Deck 9: Campaigns and Voting Behavior

Question 1

Questions 3 and 4 refer to the following map.
A count of Clinton and Obama events during the 2008 nomination campaign. Source: Washington Post campaign tracker data for January 2007 through May 20,2008.
Based on the map,which state had the largest number of campaign events?

A)Iowa
B)New Hampshire -Consider This: Though there are many campaign events in New Hampshire,there are far more in Iowa.
C)Pennsylvania
D)Indiana

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Questions 12 and 13 refer to the following image. Credit: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Which of the following does this picture exemplify?

A)voter incentives
B)increased voter turnout
C)Election Day voter registration laws -Consider This: Many new election laws have raised concerns that it may prevent certain groups from voting.
D)the proliferation of voter ID laws

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Questions 14 and 15 refer to the following graph.
Electoral college and exit poll results for 2016 Source: 2016 National Exit Poll.
According to exit poll data,which of the following group's members were most likely to vote for Donald Trump in 2016?

A)Jews
B)Hispanics -Consider This: While Trump did not do as poorly with Hispanics as estimated,this group of people were not most likely to vote for Trump.
C)younger voters
D)Non-Hispanic whites

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Questions 10 and 11 refer to the following graph.
American turn out rates compared to other established democracies Sources: In all countries except the United States,official reports of the percentage of
registered voters casting valid votes,as reported at Election Resources on the Internet.For the
United States,the percentage of citizens participating was calculated based on Census
Bureau reports of the number of citizens of voting age and reports from the states regarding
how many people voted.
Which of the following helps to explain why voter turnout is lower in the United States than in other democracies?

A)The United States hold fewer elections -Consider This: The United States has many elections to elect many officeholders from only two parties.
B)The United States elects fewer officeholders.
C)The United States hold elections midweek.
D)The United States has a multiple partisan election system.

Question 5

“In any calendar year in which an individual is a candidate for Federal office and an election for such Federal office is held in such year, such reports shall be filed not later than the tenth day before the date on which such election is held and shall be complete as of the fifteenth day before the date of such election… Any contribution of $1000 or more received after the fifteenth day but more than 48 hours, before any election shall be reported within 48 hours after its receipt… Every person…who makes contributions or expenditures, other than by contribution to a political committee or candidate…in excess of $1000 within a calendar year shall file with the Commission…”
--Federal Election Campaign Act, 1974

-Which unintended result of changes to the Federal Election Campaign Act led to the passage of the McCain Feingold Act in 2002?

A)Party discretionary funding
B)Party expenditure exemption -Consider This: A contribution made to a candidate directly is referred to as "hard money".
C)Soft money
D)Walking-around money

Question 6

Riots at the 1968 Democratic national convention Credit: Michael Boyer/AP Images

-How did these events,and the McGovern-Fraser Commission that evaluated them,lead to a more representative delegate selection process for the Democratic Party?

A)by requiring delegate selection procedures to be open to all party members
B)by increasing the number of delegates chosen
C)by weakening the power of registered party members to choose convention delegates -Consider This: The American party system has developed more democratic ways.
D)by encouraging the use of presidential caucuses rather than primaries

Question 7

How Obama raised more campaign money by declining federal funds Source: Federal Election Commission reports.

-For which of the following must a serious presidential candidate in the twenty-first century,like Barack Obama,use the funds he or she raises?

A)newspaper ads aimed at the 55-65 age group
B)staff to handle high-tech and computer technologies
C)television ads aimed at the 18-29 age group -Consider This: The Internet now plays a major role in political campaign.
D)an international relations specialist to solicit campaign contributions from foreign nations and multinational corporations

Question 8

Questions 5 and 6 refer to the following graph.
How Obama raised more campaign money by declining federal funds Source: Federal Election Commission reports.
Based on the graph,how did refusing federal funds affect Obama's campaign spending?

A)Obama had less to spend than the candidates against whom he ran.
B)Obama spent all of his money seeking his party's nomination.
C)Obama was required to use his own personal funds for his campaign.-Consider This: Refusing federal funds enables candidates to raise more money from other sources; they are not required to use their own money.
D)Obama was able to raise and spend much more than if he used federal funds.

Question 9

Where is a presidential election decided if no candidate receives an Electoral College majority?

A)Senate -Consider This: The Senate chooses the vice president.
B)House of Representatives
C)Elections and Campaigns Committee
D)Supreme Court

Question 10

A count of Clinton and Obama events during the 2008 nomination campaign. Source: Washington Post campaign tracker data for January 2007 through May 20,2008.

-What does an examination of the number of campaign visits by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination contests suggest?

A)geographically larger states receive the most attention from the candidates during the nomination campaign
B)states with more electoral votes receive more attention from the candidates during the nomination campaign -Consider This: For the primary election,building early momentum by winning early elections is very important.
C)states with early caucuses and primaries receive a disproportionate amount of attention from candidates during the nomination campaign
D)Obama won the election because he visited more states than did Clinton

Question 11

“In any calendar year in which an individual is a candidate for Federal office and an election for such Federal office is held in such year, such reports shall be filed not later than the tenth day before the date on which such election is held and shall be complete as of the fifteenth day before the date of such election… Any contribution of $1000 or more received after the fifteenth day but more than 48 hours, before any election shall be reported within 48 hours after its receipt… Every person…who makes contributions or expenditures, other than by contribution to a political committee or candidate…in excess of $1000 within a calendar year shall file with the Commission…”
--Federal Election Campaign Act, 1974

-Which of the following was a goal of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974?

A)limit the corrupting influence of money in politics
B)require donors to give equally to presidential candidates
C)remove the power of interest groups in politics
D)establish strict requirements for how campaigns spent money -Consider This: The act limited the amount that donors could contribute,but did not establish strict rules for how that money could be spent.

Question 12

Questions 1 and 2 refer to the following image.
Riots at the 1968 Democratic national convention Credit: Michael Boyer/AP Images
Which of the following political events was the site of this massive protest in 1968?

A)political caucus
B)Electoral College -Consider This: The Electoral College happens after the popular presidential election and doesn't receive media coverage like conventions.
C)national party convention
D)presidential primary

Question 13

“Although the First Amendment provides that “Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech,”…prohibition on corporate independent expenditures is an outright ban on speech, backed by criminal sanctions…. Because speech is an essential mechanism of democracy—it is the means to hold officials accountable to the people—political speech must prevail against laws that would suppress it by design or inadvertence…. Premised on mistrust of governmental power, the First Amendment stands against attempts to disfavor certain subjects or viewpoints or to distinguish among different speakers, which may be a means to control content. The Government may also commit a constitutional wrong when by law it identifies certain preferred speakers…. Political speech is “indispensable to decision-making in a democracy, and this is no less true because the speech comes from a corporation.”…”

-Which of the following statements about campaign finance is most accurate?

A)Corporate spending has been less of a factor in recent elections than in the past.
B)Campaign finance laws are more restrictive than ever before.
C)Supreme Court decisions have had little effect on the way political funds are allocated.-Consider This: As a result of recent Supreme Court decisions campaign finance laws individuals' and corporations' spending is relatively unrestrained,which has had a significant effect on elections.
D)Interest groups and corporations have more influence in elections than ever before.

Question 14

Electoral college and exit poll results for 2016 Source: 2016 National Exit Poll.

-How might Donald Trump's campaign promises have contributed to this exit poll data?

A)Young people approved of Trump's promise to forgive student loans.-Consider This: Bernie Sanders campaigned on a platform that involved reducing student debt.
B)Trump's statements on immigration worried Hispanic voters.
C)African Americans approved Trump's stance on race relations.
D)The financial industry supported Trump's economic policies.

Question 15

Questions 10 and 11 refer to the following graph.
American turn out rates compared to other established democracies Sources: In all countries except the United States,official reports of the percentage of
registered voters casting valid votes,as reported at Election Resources on the Internet.For the
United States,the percentage of citizens participating was calculated based on Census
Bureau reports of the number of citizens of voting age and reports from the states regarding
how many people voted.
Based on the graph,in which of the following countries is voter turnout lowest?

A)Australia -Consider This: European and other democratic countries' turnout rate is pretty high.
B)Belgium
C)United States
D)Denmark

Question 16

Where are the Democratic and Republican candidates for president formally nominated?

A)national party committees
B)presidential primaries and caucuses -Consider This: Primary and Caucuses are done by state to select delegates.
C)Electoral College
D)national party conventions

Question 17

Credit: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg/Getty Images

-Why might voter ID laws impede voter turnout?

A)they prevent people from voting multiple times
B)students and racial minorities might not have government-issued ID
C)people who don't drive don't have photo ID
D)people can register by checking a box on their driver's license renewal -Consider This: The easier to register,the more voters vote.

Question 18

What three effects do researchers studying campaigns stress that campaigns can have on voters?

A)selection,application,and alteration -Consider This: Campaign mobilizes previous and new supporters as well as encourages them to participate in the campaign.
B)reinforcement,alteration,and adaptation
C)activation,fortification,and collection
D)reinforcement,activation,and conversion

Question 19

What might a campaign use to solicit campaign contributions from those who have supported candidates with similar views in the past?

A)soft money -Consider This: Soft money is the campaign contribution to the political party.
B)caucuses
C)direct mail
D)frontloading

Question 20

How much could an individual legally contribute to a candidate's campaign in 2016?

A)$100
B)$1,000
C)$2,700
D)$25,000 -Consider This: An individual contribution is called hard money,which is limited to reduce political influence by money.

Question 21

Which of the following is a cost of voting?

A)political efficacy
B)civic duty
C)becoming informed
D)paying money to vote -Consider This: The poll tax was eliminated.

Question 22

Which of the following has made it easier for contemporary voters to choose the best person for the office,regardless of party?

A)advances in information technology
B)increased polarization in Congress
C)the media's tendency to focus on policy issues -Consider This: Contemporary voters are able to access the information they want.
D)candidate ID laws

Question 23

A floating voter is someone who __________.

A)is elated at the outcome of an election
B)votes based on the candidates and not party loyalty
C)registers to vote on Election Day -Consider This: A floating voter is virtually similar to an independent voter.
D)votes in presidential elections but not in midterm elections

Question 24

Why do presidential candidates tend to focus their efforts on battleground states?

A)Battleground states have the most Electoral College votes.-Consider This: A handful of states will decide the election result.
B)Battleground states have more electors than they would deserve if electors were allocated by population.
C)Candidates focus on battleground states in order to increase their media exposure.
D)The winner-take-all system makes battleground states more relevant to a campaign.

Question 25

Why does the Electoral College introduce a bias into the campaign and electoral process?

A)all states get the same number of electoral votes
B)each state has as many electoral votes as it has representatives
C)less populated states are overrepresented
D)more populous states are overrepresented -Consider This: Each state gets two electors equally.Then additional electors are allocated based on the population.

Question 26

Which of the following would be the most likely to increase voter turnout in the United States?

A)holding more elections
B)making registration automatic for all citizens rather than compelling them to register
C)electing more officeholders
D)minimizing the differences between the parties -Consider This: The easier to register,the more voters vote.

Question 27

Which group is more likely to vote?

A)low income people
B)young age group
C)ethnic minorities -Consider This: Who votes is closely related with socioeconomic status.
D)college degree holders

Question 28

Which of the following might you want to do if you were running a campaign for a relatively unknown presidential candidate?

A)travel extensively in Iowa before the caucuses
B)visit major cities in California during the election campaign -Consider This: Building up early momentum is very important for the candidate.
C)meet the people in small towns in Texas
D)go door-to-door greeting voters

Question 29

Which of the following statements indicates a high level of political efficacy?

A)"I should vote to honor those who sacrificed their lives to make America free."
B)"Voting in the United States is so easy that there is no excuse for not voting."
C)"People like me can influence what the government does."
D)"Democracy is only democratic if citizens participate in the process." -Consider This: A high level of political efficacy makes an individual believe that he/she can influence the government.

Question 30

Why do winning candidates claim a mandate even though political scientists generally discredit the mandate theory of elections?

A)Politicians think that political scientists do not understand how things actually work.
B)Voters do not necessarily prefer all of the winning candidate's issue positions.- Consider This: Election promises should be carried out by the winning party or candidate.
C)Winning candidates want to justify their policy proposals by claiming that the public supports them.
D)Winning candidates are not well versed in the political science literature.

Question 31

Of the following,who would be most likely to vote?

A)someone who thinks that both candidates are moderate
B)someone who thinks that both candidates are very conservative
C)someone with a high sense of political efficacy
D)someone who sees few differences between the candidates -Consider This: If you believe you can influence the government,you will be more likely to vote.

Question 32

Of the following people,who is most likely to participate in a presidential caucus?

A)someone who works two jobs
B)a single mom
C)someone who is an independent -Consider This: Caucus is a primary election,which usually have a very low turnout rate.
D)a party activist

Question 33

Which of the following political campaign tactics is most likely to successfully convert voters?

A)using "wedge" issues on which the other party is divided
B)making appeals based on party affiliation
C)making unrealistic promises
D)buying radio and Internet advertisements -Consider This: A candidate can convert the opponent's supporters when those supporters are not satisfied with their candidate.

Question 34

Which of the following is an impact of the Internet on political campaigns?

A)Most people are using the Internet as their only source of campaign information.-Consider This: Traditional media is still the major source of campaign information for the general public.
B)Most people are receiving direct mail from candidates.
C)More people are making small political donations.
D)More people are becoming highly and accurately informed about the candidates.

Question 35

Which of the following is one of the downsides to the American system of presidential campaigns and elections?

A)party leaders select a candidate in the smoke-filled room decision
B)a person who might be an excellent president could be discouraged from running because the process is so onerous
C)the candidate who wins the popular vote is not always the candidate who received the most votes -Consider This: If you win the popular vote,you will receive the most votes too.
D)winning candidates are legally required to keep their campaign promises or face a fine levied by the Federal Elections Commission according to the veracity of the violation

Question 36

Which of the following did the Framers want to select the president?

A)Congress
B)ordinary Americans -Consider This: The Founders did not believe in allowing ordinary,uneducated Americans to select the president.
C)elites
D)the Supreme Court

Question 37

Donations to which of the following do not have to be disclosed unless a donor gives money specifically for a political ad?

A)527 groups -Consider This: There is no contribution limit on this group,but it has to be disclosed.
B)501(c)groups
C)political action committees (PACs)
D)candidates' campaigns

Question 38

Because there is barely any time between the end of one campaign and the beginning of the next,some people have called the American electoral process __________.

A)"the endless commercial" -Consider This: A campaign begins right after the previous election is over.
B)"the permanent campaign"
C)"the road to nowhere"
D)"quadruple overtime"

Question 39

Which of the following is true about states with caucuses?

A)Voters attend open meetings where they express their presidential preferences.
B)The state legislature selects the state's delegates to the national conventions.- Consider This: Voters will select the preferred candidate directly.
C)Party officials select delegates according to their own preferences.
D)Candidates appoint supporters to serve as delegates who will attend the national convention

Question 40

Which of the following is an accurate statement about the 2012 election?

A)It was the first time that more Hispanics voted than non-Hispanic whites.
B)Asians voted at a higher rate than Hispanics for the first time.
C)There was exceptionally low turnout from Hispanics and African Americans.- Consider This: Minorities' turnout rate is typically lower than that of whites.
D)It was the first time that African American turnout exceeded non-Hispanic whites.

Question 41

What does Thomas Patterson's observation that "today's presidential campaign is essentially a mass media campaign" suggest?

A)voters have very little understanding of the campaign apart from what they see and hear in the media
B)the media exercise little influence over a vast number of citizens' votes
C)campaigns are for the masses and are mediated by political elites
D)the media control electoral outcomes -Consider This: The media provides the tools for voters to understand the world and candidates.

Question 42

How would switching to direct election of the president affect non-battleground states like Texas?

A)Texas would receive more attention from candidates trying to win votes in major population centers like Houston,Dallas,and San Antonio.
B)Texas would receive less attention from candidates because it would no longer be a battleground state.
C)Texas would receive very little attention from candidates because it is currently a safe state.
D)Texas would become a safe state for the other party.-Consider This: Direct election is not a winner-take-all system.

Question 43

Why are people with higher-than-average education more likely to vote?

A)Education depresses political efficacy,which then encourages turnout.
B)Education increases intolerance,which then encourages turnout.
C)Education helps voters recognize differences between the candidates.
D)Education enables voters to calculate the probability that their vote will decide the election.-Consider This: Educated people tend to be more capable of discerning the major difference between the candidates.

Question 44

Which of the following is consistent with the mandate theory of elections?

A)the idea that voter turnout is higher when citizens are required to vote and are fined if they fail to do so
B)the belief that a functional democracy mandates electoral participation by a large number of voters -Consider This: Election promises should be carried out by the winning party or candidate).
C)Mitt Romney's claim that Obama won the 2012 presidential election because he had given gifts to various constituency groups
D)Barack Obama's claim that his victory in 2012 meant that the public wanted to raise taxes on the wealthy

Question 45

How does party identification simplify the voting process?

A)It enables voters to select from a wider array of candidates.
B)It provides a clue as to which candidate a voter is more likely to prefer.
C)It eliminates the need to produce a photo ID in order to vote.
D)It reduces the policy differences between the candidates.-Consider This: Party identification provide a regular perspective through which voters can view the political world.

Question 46

Why is it sometimes difficult for citizens to engage in policy voting?

A)Competing candidates usually have the same positions on issues.
B)Candidates are often intentionally vague about their issue stances.
C)The media tend to overwhelm voters with policy information.-Consider This: Candidates sometimes present unclear issue positions to avoid a controversial issue.
D)Election officials prevent using policy-based voter guides in the voting booth.

Question 47

If the president were selected by popular vote instead of by the Electoral College,which of the following cities would a presidential campaign be least likely to visit?

A)Miami,Florida
B)Green Bay,Wisconsin
C)New York,New York -Consider This: If the president is selected by popular vote,candidates will skip or ignore the rural areas and small towns.
D)Chicago,Illinois