not expressed an opinion on the issue.
D) ​Public opinion has remained evenly divided on the issue.
E) ​Public opinion would prefer a system whereby the state legislatures vote for the president.

Question 45

How can the number of electoral votes in a state be changed?

A) Electoral votes are assigned by the U.S. Constitution and cannot be changed.
B) Each state legislature has the power to change its allotment of electoral votes.
C) Based on census results, population shifts between states can lead to reapportionment of the electoral votes between states.
D) To add electoral votes, the U.S. Constitution must be amended.
E) The electoral votes proportionally represent the popular vote from each state so will change as it changes.

Question 46

Which of the following has been a result of the population shift over the last 60 years, with the southern and western states gaining population and most of the northeastern and midwestern states losing population?​

A) ​There has been no effect in the presidential election process.
B) ​Many southern and southwestern states have become more influential in the presidential election process.
C) There has been a decline in the number of electoral votes for the ​southern and western states.
D) ​The number of electoral votes for the northeastern states has increased.
E) ​The electoral college vote is no longer part of the process for electing the president.

Question 47

Midterm congressional elections _______________________________.

A) are held when the president dissolves Congress, ending the congressional term
B) see all House seats and all senate seats contested
C) are held when the president loses a vote of confidence in the Congress
D) are held when the president dissolves Congress, ending the congressional term, or are held when the president loses a vote of confidence in the Congress
E) None of these choices is correct.

Question 48

Retrospective voting posits that______________________________________.

A) evaluation of an incumbent's past performance in office provides important cues for voters in deciding whether to vote for that candidate
B) candidates who have more favorable images than their opponents among voters tend to fare much better in election contests
C) when a particular issue captures the attention of many people in the electorate, voters are more likely to use a candidate's position on that issue to form a vote decision
D) issue voting occurs more often when an issue is of particular personal concern to a voter
E) in making a choice, voters do not take into consideration the past career of the candidate

Question 49

In presidential elections the winner is often a strong enough candidate that his success has positive results for his party all the way to the various state and local races. This phenomenon is called the _______________.

A) coattail effect
B) trickle-down theory
C) subordinate submission phenomenon
D) force of election theory
E) presidential impact

Question 50

The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), and its subsequent amendments, did all of the following except _______________________________________________.

A) imposed legal limits on campaign contributions by individuals
B) removed all campaign finance restrictions, allowing candidates to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money
C) required that all federal candidates accurately disclose campaign contributions
D) required that all federal candidates must document all campaign expenditures
E) imposed an outright ban on certain campaign contributions by corporations, unions, national banks, and foreign nationals

Question 51

What is meant by the term, midterm congressional elections?

A) elections that are held in presidential election years
B) elections that parties hold in order to nominate candidates to run for office
C) elections held by Congress to nominate presidential appointees
D) elections held midway between presidential elections, for all House seats and one-third of the senate seats
E) elections held at the local level for municipal and special district elected offices

Question 52

Which of the following is not true of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002?

A) It is popularly known as the McCain-Feingold Act.
B) It placed limitations on money contributed to national parties.
C) It raised limits on contributions to a particular candidate for federal office.
D) It prohibited all spending by political parties to support candidates during election years.
E) It indexed contribution limits for inflation every two years.

Question 53

What is the significance of the Court's ruling in Buckley v. Valeo (1976)?

A) Consistent with the First Amendment, Congress could limit campaign contributions.
B) Limitation of campaign contributions is a violation of the First Amendment.
C) Congress may limit personal money spent by a candidate on behalf of his own campaign.
D) All campaign finance legislation is unconstitutional.
E) The First Amendment does not apply to campaign spending; Congress has unlimited authority to regulate in this area.

Question 54

There are no longer limits on certain corporate and union funding of broadcast ads right before an election, as a result of ______________________.

A) ​the Court's ruling in Buckley v. Valeo (1976)
B) ​the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002
C) ​the case of McConnell v. F.E.C. (2003)
D) ​the establishment of super P.A.C.s
E) ​the Court's ruling in Citizens United v. F.E.C. (2010)

Question 55

Which of the following is not a major source of campaign funding?

A) individual citizens
B) interest groups
C) PACs
D) foreign investors
E) political parties

Question 56

If an interest group would like to contribute money to a candidate's campaign __________________________.

A) it must make the contribution through a political action committee
B) there is no limitation on the amount of money it may give
C) it must first receive the approval of Congress
D) it must provide an equal contribution to a candidate of the opposing party
E) members of the interest group are required to vote for the candidate

Question 57

What is the minimum number of electoral votes possible for any one state?

A) one
B) two
C) three
D) four
E) five

Question 58

A(n) __________ is a congressional seat from a district that includes a high percentage of voters from one of the major parties.

A) open seat
B) safe seat
C) closed seat
D) marginal seat
E) midterm seat

Question 59

Which of the following is not considered a "determinant of vote choice"?

A) familiarity of the candidate
B) party identification
C) the candidate's religion
D) the candidate's stance on particular issues
E) the image and personal traits of the candidate

Question 60

The unit rule is used by all states except _________________.

A) Maine and Nebraska
B) Rhode Island and Hawaii
C) Texas and California
D) Kansas and Arkansas
E) Louisiana and Michigan

Question 61

A seat in a congressional district that has relatively similar numbers of Democratic and Republican voters is known as a(n) ____________________.

A) open seat
B) safe seat
C) closed seat
D) marginal seat
E) midterm seat

Question 62

What is the "unit rule" and what is its significance to the presidential election process? Identify states that do not take part in the unit rule and describe how the process differs. Do you think the presidential election results would differ if states moved away from the unit rule and adopted a process by which the popular vote winner in each congressional district received the electoral votes from that district, and the two votes that derive from the state's senate seats are awarded to the statewide popular vote winner? Explain why or why not.

Question 63

Discuss the nomination campaign stage of the presidential selection process. How does each state play a role in the process? Be sure to explain the difference between a primary and a caucus, and the effects of frontloading. What is the significance of the nominating conventions?

Question 64

Several amendments to the constitution (the Twelfth, Twenty-Second and Twenty-Third) have altered the presidential selection process. Compare and contrast the operation and impact of each amendment.

Question 65

Describe the process for selecting a vice presidential candidate. What considerations does a presidential candidate take into account when making this decision? How important do you feel this decision is to the success of a presidential candidate? Why?

Question 66

Identify and describe the five determinants of vote choice. Explain how each plays a role in influencing a voter's decision during an election. Which do you feel is the most powerful for American voters and why?

Question 67

Describe congressional campaigns and elections. Include an understanding of midterm congressional elections, the coattail effect, the power of incumbency, safe and marginal seats, and franking privileges.

Question 68

Describe the electoral college process. What is the total number of electoral college votes, and how many are required for a candidate to win the presidency? How is the number of electoral votes determined for each state? How might the strength of each state change in the presidential election process?

Question 69

Describe the major stages or steps that an individual candidate experiences between his or her first serious interest in the upcoming presidential election to the point of winning or losing the election.

Question 70

Franking privilege allows incumbent members of Congress to ____________________.

A) travel to and from their home state for free
B) never pay taxes
C) mail materials to constituents without paying for postage
D) enjoy free medical and dental benefits
E) garner an extensive financial bonus yearly to go towards a charity of their choice

Question 71

Explain the concept of "battleground states." What role do battleground states play in the presidential election process, and what is their overall effect during a presidential election? Do you think battleground states would still exist if the electoral college was replaced with a national popular vote for selection of the president? Explain.

Question 72

How have campaign finance laws evolved? Citing specific examples, describe the ways in which current laws influence campaign finance.