Deck 8: Campaigns and Elections

Question 1

Reformers who want more aggressive reforms than those found in BCRA are most eager to control what kinds of groups?

A)527s
B)PACs
C)Democratic action groups
D)Super PACs

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which candidate in 2000 lost the Electoral College vote and did not become president?

A)Al Gore
B)George H.W.Bush
C)Bill Clinton
D)John McCain

Answer 2

A

Question 3

How often do candidates for House seats have to campaign?

A)every year
B)every 2 years
C)every 4 years
D)every 6 years

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In most parliamentary democracies,the party in power calls elections __________.

A)at a time of the party's choosing
B)every five years on average
C)at fixed intervals of two years
D)only when the government receives a no-confidence vote

Question 5

Which constitutional amendment requires presidential electors to vote for one person for president and another for vice president?

A)the Twelfth
B)the Fifteenth
C)the Nineteenth
D)the Twenty-Second

Question 6

What organization was created in 1974 to administer new campaign reform laws?

A)U.S.Electoral Commission (USEC)
B)Federal Finance Commission (FFC)
C)Federal Election Commission (FEC)
D)Electoral Finance Commission (EFC)

Question 7

California has 53 seats in the House of Representatives.How many Electoral College votes does it have?

A)12
B)25
C)53
D)55

Question 8

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act is also known as the __________.

A)McCain-Kerry bill
B)Palin-Biden Act
C)McCain-Feingold bill
D)Reid-Boehner bill

Question 9

Elections for members of Congress occur __________.

A)on the second Tuesday in November
B)every two years in odd-numbered years
C)on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years
D)in the first week of November in odd-numbered years

Question 10

What states did the Democratic National Committee attempt to punish in 2008 for moving their primaries to January?

A)California and Maine
B)Ohio and Georgia
C)Washington and South Carolina
D)Florida and Michigan

Question 11

Competition in congressional elections is most likely when __________.

A)both candidates have adequate funding
B)Super PACS spend money on campaign advertising
C)both candidates accept federal matching funds
D)electoral districts have been subject to partisan gerrymandering

Question 12

Some critics of state presidential primaries argue in favor of __________.

A)a national presidential runoff race
B)a national presidential primary
C)a regional caucus
D)eliminating primaries altogether

Question 13

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

Question 14

The Supreme Court decision in which case rejected the longstanding ban on unions and corporations using their general funds on ads about the election or defeat of a candidate?

A)Citizens United v.FEC
B)McConnell v.FEC
C)McCain v.Buckley
D)Buckley v.Valeo

Question 15

Women in what two states were allowed to vote well before women throughout the country were granted the right to vote?

A)Colorado and New York
B)New Jersey and Wyoming
C)Pennsylvania and Virginia
D)Massachusetts and Missouri

Question 16

The constitutional amendment limiting presidents to two terms was adopted in __________.

A)1791
B)1865
C)1920
D)1951

Question 17

Which candidate in 1964 gave an acceptance speech that included the words,"Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice"?

A)Lyndon Johnson
B)John Kennedy
C)Richard Nixon
D)Barry Goldwater

Question 18

Barack Obama's successful campaigns for president in 2008 and 2012 resulted in __________ in both elections.

A)a gain of House seats for Republicans
B)a gain of seats in the House and a loss of seats in the Senate for Democrats
C)a loss of House seats and a gain of Senate seats for Republicans
D)a gain of both House and Senate seats for Democrats

Question 19

Incumbent senators are able to outspend their challengers by what ratio?

A)2:1
B)3:1
C)5:1
D)10:1

Question 20

The term of office for senators is __________.

A)2 years
B)4 years
C)6 years
D)8 years

Question 21

According to political scientist Gary Jacobson,coattail effects are __________.

A)large and unusual
B)modest and predictable
C)erratic and modest
D)large and predictable

Question 22

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

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

Question 23

In the early years of the United States,suffrage was a right for __________.

A)white male property owners over 21
B)all white males
C)all property owners
D)all adults over 21

Question 24

How many times has the House of Representatives determined the outcome of a presidential election?

A)0
B)2
C)5
D)10

Question 25

In which of the following situations would an election MOST likely be decided by the House of Representatives?

A)during a time of war
B)when there are three or more strong candidates running
C)when Democrats control the House but Republicans control the Senate
D)when the same party controls both Congress and the White House

Question 26

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

Question 27

One of the reasons it is a challenge to count votes in the United States is that __________.

A)computer technology is not sophisticated enough to handle the volume of votes on election day
B)poll workers are often not trained well enough
C)the technology used in Ohio may not be the same as the technology in New York
D)every state votes on a different day

Question 28

What did all serious contenders for president in 2012 have in common?

A)They all came out in opposition to Super PACs.
B)They all appealed to moderate voters during the primary campaigns.
C)They all announced their candidacies before the end of 2010.
D)They all turned down federal matching funds.

Question 29

Which of the following is a likely consequence of proportional representation systems?

A)They lead to greater stability in government.
B)They encourage greater turnout among voters who support minor parties.
C)They lead to lower overall voter turnout.
D)They lead to lower overall spending on campaigns.

Question 30

Which of the following was a source of controversy in the 2012 and 2014 elections?

A)the move by some states to allow noncitizens to vote
B)the move by some states to ban advertising funded by Super PACs
C)the move in some states to reduce the number of early voting days
D)the move in some states to eliminate primaries

Question 31

Money spent by individuals or groups who are not associated with candidates to elect or defeat candidates for office is known as __________.

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

Question 32

Which state has a system in which the presidential candidate who carries each congressional district gets that electoral vote?

A)Maine
B)New Jersey
C)Alaska
D)California

Question 33

If you were an official in the Democratic Party in a state that typically goes Republican,you might be in favor of changing the election system to __________.

A)winner-take-all
B)single-member representation
C)straight election
D)proportional representation

Question 34

Early in the nation's history,presidential candidates were selected by __________.

A)electors chosen by the party in power
B)political bosses
C)party caucuses
D)governors of individual states

Question 35

What does it mean for the party leadership to "clear the field" in campaigns?

A)to the purge the voter rolls of people who are ineligible to vote
B)to discourage some candidates from running while endorsing a preferred candidate
C)to discourage minor parties from running candidates in the general election
D)to discourage the opposing campaign from running negative ads

Question 36

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" are classified as __________.

A)soft money
B)hard money
C)issue advocacy
D)independent expenditures

Question 37

To win the general election,presidential candidates have to win support from __________ who often do not vote in primaries.

A)intensely conservative voters
B)committedly liberal voters
C)moderate and pragmatic voters
D)Evangelical Christians

Question 38

An election with no incumbent running is called __________.

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

Question 39

Following the 1972 election,an effort was made to give more influence in the selection of the presidential candidate to party leaders and elected officials,leading to the creation of __________.

A)Super PACs
B)superdelegates
C)strong electors
D)primary delegates

Question 40

Which of the following probably has the MOST bearing on who wins a presidential election?

A)the current state of the economy
B)the state of foreign affairs
C)which candidate has aired the most ads
D)which candidate is backed by unions

Question 41

The project "Americans Elect," launched in 2012,would best be described as __________.

A)an successful effort to increase voter turnout
B)a failed experiment in online politics
C)an example of the power of money in elections
D)a well-intentioned,but unsuccessful effort to defeat incumbent politicians

Question 42

Which of the following is a major criticism of Super PACs?

A)It is questionable whether they are truly independent of candidates.
B)They have little influence on elections,compared to other types of PACs and interest groups.
C)They are overwhelmingly biased in favor of Democrats.
D)They have little knowledge of the electoral process.

Question 43

Which of the following is a key difference between House and Senate races?

A)Overall spending on Senate races surpasses overall spending on House races.
B)Super PACs are more involved in House races than in Senate races.
C)House elections are more seriously contested than Senate elections.
D)Senate elections are more seriously contested than House elections.

Question 44

If your candidate has broad support and has no trouble raising money,you would most likely advise him to __________.

A)accept federal matching funds despite the spending limitations they impose
B)accept state matching funds and spending limitations
C)bypass federal matching funds because of the spending limitations they impose
D)accept matching funds from states where he is likely to do well

Question 45

Which of the following could have a serious impact on whether a close presidential election could actually be decided on Election Day?

A)absentee voting
B)the number of candidates on a ballot
C)efforts to ensure that all counties in a state use the same voting technology
D)voter registration laws

Question 46

Which of the following would be a likely disadvantage of regional primaries in the nomination of presidential candidates?

A)They would retain the current emphasis on money and media.
B)They would create an even more complicated nominating process.
C)They would put small states at a significant disadvantage in the nominating process.
D)They would likely lead to lower voter turnout in the primaries.

Question 47

If no candidate gets a majority of the Electoral College vote for vice president,__________.

A)the candidate with the most Electoral College votes wins
B)the House votes between the top three candidates,with each state casting one vote
C)the House votes between the top three candidates,with each representative casting one vote
D)the Senate chooses between the top two candidates,with each senator casting one vote

Question 48

The Pew Global Attitudes survey asked people how they feel about women and men serving as political leaders.Which of the following was a major finding of this research?

A)People in Britain believe that men and women make equally good leaders and favor women over men.
B)People in the United States do not believe that men and women make equally good leaders.
C)People in Nigeria believe that men make better leaders than women do.
D)People in Japan believe that women make better leaders than men do.

Question 49

One strategy you could use as a candidate during the primaries to manage media expectations would be to __________.

A)claim you will probably not do very well so that your actual results look "better than expected"
B)claim that you will probably do very well so that your actual results will not get much attention
C)enlist the media in critiquing your opponents' positions
D)avoid as much media attention as possible

Question 50

Which of the following is a requirement for third-party candidates to participate in presidential debates?

A)They must officially register as presidential candidates with the Commission on Presidential Debates.
B)They must meet a minimum fund-raising threshold.
C)They must be on the ballot in enough states to be able to win the election.
D)They must have an average of 5 percent or higher in five major election polls.

Question 51

The fact that some states have moved their primaries earlier in the election year suggests that __________.

A)they don't believe that caucuses should have as much impact as primaries
B)they want to have a real impact on the selection of the candidate
C)they have no fear of the Democratic or Republican National Committee
D)all primaries should take place on the same day

Question 52

In a midterm election year,the economy is doing very well.How would you expect the president's party to do?

A)The president's party is likely to lose a number of seats in the House.
B)If the president's popularity remains the same,his or her party will likely lose seats in the House.
C)The president's party will neither gain nor lose seats in the House.
D)If the president's popularity remains the same,his or her party will likely gain seats in the House.

Question 53

If you were a campaign manager and determined that your party was experiencing a backlash against immigration policies,what would be your strategy?

A)Suggest to your candidate that she speak to party leaders about moderating their stance.
B)Advise your candidate to distance herself from the party line to avoid the national tide.
C)Run a series of attack ads on the opponents of your party's immigration policies.
D)Go along with the national tide as a loyal party member.

Question 54

To win their parties' nominations,presidential candidates __________.

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

Question 55

Critics of the proposal to switch to direct election of the president contend that it would lead to ___________.

A)an election system in which recounts are the norm
B)an unfair advantage to the Democratic Party
C)an increase in political extremism
D)an unstable political system

Question 56

If you'd attended the 2008 Democratic Convention as a delegate,you would have found that women made up approximately what percentage of your fellow delegates?

A)10 percent
B)20 percent
C)40 percent
D)60 percent

Question 57

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

Question 58

Supreme Court decisions in 2010 and 2014 __________ the effects of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act in reducing the influence of money in campaigns.

A)slightly limited
B)reversed
C)dramatically broadened
D)legitimated

Question 59

A "permanent Congress" is a result of __________.

A)advantages held by incumbents
B)coattail effects
C)high levels of competition in House elections
D)the Supreme Court's ruling in Pelosi v.Constituents

Question 60

Which of the following was a success of the Federal Election Campaign Act?

A)For 20 years,presidential candidates accepted limitations on fund-raising and campaign spending to receive federal matching funds.
B)Since the law was passed,virtually all campaign fund-raising and spending has been fully disclosed.
C)Since the law was passed,minor parties have had greater success in getting candidates elected.
D)For 20 years,challengers in congressional elections have had greater success in getting elected,thanks to limitations on campaign fund-raising and spending.

Question 61

In the __________ system of allocating delegates,the candidate with the most votes gets all of the state's delegates.

Question 62

Primaries are the oldest method of choosing delegates.

Question 63

Until the election in the year __________,most voters assumed they could cast a vote and have it counted correctly.

Question 64

In most states,you do not have to be registered to vote.

Question 65

The outcome of the contest between George Bush and Al Gore was ultimately determined by the __________.

Question 66

In 1996,the Clinton-Gore campaign chose to raise soft money by offering nights in the Lincoln Bedroom to donors.

Question 67

Voters in primaries and caucuses tend to be less ideological than voters generally.

Question 68

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

Question 69

As a candidate for election in today's campaigns,you could expect to take off the time between the convention and Labor Day to rest up for the rest of the campaign.

Question 70

Candidates generally formally announce their plans to run for the presidency in March or April of the election year.

Question 71

If election reformers have their way,candidates in the future can expect to have to disclose more information about who donates to campaigns and how much has been contributed.

Question 72

All House members are up for election at the same time every two years.

Question 73

The rising costs of elections mean that incumbents spend more time raising funds and less time actually doing their jobs.

Question 74

In most midterm elections between 1934 and 2008,the party controlling the White House lost seats in the House.

Question 75

Overall spending in House races surpasses overall spending in Senate races.

Question 76

The technology used in voting varies greatly from state to state and in different parts of the same state.

Question 77

All states limit the terms of state legislators.

Question 78

A __________ is a person chosen by local partisans to represent them in selecting nominees,party leaders,and party positions.

Question 79

Most incumbent members of Congress are reelected.

Question 80

If you belonged to an independent or minor party,you might favor a change to proportional representation.