Deck 10: Campaigns and Elections Multiple Choice

Question 1

Unlike in parliamentary systems, American elections are notable for the fact that they occur on

A)unpredictable schedules.
B)fixed and predictable schedules.
C)the demand of citizens.
D)the call of state legislatures.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The Republican Growth and Opportunity Project report has also been labeled as the

A)"demographic outline."
B)"autopsy report."
C)"postelection analysis."
D)"Hispanic growth projection."

Answer 2

B

Question 3

A perceived problem with Republican Hispanic candidates has been their viewpoint on the issue of

A)health care.
B)education.
C)immigration.
D)drugs.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

At the end of the 2012 election cycle, Republicans recognized they

A)are solely dependent upon the White American vote.
B)must appeal to all cultural subgroups for continued success.
C)are a culturally homogeneous party and must act accordingly.
D)must capture a larger percentage of Hispanic voters in the future.

Question 5

In a parliamentary, system, the ______ has the choice of when to "call" an election.

A)chief executive
B)national legislature
C)judiciary
D)state legislature

Question 6

Members of Democratic Party-affiliated groups have criticized Senators Cruz and Rubio as

A)"not representative of other Hispanics."
B)"lacking true Hispanic heritage."
C)"portraying themselves falsely."
D)"traitors to their own culture."

Question 7

Which of the following candidates was targeted by Latinas and Latinos in the Democratic Party as having "hateful anti-Latino, anti-immigrant language"?

A)Ted Cruz
B)Donald Trump
C)Marco Rubio
D)Jeb Bush

Question 8

Hillary Clinton's strategy to reach out to Hispanic voters was highly criticized in

A)social media.
B)newspapers.
C)rallies.
D)talk shows.

Question 9

The Hispanic candidates for the Republican nomination in 2016 shared which of the following Hispanic heritages?

A)Mexican American
B)Puerto Rican
C)Cuban American
D)Columbian

Question 10

Two challenges faced by Senators Cruz and Rubio as they reached out to Latina and Latino voters were their

A)identity as "Hispanics" and the diversity of their viewpoints.
B)ethnic roots and their ability to connect with other Hispanics.
C)Cuban American heritage and their connection with Mexican Americans.
D)misidentification as truly "Hispanic" and their lack of connection with the Cuban American community.

Question 11

The grouping of individuals based on shared characteristics such as ancestry, race, ethnicity, and gender is known as

A)petrographics
B)heliogrphics.
C)reprographics.
D)demographics.

Question 12

In order to impact current and future elections, Latinas and Latinos must

A)speak with a coordinated voice.
B)formally organize into a political party.
C)activate from potential to actual voters.
D)celebrate their common ethnic origins.

Question 13

The greatest force behind changing demographics in the United States is in the ______ population.

A)African American
B)Asian American
C)Hispanic American
D)Caucasian American

Question 14

In December 2015, the Democratic Party presidential forerunner was likening herself to a Hispanic ______, which is translated as "grandmother."

A)madre
B)tia
C)abuela
D)padre

Question 15

Compared to other democracies in the world, Americans get to exercise their right to vote with

A)a comparable frequency.
B)a much lower frequency.
C)a much higher frequency.
D)a frequency that cannot be compared.

Question 16

Campaigns and elections are both composed of many

A)political ambitions.
B)moving parts.
C)democratic ideals.
D)republican objectives.

Question 17

The focus of this chapter is on the ability of presidential and congressional candidates in the election of 2016 to capture the votes of

A)rich contributors.
B)African Americans.
C)demographic subgroups.
D)Latinos and Latinas.

Question 18

Which of the following is considered the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States?

A)White Americans
B)African Americans
C)Hispanic Americans
D)Asian Americans

Question 19

In the Republican race of 2016, there were ______ Hispanic candidates running, while in the Democratic race, there were ______.

A)three | one
B)two | none
C)five | seven
D)three | five

Question 20

______ are tools by which the American political system chooses its representatives, presidents, senators, and members of Congress.

A)Local initiatives
B)Political caucuses
C)National elections
D)Party primaries

Question 21

Reflecting on an incumbent's past performance in an election is called ______ voting.

A)retrospective
B)prospective
C)inclusive
D)representative

Question 22

Elections are the key way in which Americans keep their elected officials in line with the threat of voting ______ out of office and voting in ______.

A)challengers | incumbents
B)officials | constituents
C)incumbents | challengers
D)constituents | bureaucrats

Question 23

Campaign ads that attack an opponent or opponents and try to raise doubts in voters' minds about them are known as

A)muckrakers.
B)negative campaign advertising.
C)positional advertising.
D)counterproductive activities.

Question 24

First and foremost, money buys ______ in a candidate's campaign.

A)media time
B)organizers
C)event space
D)posters and flyers

Question 25

The framers of the Constitution did not want the election system to be too ______.

A)inclusive
B)republican
C)democratic
D)exclusive

Question 26

Having a sizeable ______, especially early in a campaign, may discourage potential challengers from entering a political race.

A)advertising budget
B)group of supporters
C)set of advisors
D)war chest

Question 27

In the 2012 presidential campaign, roughly ______ in total was spent in support of each of the campaigns of the incumbent president and the challenger.

A)$100 million
B)$500 million
C)$1 billion
D)$10 billion

Question 28

Elections confer ______ on the laws passed and the public policies enacted in the minds of Americans.

A)legitimacy
B)supremacy
C)notoriety
D)anarchy

Question 29

In the 1976 case of Buckley v.Valeo, the United States Supreme Court

A)prohibited outside political contributions to national political campaigns.
B)upheld self-funded campaigning for presidential and congressional elections.
C)maintained the constitutionality of restrictions on individual campaign contributions.
D)declared political action committee contributions as unconstitutional.

Question 30

The times, places, and manner of holding elections for senators and representatives are prescribed by the

A)national legislature.
B)state legislatures.
C)chief executive.
D)national judiciary.

Question 31

Efforts to mobilize voters or potential voters are given the acronym

A)MYTV.
B)NYTV.
C)GOTV.
D)YUTV.

Question 32

In an effort to effectively control the ballooning growth of campaign contributions, Congress passed the ______

A)Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act.
B)Federal Election Campaign Act.
C)Citizens United Campaign Reform Bill.
D)Multiparty Campaign Financing Law.

Question 33

A 2014 Pew Research Center survey concluded that the top five issues for Latino registered voters were, in order of perceived importance,

A)jobs and the economy, health care, education, immigration, and conflict in the Middle East.
B)education, jobs and the economy, health care, immigration, and conflicts in the Middle East.
C)immigration, jobs and the economy, health care, education, and conflicts in the Middle East.
D)health care, immigration, education, jobs and the economy, and conflicts in the Middle East.

Question 34

When outside spending on other national elections was added to that of the presidential election, the total spent was about

A)$1 billion
B)$3 billion
C)$5 billion
D)$7 billion

Question 35

Participation in the electoral system may serve to remind Americans of their ______.

A)patriotism and respect
B)reliability and accountability
C)obligations and abilities
D)rights and responsibilities

Question 36

In the 1970s, following the Watergate scandal, Congress passed the

A)National Voting Law.
B)Federal Election Campaign Act.
C)United States Election Bill.
D)Presidential Campaign Act.

Question 37

As a safeguard against ______, the American federal system divides Americans' sovereignty between the nation and the states.

A)absolutism
B)communism
C)tyranny
D)factions

Question 38

In the 2010 case of Citizens United v.Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court ruled that independent, uncoordinated political speech by corporations during political campaigns is protected by the ______ Amendment.

A)Fourth
B)Fourteenth
C)First
D)Fifth

Question 39

The bureaucratic entity that is charged with overseeing and implementing national campaign finance laws is the

A)Federal Election Commission.
B)Presidential Election Committee.
C)United States Election Congress.
D)National Voting Regulatory Agency.

Question 40

Senators were originally chosen by

A)the chief executive.
B)the state legislatures.
C)the national legislature.
D)the judiciary.

Question 41

Once a nominee is selected, their problem becomes one of

A)planning and conducting demographic analysis.
B)communicating beyond a "base" of voters.
C)creating and conducting nationwide polls.
D)understanding the behavior of voting groups.

Question 42

Which of the following describes the stages of presidential election campaigns?

A)nomination and general election
B)primaries and nomination
C)organization and primaries
D)decision and announcement

Question 43

Once selected by their parties, the nominees proceed to the

A)statewide convention.
B)general election campaign.
C)national convention.
D)national balloting process.

Question 44

In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United, ______ are allowed to spend unlimited amounts during a political campaign as long as the spending is not coordinated with that campaign.

A)individual citizens
B)super PACs
C)finance committees
D)campaign managers

Question 45

The concluding phase of the nomination process takes place in

A)national elections.
B)national primaries.
C)national caucuses.
D)national conventions.

Question 46

The basics of the structure of presidential elections are laid out in

A)individual state constitutions.
B)the United States Constitution.
C)the Bill of Rights.
D)the Declaration of Independence.

Question 47

Long before officially campaigning, most candidates will form a(n)______ committee in order to begin the fundraising process.

A)nomination
B)campaign
C)finance
D)exploratory

Question 48

The process for electing the president that involves the voting population choosing a slate of electors who are pledged to vote for the nominee in the presidential election is called the

A)Congress of Judges.
B)Presidential Selection Committee.
C)Electoral College.
D)Congressional Delegation.

Question 49

Presidential elections are conducted every ______ years.

A)two
B)four
C)six
D)eight

Question 50

The growth of Latina and Latino voters is expected to be concentrated within the ______ United States.

A)Southern and Northeastern
B)Northern and Northwestern
C)Central and Southeastern
D)Western and Southwestern

Question 51

Once the official campaign process begins, declared candidates must compete with

A)candidates from the opposite party.
B)others for their party's nomination.
C)the press for media attention.
D)third parties for potential votes.

Question 52

Rather than voting directly for president, voters in a national election are selecting

A)delegates to represent them.
B)partisan choices for the national stage.
C)a slate of electors who are pledged to vote for the winning nominee.
D)members of the electoral college, who will then vote their conscience.

Question 53

Which of the following best describes the current voting habits of Latino and Latina voters?

A)In spite of their growing potential electoral power, they are not voting in rates comparable to white and African-American voters.
B)Because of their growing population, they are voting at record rates that far exceed those of white and African-American voters.
C)While voting in record numbers, the voting rate of Latino and Latina voters is slightly below that of whites and African-Americans.
D)Latinos and Latinas are now voting at rates that are approaching those of white and African-American voters.

Question 54

While many of the rules governing the nomination process are set by federal and state laws, the details about how things actually work are hammered out by

A)the candidates.
B)the constituents.
C)the incumbents.
D)the parties.

Question 55

States in which no one political party tends to dominate national elections are described as

A)independent states.
B)swing states.
C)radical states.
D)moderate states.

Question 56

Groups of at least 50 individuals who contribute higher dollar amounts than individuals within federal limits are known as

A)political action committees.
B)superPACs.
C)finance committees.
D)campaign committees.

Question 57

In most states, presidential nominees are selected by

A)primaries.
B)caucuses.
C)local elections.
D)state legislatures.

Question 58

In the 2016 elections, approximately ______ million Latinos and Latinas will be eligible voters.

A)12
B)18
C)27
D)35

Question 59

After a candidate's campaign becomes official, he/she must

A)find a campaign manager.
B)organize a campaign finance committee.
C)register with the FEC.
D)begin making "stump" visits to meet the public.

Question 60

If, during the nomination process, a candidate survived by appealing primarily to the extremes of the party, then he/she may be seen as too

A)far right or far left for the average voter.
B)centrist for the partisan faithful.
C)unpredictable by the average national voter.
D)unprepared to conduct a national campaign.

Question 61

If no nominee wins a majority of electoral votes, then the presidential election is decided by the

A)incumbent president.
B)Supreme Court.
C)Congress.
D)states.

Question 62

A phenomenon that occurs when a presidential candidate's increasing popularity results in increased support for congressional leaders of the same party is known as a ______.

A)personality defect
B)coattail effect
C)selection bias
D)landslide election

Question 63

At the most basic level, the rules governing the division of voters into ______ are laid out in the Constitution.

A)precincts
B)constituencies
C)districts
D)factions

Question 64

Electors are chosen from

A)the public at large.
B)a state's Congressional delegation.
C)a slate of state legislators.
D)party leaders and loyal activists.

Question 65

Many times, states are accused of intentionally changing congressional district lines in order to benefit a specific group.This is an example of ______.

A)gerrymandering
B)redistricting
C)apportionment
D)proportionality

Question 66

In most states, a congressional candidate only needs a ______ of votes in the primaries or general election.

A)plurality
B)majority
C)supermajority
D)neutrality

Question 67

The process that occurs when states redraw their electoral district boundaries following an official census is known as ______.

A)gerrymandering
B)redistricting
C)apportionment
D)designation

Question 68

The elections of both Bill Clinton in 1992 and George W.Bush in 2000 are examples of

A)how the direct election of presidents has proven successful.
B)situations in which a candidate dominated the popular vote.
C)winning the presidency without winning the popular vote.
D)the successful outcome of voting in a direct democracy.

Question 69

In order to stagger the elections of senators, the Senate was divided into ______ "classes."

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

Question 70

In California's 24th District, Supervisor Carbajal was running under California's ______ system.

A)open primary
B)closed primary
C)local caucus
D)top-two primary

Question 71

The size of the Senate depends only upon the number of ______.

A)counties
B)districts
C)states
D)constituencies

Question 72

The size of the House is currently fixed at ______ members.

A)100
B)281
C)392
D)435

Question 73

The reason it is hard to win a presidency with only a small number of states is because

A)Texas and California (the two largest states)tend to vote in opposite directions.
B)American voting patterns are not conducive to such an outcome.
C)New York and Pennsylvania tend to be predictors of voting patterns.
D)the candidate must win both the Southwestern and Southeastern states.

Question 74

California's top-two primary system is also called a nonpartisan

A)open primary.
B)closed primary.
C)blanket primary.
D)local caucus.

Question 75

The House of Representatives guarantees each state a minimum of ______ vote(s).

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

Question 76

Because California's 24th District will have no incumbent running for office, it is described as a(n)

A)open-seat election.
B)direct election.
C)faithless election.
D)groundless election.

Question 77

The process of determining the number of representatives for each state is called ______.

A)proportionality
B)constituency
C)apportionment
D)redistricting

Question 78

Theoretically, it is possible to become president by winning only ______ of the most populous states.

A)7
B)11
C)15
D)25

Question 79

In a majority election, when a candidate fails to win at least ______ of the vote, they must meet the second-place candidate in a runoff election.

A)30%
B)40%
C)50%
D)60%

Question 80

Electors who change their mind in between the general election and the electoral college vote are known as

A)the party faithful.
B)faithless electors.
C)undetermined voters.
D)political spoilers.