IDST131 Midterm 2

1. What does Federalist 68 by Hamilton defend?

• The process of electing the President

• The structure of the Senate

• The powers of the Supreme Court

• The rights of individual states

2. Why do we still have the Electoral College? Complexity of the system (difficult to reform one specific feature without touching the rest), political partisanship (dominant parties within each state), legacy of slavery (3/5 compromise gave the south disproportionate power in elections). Even after slavery was abolished, the Electoral College was still a tool for Southern states, which implemented Jim Crow laws to suppress Black voting. Still in place, benefitting less populous/rural states, efforts to amend failed because states are reluctant to give up electoral power.

• Complexity of the system, political partisanship, legacy of slavery, benefits to less populous/rural states

• Only political partisanship

• Only legacy of slavery

• Only benefits to less populous/rural states

3. Who has the most power under the Electoral College? Swing states, candidates work hardest to secure their votes.

• Swing states

• Candidates

• Electoral College

• Voters

What is the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC)?

• An agreement among U.S. states to award electoral votes to the national popular vote winner

• A federal law mandating states to follow the national popular vote

• A proposal to eliminate the Electoral College

• A Supreme Court ruling on electoral votes

5. Why do states wait until the tipping point under NPVIC? Ex. if the national popular vote was republican and California didn't wait until the tipping point, the democratic state would have to award all its electoral votes to the republican candidate.

• To ensure alignment with the national popular vote

• To maintain state autonomy

• To avoid legal challenges

• To support the majority party

6. What does 'one person, one vote' by Smith refer to? Following Baker v. Carr, panel was tasked to develop a set of principles to guide legislative apportionment, established county unit system.

• A principle ensuring equal representation in legislative apportionment

• A method for counting votes in elections

• A system for organizing county units

• A guideline for judicial review processes

7. What is the Neill Primary Act?

• A legislative act related to primary education reforms.

• A historical event in the 19th century.

• A famous novel by Neill.

• A scientific theory proposed by Neill.

The county unit system was established under which act?

• The County Unit Act

• The Federal Election Act

• The State Governance Act

• The Local Administration Act

Explain the county unit system. 8 most populous counties received 6 votes each, 30 next received 4 each, rest received 2 each. Winner of a county's popular votes received all the county's votes. Candidate with the most unit votes won (not statewide popular vote). Populous counties held 40% of state's residents but controlled <12% of unit votes. Rural Democrats said to manipulate the system to weaken urban Republicans.

• The county unit system allowed populous counties to control the majority of unit votes.

• The county unit system gave more power to rural areas over urban areas.

• The county unit system was designed to strengthen urban Republican influence.

• The county unit system ensured equal representation for all counties.

What is the Purcell principle? Courts shouldn't change election laws too close to an election.

• Courts should change election laws close to an election

• Courts shouldn't change election laws too close to an election

• Courts should always change election laws

• Courts shouldn't be involved in election laws