Ch. 8-Campa. and Elect.bank

Campaigns and Elections Test Bank / Finkle

1. To win in a plurality electoral system such as in the U.S., a candidate musta. exert considerable inside influence b. win a runoff electionc. secure a majority of the votesd. gather more votes than anyone else

2. The elections that produce the largest voter turnout are thea. local elections b. presidential electionsc. presidential primaries d. congressional primaries

3. Prospective voting involvesa. taking a chance on a new candidateb. picking the incumbent over the challengerc. picking the challenger over the incumbentd. voting according to future expectations

4. "I'm voting for Challenger Goodbrain because I like her views on the environment, social welfare, and revenue sharing." Such a vote is called

a. prospective b. quid pro quoc. matching d. retrospective

5. Retrospective voting involvesa. voting for the best candidateb. basing your vote on past performancec. voting consistently for the same partyd. splitting your ticket

6. When a voter votes based on how things have been going and which party is in power, it is referred to as

a. issueless voting b. ideological votingc. prospective voting d. retrospective voting

7. " I'm voting for Congresswoman Goodjob because she got us that new defense contract, and I think she's performing well overall." Such a vote is called

a. prospective b. split-ticketc. retrospective d. preemptive

8. As a result of population changes reflected in the 1990 and 2000 censuses, what regions of the country have gained seats in the House?

a. southern and southwestern statesb. eastern and southern statesc. northern and Midwestern statesd. eastern and western states

9. A situation in which one congressional district in a state has twice the population of another district in the state is called

a. a gerrymander b. a marginal districtc. a safe district d. malapportionment

10. A person ordinarily becomes a party candidate for representative or senator bya. appealing to party leadersb. serving first in a state officec. running in a primary electiond. winning a caucus vote

11. The "one-man, one-vote" principle was adopted by the Supreme Court in 1964 in reaction to the partisan practice of

a. gerrymandering b. filibusteringc. marginality d. franking privilegee. cloture

12. The most important advantage for an individual seeking a seat in the House of Representatives is

a. incumbency b. an active campaign with many media adsc. family money d. support by state party leadershipe. being a lawyer

13. In which of the following types of primaries does a voter mark a ballot that includes the candidates for nomination of ALL the parties?

a. closed b. open c. runoffd. presidential e. blanket

14. In which of the following types of primaries does a voter mark a ballot that includes only the candidates for nomination of the party to which the voter is registered?

a. closed b. open c. runoffd. presidential e. blanket

15. In which of the following types of primaries can a voter choose for which party of candidates to vote, regardless of the voter's party of registration

a. closed b. open c. runoff\d. presidential e. blanket

16. Which group is denied the vote in most states in the U.S. today?a. males without propertyb. Blacks in local elections in the southc. Chinese Americansd. womene. inmates in prison

17. Which of the following primaries is the most commonly held by states today?a. closed b. open c. blanketd. runoff e. retrospective

18. Which of the following primaries has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court?

a. closed b. open c. blanketd. runoff e. retrospective

19. To win in a majority electoral system such as in the U.S., a candidate musta. appeal to the 18 year old voters b. win a primary electionc. secure over half of the votesd. gather more votes than anyone else

20. The elections that produce the largest voter turnout are thea. local elections b. presidential electionsc. presidential primaries d. congressional primaries

21. "I'm voting for Challenger Goodbrain because I like her views on the environment, social welfare, and revenue sharing." Such a vote is called

a. prospective b. quid pro quoc. matching d. retrospective

22. As a result of population changes reflected in the 2000 census, what regions of the country have lost seats in the House?

a. southern and southwestern statesb. eastern and southern statesc. northern and midwestern statesd. eastern and western states

23. A person ordinarily becomes a party candidate for representative or senator bya. appealing to party leadersb. serving first in a state officec. running in a primary electiond. winning a caucus vote

24. The most important advantage for an individual seeking a seat in the House of Representatives is

a. incumbency b. an active campaign with many media adsc. family money d. support by state party leadershipe. being a lawyer

25. The Supreme Court has upheld gerrymandering which a. enables ethnic minorities to have representation in Congressb. targets racial groupsc. favors one political party over anotherd. balances the votes of democrats and republicans even though it results in

districts with different populations

26. Which of the following terms represents the official designation of a person running for office?

a. party nomination b. voter referendumb. plebiscite d. endorsemente. recall

27. Which of the following choices represents the path successful candidates for president have taken since 1972?

I. state governor to presidentII. U.S. senator to presidentIII. U.S. representative to presidentIV. Vice president to president

a. I only b. I and II onlyc. I, II, and IV only d. I and IV onlye. I, II, III, and IV

28. The goal of the nominating game for president is to win a majority of delegates' support at which of the following levels?

a. grassroots b. general election c. party caucusd. superdelegates e. national party convention

29. Criticisms of the election process include all of the following EXCEPTa. disproportionate attention goes to early caucusesb. disproportionate attention goes to the early primariesc. money plays too big a roled. the system allows little room for media involvemente. participation in the primaries is low and not representative of the entire electorate

30. In order to organize their presidential campaigns effectively, a candidate must do all of the following EXCEPT

a. line up a campaign manager who is skilledb. get a fundraiser that raises significant moneyc. hire a pollster who knows how to choose focus groupsd. announce his or her choice for vice-president before the conventione. get positive media exposure

31. If presidential candidates accept federal support in the form of matching campaign financing, then they

a. are no longer required to disclose their contributionsb. agree to limit their campaign expenditures to an amount prescribed by

federal lawc. no longer have any limit to their campaign expendituresd. are no longer required to disclose how they spend their moneye. no longer can accept PAC money

32. Presidential candidates must file periodic reports with the Federal Election Commission, listing who contributed money and how it was spent

a. only if they receive matching federal fundingb. only if they did not receive matching federal fundingc. regardless of whether or not they received matching federal fundingd. only if their contributions top $1 millione. only if they receive any kind of PAC money

33. Which of the following is a part of the 2002 campaign finance reform ?a. increasing the amount of money a candidate can accept from PACsb. lowering the amount of PAC contributions a candidate can acceptc. decreasing government subsidies to congressional campaignsd. allowing more lobby gifts to candidatese. decreasing the amount of money individuals may give to candidates

34. Four decades of research on political campaigns lead to the following conclusion:a. campaigns typically convert voter preferencesb. campaigns mostly reinforce and activate, only rarely do they convertc. campaigns have a major effect on voter preferenced. money has little or no effect on a candidate's chancese. the media coverage of a candidate has little to do with the outcome of an election

35. Which of the following provides voters the chance to directly approve or disapprove a legislative proposition?

a. a recall petition b. a secondary primaryc. a referendum d. a run-off primarye. an indirect primary

36. “Balancing the ticket” was an attempt by early parties in the US to A. give the best candidates possible to the voters in an election. B. encourage the voters to split their tickets. C. allowing candidates from both the House and the Senate to run to president in the same election. D. end criticism that they represented only one particular section or region of the nation. E. allow both Adams and Jefferson to run together in the election of 1796.

4. When speaking of "balancing the ticket" in the context of a presidential election, which of the following is meant?

a. A presidential and vice-presidential nominee will be of different racial backgroundsb. A presidential and vice-presidential nominee will be from opposite gendersc. A presidential and vice-presidential nominee will be of different regional and

ideological backgroundsd. A presidential and vice-presidential nominee will be will be of different educational

levels or social classese. A presidential nominee will be younger and the vive-presidential nominee will be

older

37. The coattail effect A. is more important today than ever. B. is still important if the president is extremely popular, C. has declined in recent years and is weak today. D. is important in elections for the Senate but not for the House. E. is important only if the Congressman is an incumbent

38. Under the convention method, national party candidates were really chosen by A. the voting members of each party. B. party leaders C. a sophisticated polling method. D. a lottery

39. The primary type which divides the total delegates allowed a state among the various candidates on the primary ballot is called a

A. representative primary B. presidential preference primaryC. proportional primary D. party caucus

40. Prior to the last presidential conventions, both George W. Bush and Al Gore knew they would receive their party nominations because

A. all other nominees dropped out of the selection process.B. all the necessary deals had been completed before the actual party conventions.

C. both candidates won a majority of the winner-takes-all primaries.D. both knew that the number of their pledged candidates was a majority.

41. Super delegates at the Democratic convention areA.. delegates whose votes are weighted 200%B. delegates who are pledged to the most popular candidate in the primaries

C. delegates who have no voting power but are invited as observersD. delegates who are invited due to their status as party leaders with no relation to the primary elections

42. The presiding officer at the national party conventions is A. the national party committee chairperson B. the party’s last serving president of the U.S.C. the party’s leader in the SenateD. a presiding officer is chosen by vote at the convention

43. The party platform includes A. the speeches to be made by the candidate in the campaignB. the issues that the party candidate will support in the campaign C. the itinerary of the campaign trailD. the vice-presidential nominationE. all of the above are included in the platform

44. A candidate who is nominated by delegates from her / his home state is referred to as aA. dark horse B. favorite daughter / son

C. pledged candidate D. keynote candidate

45. Should no candidate win a majority vote on the first ballot at the nominating convention,A. the party nomination is awarded to the plurality winner

B. nominating power is passed to the national committee of each partyC. deals are made by candidates to win more delegate support and another vote is takenD. a dark horse candidate is nominated and voted on

46. The vice-presidential candidate for each party is chosen byA. the party national committee chairB. the presidential candidate in consultation with advisors C. open nominations and balloting on the convention floorD. awarding the nomination to the runner up among the presidential candidates

47. Which is the most likely strategy to be followed during a presidential campaign?A. campaign in those areas strongly opposed to the candidate in hopes of winning after campaigning strongly there.B. campaign strongly in marginal areas in hopes of winning likely ticket splittersC. campaign only in those areas you are sure to winD. campaign in areas where you will benefit from the coattails effect

48. The Federal Election Campaign Act provides for raising money for the Presidential Campaign Fund by

A. having persons volunteer donations from their income tax by indicating such on their 1040 tax return statement.B. seeking donations from lobby groups and PACSC. door-to-door canvassingD. holding bake sales

49. To qualify for receiving matching funds from the Presidential Campaign Fund, a presidential candidate

A. must have received at least 5% of the popular vote B. must have raised $5000 in donations of $250 or less C. must agree to the campaign spending limits set by the ActD. all of these must be met to qualify for funds

50. Which of the following is the date set for the popular election of president?A. The first Tuesday in NovemberB. November 3C. November 8D. Monday after the second Wednesday in DecemberE. The Tuesday after the first Monday in November

51. The winner-takes-all system for distributing electors for president is used by A. all the states and D.C.

B. is used only in Washington D.C. as required by Amendment 23C. only two states, Nebraska and MaineD. republican states onlyE. all sates and D.C. except Maine and Nebraska

52. To win the Electoral College vote, a candidate must winA. a plurality of the votesB. two-thirds of the votesC. 270 votes D. a plurality plus one voteE. the electoral votes from over one-half the states

53. If the Electoral College fails to elect a vice-president, the selection will be determined

byA. the House of RepresentativesB. the President-electC. the Senate D. nomination by the President-elect and approval by both houses of CongressE. the Supreme Court

51. The winner-takes-all system for distributing delegates at the Presidential Nominating Convention is

A. used by both Democrats and Republicans.B. is used only in Washington D.C. as required by Amendment 23C. used only in Republican primaries D. used only by DemocratsE. all sates and D.C. except Maine and Nebraska

52. A major difference between Presidential campaigns and congressional campaigns is A. fewer people vote in presidential electionsB. presidential incumbents have greater difficulty raising funds than their challengerC. presidential incumbents can more easily avoid responsibility for the state of the

nationD. presidential races are generally more competitiveE. congressional incumbents are more likely to be defeated

53. A major difference between Presidential campaigns and congressional campaigns is A. more people vote in congressional electionsB. congressional incumbents have greater difficulty raising funds than their challengersC. congressional incumbents can more easily avoid responsibility for the state of

the nationD. presidential races are generally less competitiveE. congressional incumbents are more likely to be defeated

54. The first goal of an individual planning to run for office is toA. hire a staff of advisorsB. get mentioned as a possible candidate

C. develop a campaign strategyD. raise money from individuals and PACsE. replace party leaders opposed to their nomination

55. Since 1962, ____percent of House incumbents who sought reelection won it.A. less than 60 B. about 65C. under 75 D. over 90E. 100

56. The Constitution calls for reapportionment a. every 5 yearsb. every ten yearsc. every twenty yearsd. every fifty yearse. whenever a state legislature decides it is necessary

57. In 1911, Congress decided that the House of Representatives had become large enough and voted to fix the size at

A. 100 B. 435C. 535 D. 538E. 600

58. All of the following states gained seats in the House after the 2000 census EXCEPTa. California b. Floridac. Georgia d. Pennsylvaniae. Arizona

59. All of the following states lost seats in the House after the 2000 census EXCEPTa. Texas b. Ohioc. Michigan d. Pennsylvaniae. Illinois

60. The increase in voter support that a member of the House receives in his / her first bid for reelection is referred to as the

a. no-brainer march b. post-office bouncec. second time round up d. sophomore surgee. incumbency whirl

61. Legislators who think of themselves as delegates are most likely toa. follow their constituents wishesb. do what they perceive is best for the countryc. do what they think is best for their districtd. follow the suggestions of leading interest groupse. follow the lead of party caucuses

62. Legislators who think of themselves as trustees are most likely toa. follow their constituents wishes

b. do what they perceive is best c. do what they think is best for their districtd. follow the suggestions of leading interest groupse. follow the lead of party caucuses

63. One reason why the approach used by a candidate in a general election may not work in a primary is that a primary candidate must

a. take a more mainstream view of key issuesb. be more aware of the "clothespin" votec. play to the ideology of political activistsd. take greater caution to avoid "slips of the tongue"e. avoid media scrutiny at all costs

64. To win the presidential nomination, as opposed to the general election, candidates generally present themselves as

a. more conservativeb. more liberalc. more liberal if Republican and more conservative if Democratd. more liberal if Democrat and more conservative if Republicane. moderate

65. The first state which holds a caucus for delegate selection at the presidential nomination conventions is

a. Vermont b. New Hampshirec. Iowa d. Illinoise. Pennsylvania

66. The first state which holds a primary for delegate selection at the presidential nomination conventions is generally

a. Vermont b. New Hampshirec. Iowa d. Illinoise. Pennsylvania

67. In the 1980 presidential election, many voters voted for Ronald Reagan over Jimmy Carter as a vote against Carter, not out of loyalty to Reagan. Such a vote is referred to as a(n)

a. spin vote b. clothespin votec. prospective vote d. informed votee. negative vote

68. Iowa holds the distinctive position in presidential races of havinga. the most delegatesb. first test of candidates appealc. first open primaryd. first closed primarye. first blanket primary

69. Considering all elections at all levels of government, which of the following best describes electoral behavior in the U.S.?

a. Primary elections tend to elicit a higher voter turnout than do general elections.b. The majority of the electorate does not vote in most electionsc. Voter turnout plays an insignificant role in election outcomes.d. Adult citizens under the age of thirty tend to have the highest rate of voter turnout.e. Voters with strong party identification vote less regularly than do independents.

70. A ___ issue is one in which the rival candidates have opposing views on a question that also divides the voters.

a. valence b. primaryc. secondary d. residuale. position

71. In the 2000 election George W. Bush wanted to let people put some of their Social Security money into private savings accounts; Al Gore opposed this. This is an example of a ___ issue.

a. valence b. position c. secondaryd. retrospective e. residual

72. An example of a ___ issue is when Jimmy Carter seemed more likely to favor honesty in government than his opponent.

a. retrospective b. primaryc. secondary d. positione. valence

73. In the 1968 presidential election, during the height of the Vietnam War, many anti-war voters found neither Richard Nixon nor Hubert Humphrey appealing. The vote they cast is referred to as a(n)

a. spin vote b. clothespin votec. waste vote d. informed votee. concurrent vote

74. The type of campaign activity which has increased in recent years and accounts for the most spending in a presidential campaign is

a. appearance at churches b. parades and ralliesc. factory appearances d. radio interviewse. television broadcasting

75. Unlike congressional campaigns, presidential campaigns can be funded bya. private sources only b. public sources onlyc. both public and private sources d. federal grants onlye. private sources during primaries and public sources after the nominees are chosen

76. The government contributes matching funds to presidential candidates. These funds matcha. all private funds raised by a qualifying candidateb. all donations a candidate receives from individuals and PACsc. all contributions to a candidate from the partyd. individuals' donations of less than $250 onlye. all donations of less than $150 only

77. The Bipartisan (McCain - Feingold) campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 raised the individual limit on contributions to ____ per candidate per election.

a. $ 1,000 b. $ 2,000c. $ 5,000 d. $10,000e. $15,000

78. Which party tends to be more loyal to its candidate in presidential elections?a. Democrats b. Republicansc. Independents d. both a. and c. e. No clear cut difference exists among parties

79. Which party tends to do better in competing for the vote of self-described independents?

a. Democrats b. Republicansc. Independents d. both a. and c. e. No clear cut difference exists among parties

80 In presidential races, Republicans consistently outperform Democrats ina. creating excitement among the electorateb. having more voters registerc. winning the independent voted. translating support to congressional racese. reaping the benefit of presidential coattails

81. One of the effects of winner-take-all primaries is thata. candidates get a majority of delegates quicklyb. the cost of the campaign is higherc. the media focuses on who is aheadd. candidates stay in the race longere. more candidates decide to enter the primaries

82. Today, the most important function of a party's national convention is toa. select the electors for the electoral collegeb. develop the strategy for the general electionc. formally nominate the party candidates for president and vice-presidentd. choose the party's leaders for the House and Senatee. name a new chair for the national committee

83. A primary election in which a registered Democrat can ask for a Republican ballot is aa. presidential primary b. open primaryc. closed primary d. blanket primarye. proportional representation primary

84. Over the last thirty years, most successful candidates for the presidency have served a. in the Cabinet b. as senatorsc. as business executives d. as governorse. in the House of Representatives

85. Which of the following is the concern most often raised about an open primary?a. An open primary costs more to run than a closed primary.b. Cross-party voting allows one party to influence the nominee of the other partyc. The most ideologically committed party members only vote in open primaries.d. An open primary requires a winner-takes-all systeme. An open primary benefits third party candidates.

86. In recent years, delegates to the Democratic National Conventiona. were more conservative than Democrats usually voteb. were more liberal than the electorate as a wholec. were strongly in favor of restrictions on immigrationd. were less diverse as a group than delegates to the Republican National Conventione. were opposed to any reduction in defense spending

87. Which of the following did NOT lead to a weakening of political party machines?a. welfare state b. primary electionsc. civil service reforms d. public opinion pollse. secret ballot

88. When the media acts as a scorekeeper in covering political campaigns, this is referred to as

a. muckraking b. horse race journalismc. investigative reporting d. yellow journalisme. tabloid journalism

89. As primaries grew in importance in determining the party's presidential nomineea. fewer politicians decided to run for officeb. the media paid less attention to primariesc. raising money became increasingly importantd. the party organization played a greater role in the campaignse. candidates took more moderate positions to appeal to more voters

90. In order to get federal matching funds in presidential primaries, a candidate musta. file an application with the Federal Election Commissionb. pledge to only accept donations from individuals , not PACsc. raise $5000 in each of twenty states in contributions of $250 or lessd. agree to not use money to run negative campaign adse. commit to use part of the federal money for voter registration drives

91. Before primaries existed, state parties selected their delegates to the national convention at which of the following?

a. caucus b. referendumc. roundtable d. smoke-filled roome. party fundraisers

93. Television news coverage of a candidate generally focuses on all of the following EXCEPT

a. where the candidates appearedb. how big the crowds werec. a candidates explanation of a complex policy statementd. sound bites from the candidates speeche. crowd reactions

94. "Soft money" in an election campaign isa. money provided through the Federal Election Commission to presidential candidatesb. money raised by state and local party organizations for activities relating to building

the party but not to electing a particular candidatec. contributions by Political Action Committeesd. contributions by corporations and labor unionse. individual contributions to any one candidate up to a limit of $2000 for a federal

primary and for a federal general election

95. Which of the following elections has the lowest turnout of voters?a. Statewide elections in odd numbered yearsb. Presidential electionsc. Midterm Congressional electionsd. Local and municipal electionse. Presidential primary elections

96. All of the following may enter into voters' decisions about whom to vote for as a president EXCEPT

a. party loyaltyb. whether or not the choice will result in gridlock in Congressc. candidate appeald. prospective voting issuese. how voters feel about the job the outgoing president did

97. Which of the following best describes the practice of ticket splitting?a. A presidential nominee selects a running mate who can appeal to voter groups

whose support of the nominee is weakb. A voter chooses the presidential nominee of one major party, but chooses

Congressional nominees of the other major party c. A mayor orders the local police force to hand out fewer parking violations in

the weeks leading up to the general electiond. A delegate to a national party convention supports the front runner but remains

uncommitted on the party platforme. A member of Congress votes against legislation proposed by his or her party leader

98. Which of the following is a result of the electoral college system?a. The winner of the presidency often lacks a majority of the popular vote.b. Candidates focus on one-party states in which they win most of the electoral votes.c. The House of Representatives frequently chooses the President from the top three

candidates..d. Candidates focus on the states with the largest populations.e. Campaign spending increases because candidates emphasize TV advertising.

99. The term "horse-race journalism" refers to the tendency of the media toa. cover Congress by focusing on committee chairs rather than on the work of the

committeesb. cover campaigns by emphasizing the relative standings of the candidates in the

polls rather than the issues they discussc. cover politics by concentrating on scandal; and corruption rather than on instances

of integrity and honorable actiond. compete for access to sources rather than to cooperate in gathering newse. compete to be first with major breaking stories rather than try to present full,

accurate accounts of such stories

100. The strength of old-style political machines derived primarily from their ability to do which of the following?

a. Keep taxes low and provide civil service protection for all public employeesb. Recruit members by distributing money, political jobs, and the chance to get favors

from government c. Establish links to large corporations by appealing to shared ideologiesd. Establish links to Protestant Church organizationse. Spread responsibility for control over members' activities among as many party workers as possible

101. How is a president chosen if none of the candidates receives a majority of the electoral college vote?

a. There is a national runoff election between the two candidates with the greatest number of electoral votes.

b. The Supreme Court decides who shall be Presidentc. The election is ruled null and void and Congress appoints a new Presidentd. The Senate chooses a new President by a majority vote of its entire membershipe. The House chooses a new President by a majority vote of its state delegations

102. How is a Congressperson chosen in states requiring a majority vote, when no candidate wins such a majority?

a. There is a runoff election between the two candidates with the greatest number of popular votes.b. The state's highest court decides who shall be the winnerc. The election is ruled null and void and the Governor appoints a new congresspersond. The state legislature chooses a new congressperson by a majority vote of its entire

membershipe. the winner is decided by a flip of the coin

103. Compared to voters in a general election, voters in presidential primary elections area. less likely to be members of political partiesb. less likely to be well educatedc. likely to be a larger percentage of the voting-age populationd. more likely to be members of ethnic or racial minority groupse. more likely to be affluent

104. The views of male and female voters tend to differ on I. abortionII. spending for social servicesIII. spending on national defense

a. I only b. II only c. III onlyd. I and II e. II and III

105. Which of the following is less a predictor of one's political ideology that it once was?a. gender b religion c. social classd. ethnicity e. age

106. Which of the following no longer has a significant effect on Congressional electionsa. the coattail effect b. split-ticket votingc. early announcements of a candidacyd. incumbencye. party loyalty

107. Primaries are governed byI. party rules!!. state lawsIII. federal law

a. I only b. II only c. III onlyd. I and II e. I, II, and III

108. Which of the following elections has the lowest voter turnout?a. Statewide elections in odd-numbered yearsb. Presidential electionsc. Midterm Congressional electionsd. Local and municipal electionse. Presidential primary elections

109. The Supreme Court in Buckley v. Valeo (1976) ruled thata. limits on a candidates use of personal money was unconstitutionalb. limits on individual contributions violated the First Amendmentc. labor union contributions were protected under the right of associationd. federal matching funds had to be made available in state racese. contributions to political parties for voter registration were valid

110. Above all else, the results of the 2000 presidential election showed thata. the "solid South" remains a fact of American politicsb. the winner of the popular vote always wins the electoral votec. the vote of every person is importantd. a balanced ticket is the key to victorye. the party that spends the most will always win the presidency

111. A candidate who accepts federal matching fundsa. loses the money if contributions over $250 are acceptedb. must accept spending limits during the primariesc. needs to finish in the top four in each primary enteredd. does not have to report contributions less than $250 to the FECe. receives a check from the Treasury for the total amount raised during a campaign

112. The coattail effect a. is more important today than ever. b. is still important if the president is extremely popular, c. has declined in recent years and is weak today. d. is important in elections for the Senate but not for the House. e. is important only if the Congressman is an incumbent.

113. Which two states, although they hold very few electoral college votes, hold an extremely important influence over the process of choosing the American President?

a. New York and Californiab. South Carolina and New Mexicoc. Wisconsin and Vermontd. Florida and Texase. Iowa and New Hampshire

114. To say that the Presidential primary is "front loaded" means thata. only successful candidates attract funding from party loyalistsb. very few candidates now enter the early caucuses and primariesc. only the most populous states determine who the parties' nominees will bed. the vast majority of contests occur early in the processe. the final few primaries hold the greatest importance

115. Which of the following statements concerning presidential campaigns from 1992 to 2004 is most accurate?

a. Voter turnout has dropped markedly during this period.b. The role of television in influencing public choice has waned.c. Campaigns have lengthened in duration and increased significantly in cost.d. Independent voting has played a less important role.e. Public debates have greatly intensified voter interest in the process.

116. Which statement is NOT true of the electoral college?a. It tends to exaggerate margins of presidential victory.b. Only once, in 1824, has the House of Representatives officially decided a

presidential election.c. It promotes campaigning in uncompetive but highly populous states over

candidate visits to moderately populous states that are highly competitive in a given election.

d. Prior to the 2000 election, it had been more than a century since one had lost the electoral college vote while winning the popular vote.

e. Since its creation, the electoral college has been shaped by both formal and

informal amendment.117. Which two states have altered the winner-takes-all aspect of the electoral college, breaking their popular vote total to reflect the plurality winner within individual congressional districts?

a. Vermont and Utah b. Nebraska and Mainec. Oregon and Washington d. Delaware and Kentuckye. Arizona and Texas

118. Which of the following states does NOT hold one of the top five electoral college vote totals?

a. Florida b. Texas c. New Yorkd. California e. Georgia

119. Which of the following amendments changed the process for electing president and vice-president in the electoral college?

a. 10th amendment b. 12th amendmentc. 19th amendment d. 22 amendmente. 27th amendment

120. Which of the following statements concerning party primaries and party national conventions is most accurate?

a. Both tend to be divisive for the political party involved.b. Both tend to be unifying influences for the political party involved.c. Primaries tend to unify a party, while the national convention often divides it.d. Primaries tend to divide a party, while the national convention often unites it.e. Neither one holds much influence on party unity in modern-day politics

121. When the media speak of a candidate or officeholder putting a "spin" on a particular issue, they are referring to the politician's attempt to

a. present his actions or stance on an issue in the most favorable light possibleb. honestly and directly answer the questions presented by the mediac. shed responsibility for past campaign promisesd. blame his national platform unpopular programs back homee. avoid answering a particular question

122. When a popular President influences voters to support candidates for other offices from the President's party, the result is called

a. straight-ticket voting b. the coattail effectc. logrolling d. a mandatee. a landslide

123. The primary reason for the current existence of only two major political parties in the U.S. is that

a. the Constitution puts severe restrictions on the existence of political partiesb. third parties are usually too moderate, while most Americans are more extreme

politicallyc. a winner-takes-all electoral system makes it difficult for new parties to emerge

and survive

d. voters naturally think of themselves as either liberals or conservativese. straight-ticket voting is allowed

125. When a member of the Hose of Representatives helps a citizen from his or her district receive some federal aid to which the citizen is entitled, the members action is referred to as

a. casework b. pork barrel legislationc. lobbying d. logrollinge. filibustering

126. One advantage incumbent members of Congress have over challengers in election campaigns is the use of

a. unlimited campaign fundsb. national party employees as campaign workersc. the franking privileged. unlimited contributions from "fat cat" supporterse. government-financed air time for commercials

127. During "midterm" congressional elections, how likely is the President's party to increase the number of seats in Congress that it holds?

a. Always increasesb. Always decreasesc. Usually increased. About as likely to increase as to decreasee. Less likely to increase than to decrease

128. All of the following help explain why such a high percentage of incumbents are reelected to Congress EXCEPT that

a. their campaigns receive a greater share of matching fundsb. their staffs can help constituents deal with the governmentc. they can win constituent support by providing pork-barrel projects for the district

they representd. the franking privilege and media opportunities provide greater name recognition

for incumbentse. PACs are ore likely to support incumbents than challengers

129. Which of the following is true of the electoral college system?a. It encourages the emergence of third partiesb. It encourages candidates to concentrate their efforts in competitive, populous statesc. It ensures that the votes of all citizens count equally in selecting a presidentd. It requires that a candidate win a minimum of 26 states to obtain a majority in the

collegee. It tends to make presidential election results appear closer that they really are

2010 corrections (numbering) and additions

130. When a member of the Hose of Representatives helps a citizen from his or her district receive some federal aid to which the citizen is entitled, the members action is referred to as

a. casework b. pork barrel legislationc. lobbying d. logrollinge. filibustering

131. A person ordinarily becomes a party candidate for representative or senator bya. appealing to party leadersb. serving first in a state officec. running in a primary electiond. winning a caucus votee. announcing his candidacy in the public media

132. One advantage incumbent members of Congress have over challengers in election campaigns is the use of

a. unlimited campaign fundsb. national party employees as campaign workersc. the franking privileged. unlimited contributions from "fat cat" supporterse. government-financed air time for commercials

133. How is a Congressperson chosen in states requiring a majority vote, when no candidate wins such a majority?

a. There is a runoff election between the two candidates with the greatest number of popular votes.b. The state's highest court decides who shall be the winnerc. The election is ruled null and void and the Governor appoints a new congresspersond. The state legislature chooses a new congressperson by a majority vote of its entire

membershipe. the winner is decided by a flip of the coin

134. Which of the following is the concern most often raised about an open primary?a. An open primary costs more to run than a closed primary.b. Cross-party voting allows one party to influence the nominee of the other partyc. The most ideologically committed party members only vote in open primaries.d. An open primary requires a winner-takes-all systeme. An open primary benefits third party candidates.

135. A major difference between Presidential campaigns and congressional campaigns is A. fewer people vote in presidential electionsB. presidential incumbents have greater difficulty raising funds than their challengerC. presidential incumbents can more easily avoid responsibility for the state of the

nation

D. presidential races are generally more competitiveE. congressional incumbents are more likely to be defeated

136. The Constitution call for reapportionment a. every 5 yearsb. every ten yearsc. every twenty yearsd. every fifty yearse. whenever a state legislature decides it is necessary

137. Legislators who think of themselves as delegates are most likely toa. follow their constituents wishesb. do what they perceive is best for the countryc. do what they think is best for their districtd. follow the suggestions of leading interest groupse. follow the lead of party caucuses

138. One reason why the approach used by a candidate in a general election may not work in a primary is that a primary candidate must

a. take a more mainstream view of key issuesb. be more aware of the "clothespin" votec. play to the ideology of political activistsd. take greater caution to avoid "slips of the tongue"e. avoid media scrutiny at all costs

139. When the media speak of a candidate or officeholder putting a "spin" on a particular issue, they are referring to the politician's attempt to

a. present his actions or stance on an issue in the most favorable light possibleb. honestly and directly answer the questions presented by the mediac. shed responsibility for past campaign promisesd. blame his national platform unpopular programs back homee. avoid answering a particular question

140. The New Hampshire presidential primary is important because a. it is an early test of candidate supportb. the candidates get to meet many people face to facec. the focus is on issues rather than the cadidate's personalityd. the media coverage is less intense than other primariese. the state represents a good cross-section of the country

141. Arguments in support of eliminating the electoral college include

I. The electoral college is biased in favor of big statesII. The electoral college is undemocratic because the winner of the popular

vote may not become president

III. The electors do not represent the American people as a wholeIV. The electoral college gives an unfair advantage to wealthy candidates

a. I only b. II only c. II and IV onlyd. I, II, and III only e. I and II only

142. A primary in which a registered Democrat can ask for a Republican ballot is aA. presidential primaryB. open primaryC. closed primaryD. blanket primaryE. proportional representation primary

143. The Supreme Court in Buckley v. Valeo (1976) ruled thatA. limits on a candidate’s use of personal money was unconstitutionalB. limits on individuals’ contributions violated the 1st AmendmentC. labor union contributions were protected under the right of associationD. federal matching funds had to be made available for state racesE. contributions to political parties for voter registration drives were valid

144. The campaign staff a presidential candidate puts together includes all of the following EXCEPT

A. a pollsterB. a media specialistC. a foreign policy consultantD. a domestic policy consultantE. a political action committee chair

145. In comparing congressional and presidential elections, which of the following is NOT valid?

I. The power of incumbency is stronger in congressional racesII. Congressional candidates get no federal matching fundsIII. Presidential campaigns are considerably longerIV. The money spent on congressional and presidential campaigns

Remain stable

A. I only B. I and II only C. I, II, and III onlyD. IV only E. II and IV only

146. The key factor in retrospective voting isA. party affiliationB. candidate appealC. candidate/party performanceD. self-interestE. media coverage

147. In what way did the Supreme Court decision in Buckley v. Valeo help the presidential

aspirations of Ross Perot in 1992?A. The amount of money a corporation could contribute to a candidate was decreasedB. It became easier for a candidate to get on the ballot in all fifty statesC. Limits on the money an individual could contribute to their own campaign

were eliminatedD. Federal matching funds were approved for presidential primariesE. Soft money could not be used for issue ads

148. An open primary is a primary in whichA. voters registered as “independents” may not voteB. candidates do not specify the office for which they are runningC. voters may register at their polling place on election dayD. candidates need not announce their candidacy until the day of the primaryE. voters may vote in the election of a party other than the one to which they

are registered

149. Which of the following describes an unintended result of the Federal Election Campaign Act pf 1974?

A. Limits were placed on the amount of money individuals could donate to a federal election campaign

B. Federal funding became available to presidential candidates who agreed to abide by spending limits

C. Candidates drastically decreased the amount of spending for television advertisingD. Thousands of political action committees were created to raise funds for candidatesE. The number of third-party campaigns for the presidency decreased dramatically