Deck 10: Voting, Campaigns, and Elections

Question 1

In 1992, Ross Perot won 19 percent of the popular vote, which translated to how many electoral votes?

A) 0
B) 3
C) 12
D) 31
E) 75

Answer 1

A

Question 2

To win a "first-past-the-post" election, a candidates needs __________.

A) to win a two-thirds majority of votes
B) to win more votes than anyone else
C) more than half of the votes
D) to win with enough votes to ensure victory in the subsequent run-off election
E) a majority of votes from those citizens who are registered with the candidate's party

Answer 2

B

Question 3

What happens in France if no candidate wins a majority in the first round of voting for president?

A) The election is declared null and the current president continues to serve.
B) A "run-off" election is held among the top three vote-getters.
C) The candidate who gets a majority in the French College d'Electors vote wins.
D) Parties nominate new candidates and the campaign begins all over again.
E) A second election is held.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Statewide elections in which voters choose delegates to the national party conventions are __________ elections.

A) caucus
B) basic
C) primary
D) first
E) runoff

Question 5

How are American elections different from elections in most other democracies?

A) The United States has fewer elections.
B) American elections are combined and dependent on each other.
C) Most American elections are determined by a "first-past-the-post" system.
D) Most Americans tend to vote.
E) Elections are held in the United States when a party loses support among its members.

Question 6

The legal right to vote is sometimes called the __________.

A) franchise
B) entitlement
C) endowment
D) grant
E) gift

Question 7

A party convention involves a gathering of __________ who nominate the party's presidential candidate.

A) voters
B) delegates
C) politicians
D) office holders
E) lobbyists

Question 8

The campaign of Jimmy Carter in 1980 was hurt by __________.

A) the perception that he was a cold fish
B) the personal warmth of his opponent, Walter Mondale
C) the poor state of the economy in that year
D) unhappiness about American hostages in Iran
E) the expensive and long-drawn-out war in Afghanistan

Question 9

__________ refers to the proportion of eligible Americans who vote in a given election.

A) Show-up
B) Volume
C) Electoral population
D) Turnout
E) Caucuses

Question 10

A gathering of delegates who nominate a party's presidential candidate is called a __________.

A) party convention
B) electoral convention
C) caucus convention
D) caucus election
E) party election

Question 11

__________ are procedures by which state laws or constitutional amendments proposed by the legislature are submitted to the voters.

A) Initiatives
B) Referenda
C) Objectives
D) Memoranda
E) Legislative goals

Question 12

One instance of gridlock occurred in the late 1990s when __________.

A) the president was a Democrat and the Republicans controlled Congress
B) the president was a Republican and the Democrats controlled Congress
C) the president was a Democrat and Democrats controlled the House
D) the president was a Republican and Democrats controlled the Senate
E) the president was a Democrat and neither party had a majority in Congress

Question 13

Suffrage is __________.

A) interest in voting
B) debate over voting
C) the ability to vote
D) a limit to the right to vote
E) the belief that voters should meet minimum criteria

Question 14

The theory of electoral reward and punishment predicts that what will happen in elections?

A) Political parties will take similar positions.
B) Political parties will take clear, unambiguous positions.
C) Citizens will vote based on how well the incumbent party satisfied them.
D) Citizens will vote mostly according to party identification.
E) Political parties will act responsibly.

Question 15

The prospective voting model __________.

A) relies exclusively on party identification to predict vote choice
B) means that voters make decisions based on past party performance
C) means that voters make decisions based on what government will do in the future
D) requires active participation on the part of interest groups
E) suggests that the candidate who shares policies with the median voter will likely win

Question 16

Contributions to and spending by candidate and party committees that fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Election Commission are known as __________.

A) soft money
B) hard money
C) discretionary funds
D) matching funds
E) public funds

Question 17

Voters seem to have been punishing what president in the 2008 election by voting against candidates from his party?

A) Bill Clinton
B) George H. W. Bush
C) Barack Obama
D) George W. Bush
E) Jimmy Carter

Question 18

The votes of __________ elect the President.

A) the people
B) the states
C) Congress
D) the political parties
E) the Electoral College

Question 19

In the United States, the presidential election is held __________.

A) on the second Tuesday in November
B) every two years
C) on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November
D) in the first week of November
E) between November 1 and November 5

Question 20

The single best stepping-stone to becoming president has been __________.

A) the Senate
B) a successful acting career
C) a successful business career
D) the vice presidency
E) the House of Representatives

Question 21

Under the electoral competition theory, which of the following candidates is most likely to win?

A) someone with extreme liberal positions
B) someone with moderate liberal positions
C) someone whose opinions are similar to the median voter
D) someone with extreme conservative positions
E) someone who is apolitical

Question 22

__________ have historically had very low participation rates in elections.

A) College students
B) African-Americans
C) Men with a high school education
D) Senior citizens
E) Latinos

Question 23

What is one of the most important variables explaining why some people vote and others do not?

A) age
B) gender
C) race or ethnicity
D) religion
E) sexual orientation

Question 24

In 2000, Al Gore won 48.4% of the national popular vote, George W. Bush won 47.9% of the vote, and Ralph Nader won 2.74% of the vote. Hypothetically, what would have happened if the United States selected its president using the national popular vote with a run-off system?

A) Al Gore would have become president.
B) Al Gore and Ralph Nader would have formed a governing coalition to control the presidency.
C) The election results would be thrown out because no candidate received a majority and new elections would be held until one of the three candidates received a majority.
D) There would be an additional election between Gore and Bush to determine who would be president.
E) Congress would decide who would be the president using the run-off procedures outlined in the Constitution.

Question 25

One way to increase voter turnout is to make voting __________.

A) fair
B) instant
C) remote
D) fun
E) mandatory

Question 26

Which of these groups was the last to receive the right to vote?

A) women
B) African-Americans
C) immigrants
D) eighteen-year-olds
E) Native Americans

Question 27

In the nineteenth century, many Americans believed __________ should not vote.

A) women
B) the poor
C) the clergy
D) the elderly
E) politicians

Question 28

In a presidential primary, __________.

A) party leaders nominate candidates
B) voters select delegates to national party conventions
C) the national committee nominates candidates
D) state legislatures nominate candidates
E) delegates select members of the Electoral College

Question 29

Nonprofit entities that can accept unlimited amounts in donations from corporations, unions, groups, and individuals are called __________.

A) PACs
B) Super PACs
C) Moving On organizations
D) 501s
E) 409s

Question 30

In Bush v. Gore, the Supreme Court declared that the procedures being used to recount the votes is Florida was unconstitutional because different standards for conducting the recount were being applied across counties. What distinguishing characteristic of the American electoral system does this illustrate?

A) American elections for president determine control of Congress.
B) The United States uses inconsistent election procedures and vote counting techniques.
C) American elected officials hold fixed terms of office.
D) Americans elections must be held on a fixed date, which Congress has determined to be the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
E) The United States uses a "first-past-the-post" system to determine election winners.

Question 31

Before 1800, presidential electors for the Electoral College were chosen by __________.

A) popular vote
B) the political parties
C) the state legislatures
D) Congress
E) the sitting President

Question 32

Each state could decide who was eligible to vote until the passage of which amendments?

A) Tenth and Twelfth
B) Eleventh and Thirteenth
C) Thirteenth and Fourteenth
D) Fourteenth and Fifteenth
E) Sixteenth and Nineteenth

Question 33

Generally, politically active people tend to have higher-than-average __________ and more __________.

A) intelligence; children
B) energy levels; political connections
C) incomes; education
D) rates of marriage; income
E) education; children

Question 34

Which of the following accurately describes 501 and 527 groups?

A) They are types of hard money expenditures.
B) They were prohibited by the McCain-Feingold Act.
C) They are ways for groups to influence elections without being subject to contribution limits.
D) They are only found in caucus states.
E) They were prohibited by the Supreme Court in Citizens United v. Federal Communications Commission.

Question 35

Which state generally has the most disproportionate influence on the presidential nomination process?

A) California
B) Texas
C) Utah
D) New Hampshire
E) Pennsylvania

Question 36

Since 1912, roughly __________ to __________ percent of Americans have voted in presidential elections.

A) 10; 15
B) 30; 45
C) 50; 65
D) 60; 75
E) 85; 90

Question 37

How does the Electoral College affect the American electoral system?

A) It magnifies the popular support of the losing candidate.
B) It discourages third party candidacies.
C) It ensures that the most popular candidate becomes president.
D) It ensures that the president is supported by a majority of the population.
E) It protects minority interests while preserving majority rule.

Question 38

If political parties had their way, their presidential nominating conventions would closely resemble __________.

A) barroom brawls
B) coronations
C) chess matches
D) bingo games
E) Thanksgiving with the in-laws

Question 39

Which of the following is often advanced as a reason to keep the Electoral College system in place?

A) The Constitution prevents states from determining the distribution of their Electoral College votes.
B) It would be impossible to determine a winner if no candidate received a majority of the popular vote.
C) Small states have more influence than they would in a direct popular election.
D) Americans would not like it if a candidate won on the basis of the popular vote alone.
E) It would be more difficult to determine who had won a plurality of votes.

Question 40

Incumbent presidents seeking reelection have an advantage over challengers because __________.

A) their campaigns are paid for entirely with public funding
B) they do not have to run in primaries or caucuses
C) they can raise money more easily
D) they can ensure that the media give them positive coverage
E) they can position themselves as political outsiders

Question 41

In part, it is up to political parties to __________ voters.

A) mobilize
B) be objective toward
C) obstruct
D) question
E) limit

Question 42

Which of the following presidential candidates would have the easiest time getting elected?

A) a moderate with mainstream values
B) an opponent of gun control
C) someone who is conservative on economic issues but liberal on social issues
D) an independent
E) a political novice

Question 43

What recent phenomenon in voting was designed to increase turnout?

A) Internet voting
B) absentee voting
C) early voting
D) digital voting
E) proxy voting

Question 44

In France and Finland, a second presidential election is held if the candidates __________.

A) both agree to it
B) are replaced by a write-in majority
C) are found to be corrupt
D) have an equal number of votes
E) do not win a majority of votes

Question 45

Which of the following is one aspect of the current U. S. electorate that would likely come as a surprise to the framers of the original U. S. Constitution?

A) White men can vote.
B) Members of the Senate are elected by state legislatures.
C) The Electoral College plays a role in the presidential election.
D) An 18-year-old woman can vote.
E) Political leaders have no need to be responsible and responsive to the people.

Question 46

Since 1952, how many ballots has it taken each national party to nominate its candidate for president?

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

Question 47

The electoral competition model is based on the commonsense notion that elections should present a "real choice. "

Question 48

For a presidential candidate, why is it especially important to win the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary?

A) Winning these states can benefit your campaign without costing too much money.
B) The convention winner is determined by who wins the most states, so a small state victory is just as beneficial as winning California or Texas.
C) It is important to win in these heavily conservative states because potential contributors donate more to conservative candidates.
D) These two states enjoy a disproportionate share of wealthy voters who are able to bankroll your campaign if you win.
E) Winning in these early states builds momentum.

Question 49

Which of the following situations illustrates why fixed terms of office could be a disadvantage in an electoral system?

A) In a two-party system, fixed terms discourage the development of an independent party.
B) A president in whom the country has lost confidence cannot be removed unless there are grounds for impeachment.
C) A president at odds with Congress cannot hope to impeach all of the opposing party's representatives.
D) A popular president would have a harder time being re-elected.
E) A vote of "no confidence," though not binding under fixed terms, would have an impact on the next election.

Question 50

The votes of minorities and the poor are three times more likely to __________.

A) be for a Republican candidate
B) be for a young person
C) not be counted
D) be for a wealthy candidate
E) be for a Green candidate

Question 51

Voter __________ is measured by the number of people who vote in an election, divided by the number of people who were eligible to vote.

A) enthusiasm
B) malaise
C) turnout
D) access
E) registration

Question 52

Under which of the following circumstances would the House of Representatives be most likely to select the president because the Electoral College did not produce a majority winner?

A) during wartime
B) when the public is particularly distrustful of government
C) when there are three or more candidates receiving Electoral College votes
D) when the public is polarized by party
E) during divided government

Question 53

Researchers suggest that voter turnout is low because ballots are too __________.

A) short
B) irrelevant
C) biased
D) complex
E) inconsistent

Question 54

The 1965 Voting Rights Act protected __________ right to vote.

A) women's
B) eighteen-year-olds'
C) African Americans'
D) military personnel's
E) seniors'

Question 55

In a prospective voting model, voters are interested in what government will do __________.

A) fiscally
B) on social issues
C) about education
D) at the state level
E) in the future

Question 56

How does a party nominate a presidential candidate?

A) the party leadership selects the nominee at the party's annual meeting
B) the party convention selects delegates for the party caucus
C) the party caucus selects delegates for the party convention
D) the party members directly vote for the nominee
E) the delegates vote for Electoral College members

Question 57

The electoral competition model suggests that __________.

A) Democratic candidates will become more liberal as the campaign progresses
B) Republican candidates will become more conservative as the campaign progresses
C) Republican and Democratic candidates will move from moderate positions to more extreme positions as the campaign progresses
D) Republican and Democratic candidates will move toward the median voter as the campaign progresses
E) voters will become more moderate and closer to the position of the median voter as the campaign progresses

Question 58

In order for an election to be __________, there must be a high level of voter participation.

A) democratic
B) national news
C) expensive
D) contested
E) final

Question 59

A white, Protestant man from the upper class is most likely to vote for which political party?

A) Democratic
B) Republican
C) Libertarian
D) Democratic Socialist
E) Green

Question 60

As a campaign manager, how would you view the use of attack ads?

A) Attack ads are very hard to counter, and there is no down side to using them, so full steam ahead.
B) Even though they are widely criticized, they are often effective and increase voter interest, so you would probably consider airing at least one.
C) It is always best to take the moral high ground, so you should never indulge in negative advertising.
D) Attack ads have been proven never to work, so you won't be wasting your money on them.
E) You would save the attack ads for markets where you are already confident of getting votes.

Question 61

New Hampshire holds its primary in the month of __________.

Question 62

More Americans vote that in other democracies.

Question 63

Formal education makes a person __________ likely to vote.

Question 64

According to the feature box "Can the Government Do Anything Well?" Republican candidates for president in 2012 were united in calling for the elimination or regulation of the __________.

Question 65

Most serious candidates for the presidency in recent elections have elected not to use funds from the public campaign finance system.

Question 66

Initiatives are measures placed on the ballot by __________.

Question 67

"I'm voting for the Republicans in the 2012 election because the Democratic Party has been a complete failure under Barack Obama. " This statement illustrates retrospective voting.

Question 68

The most recent candidate to win the presidency without winning the popular vote was __________.

Question 69

The United States fills about 500,000 offices through elections.

Question 70

The National Voter Registration Act of 1996 required states to allow people to sign up to vote in a variety of places.

Question 71

It has been suggested that the turmoil in Chicago during the Democratic nominating convention in 1968 cost the Democratic candidate, __________, the election.

Question 72

Partisan appeals are more effective than door-to-door canvasing for votes.

Question 73

Recently, liberal Democrats have passed national laws regulating the voting process and controlling requirements for voter registration.

Question 74

The United States has more elections than any other democracy.

Question 75

Referenda are measures placed on ballots by __________.

Question 76

After obtaining congressional control in 2010, Republicans passed laws requiring government-issued photo IDs in many states for voting.

Question 77

Voter registration is no longer a significant barrier to voting for poor people.

Question 78

An individual state is unlikely to abandon its "winner-take-all" Electoral College system because doing so would not be in the state's short-term best interest.

Question 79

Winning early primaries and caucuses does not give a presidential hopeful as much momentum as winning the later contests in bigger states.

Question 80

Democrats' popularly elected primary and caucus delegates are supplemented by __________, usually party luminaries and elected officials.