Deck 9: Campaigns and Elections

Question 1

In most states, the _____ provides the list of registered voters and makes certain that only qualified voters cast ballots.

A) super political action committee
B) election board
C) electorate
D) credentials committee
E) 527 committee

Answer 1

B

Question 2

In self-nomination, the most common way to become a candidate for a local government post, a candidate _____.

A) is first nominated by a political party
B) writes his or her name on the ballot on Election Day
C) files a petition to be listed on the ballot
D) should be a popular local personality
E) should belong to a minority

Answer 2

C

Question 3

In the run-up to the 1828 elections, a new party known as _____ grew uparound John Quincy Adams.

A) the Democratic Party
B) the Federalist Party
C) Jefferson's Republicans
D) the National Republicans
E) the Anti-Federalist Party

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Unlike special elections, general elections are held _____.

A) to appoint mayors
B) in odd-numbered years
C) to choose the president
D) every year
E) in emergency situations

Question 5

Beginning in 1800, the Federalists and Jefferson's Republicans held _____ to nominate candidates for president and vice president.

A) caucuses
B) direct primaries
C) conventions
D) open primaries
E) closed primaries

Question 6

The vice president serves a term of _____ years.

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

Question 7

Electors are selected during each presidential election year by _____.

A) the representatives of Congress
B) the states' political parties
C) members of the Credentials Committee
D) presidential candidates
E) members of the Senate

Question 8

Which of the following statements is true of a general election?

A) It is used to fill sudden vacancies that occur by reason of death.
B) It is carried out to elect the governors of states.
C) It is held by the Senate to decide an issue before an upcoming special election.
D) It is a regularly scheduled election held in even-numbered years .
E) It is scheduled in an emergency situation to fill federal vacancies that occur by reason of resignations.

Question 9

By the end of George Washington's eight years in office, political divisions among the nation's leaders had solidified into political parties. One such political party was _____.

A) the Democratic Party
B) the Libertarian Party
C) the Federalist Party
D) the National Republican Party
E) the Anti-Federalist Party

Question 10

To be elected, a presidential candidate must receive:

A) half of the 538 electoral votes available .
B) more than half of the 538 electoral votes available .
C) three-fourth of the 538 electoral votes available .
D) more than half of the 600 electoral votes available .
E) three-fourth of the 600 electoral votes available .

Question 11

Which of the following statements is true of the winner-take-all system?

A) In this system, the candidate who receives the largest popular vote in a state is credited with all that state's electoral votes.
B) In this system, the top two candidates who receive the largest number of votes have to contest in another round of elections.
C) In this system, an elector must receive 538 electoral votes to win.
D)  In this system, the electoral votes must be distributed equally among the top three candidates.
E) In this system, the party that wins all the electoral votes controls both chambers of Congress.

Question 12

Which of the following public positions is chosen by voters during a national general election?

A) The position of the mayor
B) The position of the president
C) The position of the governor
D) The position of the sheriff
E) The position of the viceroy

Question 13

Which of the following is a limitation of the convention system that was used to nominate political party candidates?

A) Convention meetings were unofficial meetings.
B) Very few leaders were nominated through the convention system than through the caucus system of nominating.
C) Only one candidate could be nominated in the convention system.
D) The direct participation of ordinary voters in selecting delegates resulted in mob rule.
E) Convention delegates were rarely chosen by a vote of the party's local members.

Question 14

The first step to winning an election is:

A) to contact a media house.
B) consultation with the electoral college.
C) the fund-raising process.
D) the nomination process.
E) the appointment of a campaign manager.

Question 15

In 1832 , the National Republicans and the Democratic Party settled on a new method of choosing candidates for president and vice president called the _____.

A) national nominating convention
B) presidential caucus
C) closed primary
D) presidential primary
E) invisible primary

Question 16

A representative in Congress resigns from office because of ill health, leaving his seat in Congress vacant. In this case, to fill the vacancy, a(n) _____ must be held.

A) interim election
B) general election
C) indirect election
D) special election
E) recall election

Question 17

_____ are representatives from each political party who are allowed to monitor voting places to make sure that the election is run fairly.

A) Delegates
B) Poll watchers
C) Electors
D) Political consultants
E) Pollsters

Question 18

The District of Columbia has:

A) no electoral votes because it is not a state.
B) three electoral votes, even though it is not a state .
C) five members in the House of Representatives, so it has five electoral votes.
D) thirteen electoral votes, representing the thirteen original colonies.
E) two members in the Senate, so it has two electoral votes.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is true of a special election?

A) It is used to fill vacancies that occur by reason of death.
B) It is held every four years at the national level to elect the president.
C) It is held at the national level when a bureaucrat is removed from office due to treason.
D) It is a regularly scheduled election held in even-numbered years .
E) It is held annually in the month of October.

Question 20

A senior senator from a state met his demise in the middle of his fifth term, leaving his Senate seat vacant. In order to fill the vacancy, a(n) _____ must be held.

A) interim election
B) general election
C) double direct election
D) recall election
E) special election

Question 21

Elena Coolidge has announced her bid for president. Prior to the announcement, in an attempt to secure her nomination for president, she had appeared on several news channels, visited schools and universities across the country, and built relationships with eminent political personalities. She also started an education fund to raise money for underprivileged children. Elena Coolidge's efforts to unofficially secure a nomination can be termed as _____.

A) a closed primary
B) the invisible primary
C) the "top two" primary
D) a blanket primary
E) an open primary

Question 22

In an attempt to reduce front-loading, in 2012, the Republican National Committee ruled that:

A) only Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada could choose delegates in February.
B) issue ads placed by corporations and other organizations in the run-up to an election are constitutional.
C) Alabama cannot require the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to disclose its membership rolls.
D) using a blanket primary violates the parties ' right to freedom of association.
E) the "top two" primary system is constitutional.

Question 23

Governor Kramer has announced his bid for president. To ensure the success of his promotional efforts, he appoints Elizabeth Duhamel. Elizabeth's duties include overseeing and coordinating the governor's media coverage, public speeches, fund-raising activities, appointments, and travel arrangements. In this case, Elizabeth Duhamel is Governor Kramer's:

A) vice-presidential nominee.
B) grassroots volunteer.
C) campaign manager.
D) party chairman.
E) political wingman.

Question 24

Which of the following statements is true of a semiopen primary?

A) Voters who contest elections as independents are automatically enrolled in the party for whom they vote.
B) Voters request the ballot for the party of their choice, either the Democratic ballot or the Republican ballot.
C) Voters are not allowed to vote for a party's candidates unless they belong to the party.
D) Voters are required to declare their party affiliations on Election Day.
E) Voters can choose the candidates of more than one party.

Question 25

In which of the following systems do political parties continue to have the right to designate preferred candidates, but their endorsements do not appear on the ballot?

A) A closed primary
B) The invisible primary
C) The "top two" primary
D) A blanket primary
E) A semi-closed primary

Question 26

In the context of the act of moving up the primaries of certain states, which of the following was a fear harbored by many Americans?

A) Long-shot candidates would no longer be able to propel themselves into serious contention by doing well in small early-voting states .
B) There would be insufficient time to conduct invisible primaries.
C) Media attention and publicity would be compromised for presidential candidates.
D) Small early-voting states, such as New Hampshire, would have an upper hand over wealthier states.
E) There would be insufficient time for candidates to raise funds for political campaigns and to gain popularity.

Question 27

Which of the following is true of primary elections?

A) Voters select the candidates of their party, who will then run in the general election.
B) Candidates who win general elections contest in primary elections.
C) Candidates who contest in primary elections are appointed by local party officials, who are usually called bosses.
D) Voter turnout is generally higher in primary elections than in general elections.
E) Voters are allowed to choose the candidates of more than one party.

Question 28

A closed primary differs from an open primary in that:

A) party members are allowed to vote only in the primary of their own party .
B) voters must declare their party affiliations on Election Day.
C) voters are allowed to vote for a party's candidates regardless of whether they belong to the party.
D) Republican and Democratic candidates are listed on the same ballot.
E) voters can choose the candidates of more than one party.

Question 29

Which of the following statements is true of an indirect primary?

A) Voter turnout for indirect primaries is higher than it is in general elections.
B) Voters cast their ballots for candidates who will run in the general election.
C) Voters choose delegates, who in turn choose candidates to represent their party.
D) Voters nominate candidates for Congress almost always through indirect primaries.
E) Voters typically choose candidates of more than one party.

Question 30

In a blanket primary, voters _____.

A) are required to declare their party affiliations on Election Day
B) can choose either the Democratic ballot or the Republican ballot, but not both
C) participate in the primary of the party with which they are registered
D) could choose the candidates of more than one party
E) are required to register online on the day of the election

Question 31

The _____ evaluates the claims of national party convention delegates to be the legitimate representatives of their states.

A) electoral college
B) Portfolio Committee
C) 527 committee
D) electoral board
E) Credentials Committee

Question 32

In the context of a presidential campaign organization, which of the following is a function of a media consultant?

A) Overseeing the candidate ' s Internet presence
B) Providing input on foreign and domestic policy issues
C) Gathering up-to-the-minute data on public opinion
D) Helping shape the candidate's image
E) Raising money to pay for party campaigns

Question 33

Who among the following can be considered a professional political consultant?

A) A volunteer
B) A diplomat
C) A statesman
D) A media adviser
E) A party chairman

Question 34

In a semiclosed primary, _____.

A) voters are allowed to register with a party on Election Day
B) voters are required to fund the election campaign of their choice
C) voters are allowed to vote for a party's candidates regardless of whether they belong to the party
D) voters who contest elections as independents are automatically enrolled in the party for whom they vote
E) voters could choose the candidates of more than one party

Question 35

Which of the following statements is true of a direct primary?

A) The elections that nominate presidential candidates are typically direct primaries.
B) The elections that nominate candidates for Congress are almost always direct primaries.
C) Voters choose delegates, who in turn choose candidates.
D) Voter turnout for direct primaries is higher than it is in general elections.
E) Voters typically choose candidates of more than one party.

Question 36

_____ are party conventions held at the local level that elect delegates to conventions at the county or congressional district level.

A) Confederates
B) Conglomerates
C) Open primaries
D) Invisible primaries
E) Caucuses

Question 37

Aylein Cranford is a front runner for the Republican nomination for president. Cranford very strongly encourages scientific research. However, contrary to her party's beliefs, she has often voiced her opposition to research involving animal testing. Despite many of her views being contrary to that of the party, Cranford is slated to win the nomination. Given the information, Aylein Cranford can be described as a(n):

A) conformist candidate.
B) left-wing candidate.
C) right-wing candidate.
D) insurgent candidate.
E) orthodox candidate.

Question 38

As of 2016, almost 15 percent of the representatives to the Democratic National Convention were _____, party leaders and elected officials who were seated automatically and who were free to support any candidate; the great majority of these individuals supported Hillary Clinton.

A) superdelegates
B) majoritarians
C) poll watchers
D) write-in candidates
E) campaign managers

Question 39

To cast ballots in the electoral college

A) To cast ballots in the electoral college
B) To supervise the voting process in each precinct
C) To persuade the voters to go to the polls
D) To ensure that only qualified voters cast ballots
E) To see that voting machines are available at the polling place

Question 40

The Democratic National Committee adopted a set of reforms in 2016 under which:

A) about two-thirds of all superdelegates in 2020 will be bound to vote for the winner of their state ' s primaries or caucuses.
B) only Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada will be able to choose delegates through direct primaries.
C) corporations will be prohibited from participating directly in and contributing to political campaigns.
D) political parties will be prohibited from requiring the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to disclose its membership rolls.
E) a candidate will have the right to engage in the discussion of public issues and vigorously and tirelessly advocate his own election.

Question 41

Governor Wymally is a presidential candidate, and his campaign manager has discovered some incriminating information about Mayor Ronalds, the competing presidential candidate. This information is likely to help Governor Wymally win the election by a large margin. In this case, Governor Wymally's campaign manager has _____.

A) conducted psychological warfare
B) engaged in character assassination
C) spread black propaganda
D) conducted database microtargeting
E) conducted opposition research

Question 42

In a closed primary, voters can vote for a party's candidates regardless of whether they belong to the party.

Question 43

The Federal Election Campaign Act allowed corporations, labor unions, and special interest groups to _____ raise money for candidates.

A) set up independent expenditure funds
B) conduct invisible primaries
C) set up political party caucuses
D) set up national political action committees
E) conduct closed primaries

Question 44

Which of the following statements is true of recent political fund-raising efforts?

A) The microtargeting campaigning technique was pioneered by Hillary Clinton.
B) In 2012, Mitt Romney's microtargeting operation vastly outperformed Barack Obama's.
C) One of the defining characteristics of Barack Obama's fund-raising campaign was its decentralization.
D) Conservatives have become the most effective fund-raisers with the onset of new Internet technology.
E) Mitt Romney pioneered the online moneybomb fund-raising technique in 2008.

Question 45

The 501c's ability to hide its contributors created a new campaign-finance issue. Which of the following best describes the views of Democrats?

A) Democrats argued that the right to freedom of association would be violated if donor anonymity is encouraged.
B) Democrats argued that anonymous contributions were simply a further corruption of the political process.
C) Democrats argued that revealing the identity of donors would limit the amount contributed to political campaigns.
D) Democrats argued that unaccounted contributions would provoke the Supreme Court to limit campaign financing.
E) Democrats argued that donors needed the right to remain anonymous so that they would not have to fear retribution.

Question 46

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002:

A) eliminated public financing for presidential primaries and general elections.
B) set the amount that an individual could contribute to a federal candidate at $8,000.
C) prohibited special interest groups from making independent expenditures in election campaigns.
D) banned soft money at the national level and regulated campaign ads paid for by interest groups.
E) allowed issue-advocacy commercials within thirty days of a primary election.

Question 47

Ramsey Jordan, a renowned scientist, decides to run for president. He knows that he lacks popular support and hence has a meeting with his campaign manager to discuss the strategies that can help him gain support. Jordan's campaign manager advises him to reach out to voters who are scientifically inclined by using a tailored message, highlighting his credentials in the field of science and also his vision. In this case, to reach out to specific voters, Jordan should engage in _____.

A) a moneybomb attack
B) microtargeting
C) a filibuster
D) lobbying
E) stumping

Question 48

Which of the following best describes soft money?

A) It refers to the campaign contributions that are independent of federal regulations.
B) It is a candidate's contribution for his or her own campaign.
C) It is the money spent by a corporation on independent political activities.
D) It refers to the money raised through social networking sites.
E) It is the money provided by the government to conduct presidential primaries.

Question 49

When e-mail fund-raising was newly introduced, one of the problems faced was that:

A) many people were not yet online.
B) the lists of prospects needed to be carefully prepared.
C) only Republicans benefited from it.
D) the cost of e-mailing was very high.
E) only conservatives benefited from it.

Question 50

One way to skirt the rules described in the Federal Election Campaign Act was to contribute to candidates instead of political parties.

Question 51

When the Constitution was drafted, the framers intended that electors would use their own discretion in deciding who would make the best president.

Question 52

In 2004, President George W. Bush's chief political adviser, Karl Rove, pioneered a new campaign technique known as _____.

A) microtargeting
B) narrowcasting
C) filibustering
D) lobbying
E) stumping

Question 53

In the context of elections, which of the following is true of the ground game?

A) It refers to the use of advertising to promote the views of a presidential candidate.
B) It is a colloquial term used to refer to a candidate's opponents.
C) It involves making public appearances a month before a general election.
D) It is the attempt to learn damaging information about an opponent in a political campaign.
E) It emphasizes the importance of making human contact with target voters.

Question 54

According to some lawyers, a 501(C) 4 organization could make limited contributions directly to a candidate's campaign:

A) as long as it used the 527 designation when it did so.
B) during the primaries but not in general elections.
C) as long as the candidate belonged to a third party.
D) provided that it also contributed to the party committee.
E) without revealing the identities of its donors.

Question 55

Prior to the presidential elections in 2016, the Republican primary winner Donald J. Trump had successfully established himself as a(n) _____.

A) royal brute
B) anti-federalist
C) submissive politician
D) superdelegate
E) transgressive politician

Question 56

Identify a provision that resulted from the 1974 amendments to the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.

A) It removed restrictions on the amount that could be spent on mass media advertising.
B) It removed restrictions on how much individuals and groups could contribute to candidates.
C) It allowed corporations and labor unions to participate directly in political campaigns.
D) It created the Federal Election Commission to prevent corporations from setting up political action committees against the act's provisions.
E) It created the Federal Election Commission to administer and enforce the act's provisions.

Question 57

The 501c's ability to hide its contributors created a new campaign-finance issue. Which of the following best describes the views of Republicans?

A) Republicans argued that the right to freedom of association would be violated if donor anonymity was encouraged.
B) Republicans argued that anonymous contributions were simply a further corruption of the political process.
C) Republicans argued that revealing the identity of donors would limit the amount contributed to political campaigns.
D) Republicans argued that unaccounted contributions would provoke the Supreme Court to limit campaign financing.
E) Republicans argued that donors needed the right to remain anonymous so that they would not have to fear retribution.

Question 58

At least half of the budget for a major political campaign is consumed by television advertising.

Question 59

The electoral college ballots are sent to the U.S. Senate, which counts and certifies them before a joint session of Congress held in early January .

Question 60

Unlike super political action committees, 527 committees:

A) were prohibited from directly supporting or opposing a specific candidate.
B) were prohibited from expressly advocating specific issues pertaining to the general public.
C) could make limited contributions directly to campaigns.
D) could run negative ads to damage a candidate's opponents.
E) accentuated the positives about a specific candidate.

Question 61

To be elected as the president, a candidate needs a minimum of _________ votes.

A) 350
B) 538
C) 435
D) 270

Question 62

Explain the concept of front-loading primary election.

Question 63

By 2012, _________ had been replaced almost completely by super political action committees.

A) 527 committees
B) candidate committees
C) national party conventions
D) 501(C) 4 organizations

Question 64

In states that conducted presidential primaries in the twentieth century, elections of delegates to national party conventions were often _________ in which no actual delegates were chosen.

A) blanket primaries
B) insurgencies
C) indirect primaries
D) beauty contests

Question 65

The _________ is a secret ballot that is prepared, distributed, and counted by government officials at public expense.

A) Australian ballot
B) French ballot
C) Canadian ballot
D) British ballot

Question 66

Describe the structures and functions of a contemporary political campaign organization.

Question 67

Discuss the importance of presidential primaries and caucuses.

Question 68

A general election is a regularly scheduled election to choose _________.

A) mayors
B) senators
C) governors
D) sheriffs

Question 69

For many local government posts, which are often nonpartisan, _________ is the most common way to become a candidate.

A) self-nomination
B) an insurgency
C) an indirect primary
D) being a write-in candidate

Question 70

Explain the functions of the electoral college in U.S. presidential elections

Question 71

In 1984, party leaders and elected officials were allowed to participate in national and state conventions as _________.

A) write-in candidates
B) insurgent candidates
C) superdelegates
D) electors

Question 72

In the context of conducting elections, when the polls close, government officials count the votes and report the results, usually to the _________.

A) Credentials Committee
B) Department of Treasury
C) chief justice
D) county clerk

Question 73

Describe the significance of the Internet in the transformation of U.S. politics.

Question 74

When the Citizens United decision was handed down, a flood of corporate cash was expected to enter the political system. The ruling did result in more corporate and union spending, but far less than anticipated because _________.

A) many companies were reluctant to take stands that might alienate a large number of customers
B) many companies were running losses as a result of an economic recession
C) political parties refused to accept money from private corporations and unions
D) political parties wanted a more reliable source of funds to finance their ongoing political campaigns

Question 75

Each state in the United States has as many electoral votes as _________.

A) it has senators and representatives
B) its number of political parties
C) it has representatives of Congress
D) its number of major cities