Deck 9: Campaigns and Elections

Question 1

If no candidate wins a majority of the electoral college votes, the president is chosen by

A)the House of Representatives.
B)the Senate.
C)direct popular vote
D)the Supreme Court.
E)state legislatures.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Members of the U.S.Senate are elected for six-year terms.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT true about election rules in the United States?

A)Elections for offices in the national government are held at regularly scheduled intervals.
B)Terms of length in office for officials are fixed.
C)The president is limited to serving two terms in office.
D)All one hundred Senate seats are up for election every two years.
E)Members of Congress do not have any term limits.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

When running for the House of Representatives, a candidate's main hurdle is gaining

A)ballot access.
B)coalition support.
C)signs.
D)support from his or her family.
E)visibility.

Question 5

The entity created by the 1974 amendments to the Federal Election Campaign Act to administer election reform laws is called the

A)Task Force on Electoral Fairness.
B)National Election Agency.
C)Joint Committee on Election Oversight.
D)Federal Election Commission.
E)Agency for the Regulation of National Elections.

Question 6

The inclination to focus on national issues, rather than local issues, in an election campaign is called

A)candidate appeal.
B)the incumbency advantage.
C)national tide.
D)coattails.
E)coalition building.

Question 7

Gaining visibility is a candidate's main hurdle when running for the House of Representatives.

Question 8

A national meeting of delegates elected in primaries, caucuses, or state conventions who assemble once every four years to nominate candidates for president and vice president, ratify the party platform, elect officers, and adopt rules is known as

A)a national primary.
B)a national party convention.
C)the electoral college.
D)the party referendum.
E)a national party unity rally.

Question 9

Banning soft money became the primary objective of reformers and led to the passage of the

A)Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act.
B)Soft Money Reform Act.
C)Hard Money Limitation Act.
D)Party-building Reform Act.
E)Corruption in Financing Act.

Question 10

Members of the House of Representatives are elected for ______ -year terms.

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

Question 11

Most congressional elections are highly competitive and are determined by a relatively small number of votes.

Question 12

The system that allows political parties to secure legislative seats and power in proportion to the number of votes they receive in the election is known as winner-take-all.

Question 13

A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform is called a

A)caucus.
B)convention.
C)referendum.
D)rally.
E)"beauty contest."

Question 14

Soft money refers to

A)money raised in unlimited amounts by political parties for party-building purposes.
B)money contributed by political candidates to their own campaigns.
C)money contributed to political candidates from other candidates.
D)money contributed to a candidate that is limited in amount and fully disclosed.
E)None of the above

Question 15

The most frequently proposed reform for presidential general elections is

A)giving every state an equal number of electoral votes.
B)direct popular election.
C)using an automatic plan that would keep electoral votes but get rid of actual electors.
D)moving the election date to the first week of January.
E)requiring candidates to win a majority of states to become president.

Question 16

When a presidential election goes to the House of Representatives, each state gets a number of votes equal to the number of members from that state.

Question 17

The textbook authors argue that voting is important because

A)all elections are decided by a handful of votes.
B)Americans have so few opportunities to vote since we have so few elections.
C)it is required and people have to pay a fine if they fail to vote.
D)there are so rarely any real differences between candidates.
E)election outcomes have policy consequences.

Question 18

An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other is known as a(n)

A)automatic office.
B)safe seat.
C)party lock.
D)uncontested election.
E)incumbent assurance.

Question 19

Traditionally, the first states to pick delegates to the national conventions are

A)California and Kentucky.
B)Iowa and New Hampshire.
C)Wyoming and Montana.
D)Texas and Florida.
E)Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Question 20

Term limits for members of the U.S.Congress can be imposed only by

A)state legislatures.
B)congressional legislation.
C)a public referendum.
D)constitutional amendment.
E)the president.

Question 21

Voters in every state EXCEPT ________ must approve all changes in the state constitution.

A)Alabama
B)Delaware
C)California
D)Florida
E)Wyoming

Question 22

All states EXCEPT ________ and _________ award all of their electoral college votes to the winner of the popular vote in their states.

A)California, New York
B)Ohio, Pennsylvania
C)Texas, Florida
D)Maine, Nebraska
E)Iowa, New Hampshire

Question 23

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act sets limits on independent expenditures.

Question 24

Which of the following is NOT true about proportional representation systems?

A)They more accurately reveal the division of voter preferences than do winner-take all systems.
B)They may encourage voter turnout, particularly among people who identify with parties that don't typically win elections.
C)They may encourage issue-oriented campaigns.
D)They may enhance representation of women and minorities.
E)They encourage the formation of two ideologically moderate political parties.

Question 25

Congress has sought to regulate political contributions because large campaign contributors are suspected of improperly influencing public officials.

Question 26

Elections for members of Congress occur

A)on the first weekend in September every odd-numbered year.
B)on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November in odd-numbered years.
C)only during leap years.
D)on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November in even-numbered years.
E)whenever each state determines that its seats in Congress should be up for election.

Question 27

Which of the following is NOT true about the electoral college?

A)State legislatures are free to determine how the states choose their electors.
B)Each party nominates a slate of electors (who are usually longtime party workers) in each state.
C)Most states use a winner-take-all system to allocate their electoral votes.
D)No "faithless elector" has ever cast the deciding vote in a presidential election.
E)A candidate does not need a majority of electoral votes to win the election.

Question 28

The system that allows political parties to secure legislative seats and power in proportion to the number of votes they receive in the election is called

A)cumulative voting.
B)winner-take-all system.
C)direct voting.
D)proportional representation.
E)single-member districts.

Question 29

When no candidate wins a majority in the electoral college, the House of Representatives chooses a president from

A)the Senate.
B)one of the governors of the states.
C)among its own members.
D)among the top three recipients of electoral votes.
E)the Supreme Court.

Question 30

An electoral district in which voters choose one representative or official is known as

A)proportional representation.
B)a single-member district.
C)a dominant-party district.
D)a legislative district.
E)gerrymandering.

Question 31

The first decision a presidential hopeful must make is to choose a running mate.

Question 32

Critics of the primary system have recommended that rather than having state presidential primaries there should be a single nationwide election, or a "national presidential primary."

Question 33

To be elected president, a candidate must receive

A)a plurality of electoral college votes.
B)a majority of electoral college votes.
C)a majority of states as well as electoral votes.
D)a majority of the popular vote.
E)All of the above

Question 34

An election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins is called

A)first-to-the-backstretch.
B)proportional representation.
C)direct voting.
D)winner-take-all.
E)multimember districts.

Question 35

The _____________ Amendment limited the president to two terms in office.

A)First
B)Thirty-Fifth
C)Seventeenth
D)Fifth
E)Twenty-Second

Question 36

A politician who cannot, or has announced he or she will not, run again for his or her office is called

A)a quitter.
B)a lame duck.
C)an enigma.
D)a term limit.
E)an incumbent.

Question 37

The proportion of senators who are up for election at any one time is

A)one fifth.
B)one-third.
C)one-half.
D)two-thirds.
E)three-quarters.

Question 38

The main way of choosing delegates to the Democratic and Republican national conventions is presidential primaries.

Question 39

The method for choosing presidential electoral college votes or delegates is determined by

A)party leaders.
B)party caucus.
C)state legislatures.
D)the House of Representatives.
E)the Supreme Court.

Question 40

The framers of the U.S.Constitution created the electoral college because they

A)wanted a proportional representation system for the presidency.
B)desired to make it impossible for candidates from large states to become president.
C)wanted to encourage states to use multimember districts for their legislatures.
D)did not trust the choice of president to a direct vote of the people.
E)All of the above

Question 41

According to your text, the first step for would-be challengers in House elections is to

A)gain visibility.
B)build a personal organization.
C)initiate voter registration campaigns.
D)collect financial contributions.
E)schedule debates with opponents.

Question 42

In the 2010 election,

A)Democrats lost seats in the House only.
B)Democrats lost seats in the Senate only.
C)Democrats lost seats in both the House and Senate.
D)Republicans lost seats in both the House and Senate.
E)Republicans lost seats in the Senate only.

Question 43

A "permanent Congress" is a result of

A)constitutional provisions guaranteeing members of the House of Representatives a minimum of four terms in office.
B)advantages held by incumbents.
C)coattail effects.
D)high levels of competition in House elections.
E)the Supreme Court's ruling in Pelosi v.Constituents.

Question 44

A state's electoral vote is determined by

A)its population.
B)previous voting patterns in presidential elections.
C)a complicated formula devised by Congress.
D)the number of square miles in the state.
E)the number of its representatives and senators.

Question 45

An election with no incumbent running is called

A)a toss-up.
B)gerrymandering.
C)party polling.
D)an open seat.
E)a referendum.

Question 46

When congressional districts are drawn in ways that enhance the reelection prospects of incumbents or one party, it is called

A)pandering.
B)partisan bickering.
C)incumbency advantage.
D)majority manipulation.
E)gerrymandering.

Question 47

Figure 9-1 demonstrates that

A)most Senate elections are won by incumbents.
B)a large majority of House seats are not competitive.
C)most House seats are won by the candidate of the same party as the presidential candidate getting the most popular votes in that district.
D)about half of House elections are closely contested.
E)None of the above.

Question 48

In the 2000 presidential election

A)Al Gore won the popular vote while George Bush won a majority in the electoral college.
B)George Bush narrowly won the popular vote and received 487 electoral votes.
C)Al Gore and George Bush received an identical number of electoral votes.
D)no candidate received a majority of electoral votes.
E)George Bush won the popular vote while Al Gore won a majority in the electoral college.

Question 49

Most delegates to the national nominating convention are chosen by

A)referenda.
B)state conventions.
C)primary elections.
D)state committees.
E)party bosses.

Question 50

Compared to House elections, Senate elections

A)are typically less competitive.
B)feature weaker challengers to incumbents.
C)have candidates who are less well-known.
D)have lower levels of campaign spending.
E)are generally more high-profile.

Question 51

When a candidate relies on personal contacts, hand-shaking, door-to-door campaigning, and seeking positive media attention, he or she is said to be seeking

A)positive reinforcement.
B)visibility.
C)to build a grass-roots foundation.
D)ballot position.
E)incumbency.

Question 52

In how many elections has the winner of the popular vote NOT become president?

A)Six
B)Ten
C)Four
D)One
E)Two

Question 53

The reelection rate of House incumbents

A)reached a high in 1964.
B)is typically over 80%.
C)reached its low point in 1932.
D)is less than 60% in most elections.
E)usually averages about 40%.

Question 54

Candidates for the House of Representatives in areas where their party is strong

A)tend to deemphasize partisanship.
B)usually lose.
C)are known as "shoo-ins."
D)try to make their partisanship clear.
E)have a difficult time raising money.

Question 55

Incumbents are generally better known than challengers, something called

A)party loyalty.
B)name recognition.
C)frequency factors.
D)partisan alliance.
E)incumbency advantage.

Question 56

The tendency in elections to focus on the personal attributes of a candidate, such as his or her strengths, weaknesses, background, experience, and visibility is known as

A)candidate appeal.
B)the incumbency advantage.
C)party platforms.
D)issue-oriented voting.
E)the cult of personality.

Question 57

In all of the midterm elections between 1934 and 1998

A)the Democrats gained seats in the House of Representatives.
B)the party controlling the White House gained seats in the Senate.
C)the party controlling the White House lost seats in the House of Representatives.
D)there was no net change in the number of seats held in Congress by the two major parties.
E)the Republicans gained seats in the Senate.

Question 58

According to congressional elections scholar Gary Jacobson, the coattail effect is

A)"erratic and usually modest."
B)"substantial and consistent."
C)"significant and growing."
D)"rapidly disappearing."
E)"a myth of epic proportion."

Question 59

In which midterm elections did the president's party gain seats?

A)1946 and 1954
B)1962 and 1966
C)1970 and 1974
D)1986 and 1990
E)1998 and 2002

Question 60

The boost that congressional candidates may get in an election because of the popularity of presidential candidates from their party is called the ____ effect.

A)party bonus
B)presidential plus
C)trickle-down
D)coattail
E)straight-line

Question 61

In the United States, citizens vote more often and for more offices than citizens of any other democracy.

Question 62

The current presidential system is often criticized because of

A)the expense associated with it.
B)the biases in the electoral college.
C)needed media skills that aren't related to the ability to govern.
D)the length of the election cycle.
E)All of the above

Question 63

Which of the following is NOT considered a main approach to the reform of political contributions?

A)Imposing limits on the giving of political money
B)Imposing limits on the receiving of money
C)Imposing limits on the spending of money
D)Imposing limits on the disclosure of money
E)None of the above

Question 64

Money spent on issue advocacy ads is

A)limited to $1 million.
B)limited to $100,000.
C)limited to $10,000 per individual.
D)unlimited.
E)limited to $2,300.

Question 65

Which of the following statements is NOT true about elections and voting in the United States?

A)The United States has elections more often and for more offices than any other democracy.
B)Voters in most states are permitted to vote on measures placed on ballots through petitions.
C)Election outcomes never have any policy consequences.
D)Changes in state constitutions must be approved by the voters in all states except Delaware.
E)There are about half a million elected state and local officials.

Question 66

Ads that typically attack a candidate, but allow the sponsor to avoid disclosure and contribution limitations because the ads do not use electioneering language, such as "vote for" or "vote against" a specific candidate, are classified as

A)issue advocacy.
B)soft money.
C)hard money.
D)independent expenditures.
E)527 group money.

Question 67

The state that has a system in which the candidate who carries each congressional district gets that electoral vote is

A)Maine.
B)New Jersey.
C)California.
D)Florida.
E)Iowa.

Question 68

To win their parties' nominations, presidential candidates

A)are required to win the Iowa caucus.
B)must always raise more money than any of their opponents.
C)typically have to appeal to the more ideologically intense individuals in their parties.
D)usually avoid public appearances.
E)try to adopt policy platforms most appealing to moderate, independent voters.

Question 69

The BCRA banned which of the following types of campaign funding?

A)Hard money
B)Soft money
C)Independent expenditures
D)527 group financing
E)Issue advocacy

Question 70

Which of the following is NOT a focus of current campaign reform efforts?

A)Presidential primaries
B)The electoral college
C)Party platforms
D)Campaign finance
E)None of the above

Question 71

When states move their primary dates up in the calendar it is called

A)packing.
B)early birding.
C)creative scheduling.
D)front loading.
E)federal forwarding.

Question 72

The method of choosing delegates used by the state of Iowa is a

A)state nominating convention.
B)referendum.
C)house party.
D)primary.
E)caucus.

Question 73

Money spent by individuals or groups NOT associated with candidates to elect or defeat candidates for office is known as

A)hard money.
B)self-financing.
C)outside intervention.
D)independent expenditures.
E)soft money.

Question 74

To be included in presidential debates, candidates must have an average of ____% or higher in the five major polls identified by the Commission on Presidential Debates.

A)51
B)15
C)5
D)33.3
E)80

Question 75

The "America's Changing Face" box in this chapter shows that since 1968, delegates to the Democratic National Convention

A)have included higher percentages of women.
B)have consistently become dominated by older individuals.
C)have become less diverse in terms of race and gender.
D)have become much richer.
E)None of the above

Question 76

An alternate new primary system that might bring more coherence to the process and encourage more emphasis on issues of regional concern is

A)closed primaries.
B)open primaries.
C)winner take all primaries.
D)regional primaries.
E)blanket primaries.

Question 77

A statement of party perspectives on public policy is known as the party's

A)record.
B)convention.
C)list.
D)candidacy.
E)platform.

Question 78

Presidential primaries, particularly Republican primaries, have two main features-the actual voting for delegates pledged to a candidate and

A)a system of public debate and discussion.
B)caucuses.
C)county conventions.
D)a "beauty contest."
E)writing a party platform.

Question 79

Presidential candidates are officially nominated by

A)party caucuses.
B)national party committees.
C)national party conventions.
D)presidential primaries.
E)the electoral college.

Question 80

Political contributions given to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amount and fully disclosed are called

A)soft money.
B)easy money.
C)hard money.
D)watchdog money.
E)public funding.