Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

Soft money refers to unlimited contributions to political parties for party building, voter registration, and voter turnout. It is distinct from "hard money" which is tightly regulated and limited to individual donations to specific candidates. Soft money was eventually banned under the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (also known as the McCain-Feingold Act).

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

The 2012 presidential campaign between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney saw a record total spending of approximately $6 billion, making it the most expensive campaign in history at that time.

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

Bundlers are fundraisers who gather many small donations from a variety of donors and present them to a campaign as a "bundle," often earning recognition or special access for their efforts. They may also make their own contributions to the campaign.

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

In the case of Buckley v. Valeo (1976), the Supreme Court 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. This decision was based on the First Amendment's protection of free speech, and the Court held that limits on campaign spending were an unconstitutional restriction on political expression. However, contribution limits were seen as a valid way to prevent corruption or the appearance of corruption in the electoral process.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

In the Buckley v. Valeo case, the Supreme Court held that campaign spending is a form of political expression protected by the First Amendment. Therefore, any attempt by the government to regulate campaign spending must be subject to strict scrutiny, meaning that the government must show a compelling interest in such regulation, and the regulation must be narrowly tailored to achieve that interest.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

In McConnell v. Federal Election Commission (2003), the Supreme Court upheld campaign spending restrictions in the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (also known as the McCain-Feingold Act), including limits on contributions to political parties and provisions regulating electioneering communications.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

In Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Citizens United and struck down limits on corporate and union spending on elections. The Court ruled that the First Amendment protects the right of corporations and unions to spend money to influence the outcome of elections, as long as they do not coordinate directly with a candidate or campaign. This decision opened the door to increased spending by outside groups, such as Super PACs, in elections.

Question 8

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?

Accepted Answer

In the election of 1800, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr both received 73 electoral votes, leading to a tie that had to be resolved through the passing of the Twelfth Amendment. John Adams and Alexander Hamilton were also candidates in the election, but did not receive the same number of electoral votes as each other or the other two candidates.

Question 9

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

Accepted Answer

George W. Bush won the electoral college but lost the popular vote to Al Gore in the 2000 election, while Donald Trump won the electoral college but lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

According to Article V of the Constitution, an amendment can be proposed either by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or by a convention of the states called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures. The proposed amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of the states, either through their legislatures or through special state conventions. The signature of the president or the opinion of the Supreme Court are not required for the amendment to succeed.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

Federal courts in North Carolina and Texas began striking down strict voter ID laws as unconstitutional, citing that they disproportionately affected minority voters.

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

Candidates are constrained by positions they have taken in the past and by the core positions of their party, as these factors influence their current political stance and voter expectations.

Question 13

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.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Over the past six decades, incumbent members...

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of Over the past six decades, incumbent members...

Question 15

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of What kinds of candidates make the best...

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the two national influences on...

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

The nomination phase of presidential campaigns traditionally begins in the states of Iowa and New Hampshire in the month of February. These states hold the first caucus and primary, respectively, setting the stage for the rest of the nomination process.

Question 18

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Founders of the American republic intended...

Question 19

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of After decades of concentrating on the ___...

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

According to the Pew Research Center, voter turnout in the United States is lower than in many other developed countries. In the 2016 presidential election, voter turnout was only 56.9%, compared to an average of 68.1% in other OECD countries.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

The nomination phase of presidential campaigns begins in the states of __ in the month of _ .

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

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

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