Font size
Worksheetsch. 10-11 review
Total questions: 163
Worksheet time: 1hrs 22mins
In 1789, who had the right to vote in America?
White male property owners
All citizens over 18
Only women
African Americans
What was the main cause of the expansion of voting rights in America?
The elimination of suffrage restrictions
The shift of power from the Federal Government to the States
The increase in property ownership
The decrease in the voting age
Which amendment eliminated restrictions based on race in 1870?
13th Amendment
24th Amendment
19th Amendment
15th Amendment
What is gerrymandering?
The drawing of electoral district lines to limit a particular group's voting strength
The practice of voter intimidation
The process of counting votes
The act of voting multiple times
Which act set up the Civil Rights Commission to investigate voter discrimination claims?
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Civil Rights Act of 1957
Civil Rights Act of 1960
What did the Voting Rights Act of 1965 forbid?
The extension of voting rights to all citizens over 18
The use of injunctions to ensure voting rights
Practices that prevented qualified voters from using the polls
The application of the 15th Amendment to all elections
What did the Voting Rights Act of 1965 give the Department of Justice the right to do?
Approve new election laws
Investigate voter discrimination claims
Set up the Civil Rights Commission
Apply the 15th Amendment to all elections
In 2013, what did the Supreme Court invalidate from the Voting Rights Act?
The use of injunctions to ensure voting rights
The extension of voting rights to all citizens over 18
The preclearance provision
The application of the 15th Amendment
What did the 19th Amendment add to the American electorate in 1920?
White male property owners
All citizens over 18
Women
African Americans
What did the 24th Amendment dictate in 1964?
States could not deny anyone eighteen or older the right to vote
States could not make the payment of a tax a condition for voting
States could not restrict suffrage based on race
States could not deny women the right to vote
What did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 emphasize?
The use of injunctions to ensure voting rights
The investigation of voter discrimination claims
The prevention of eligible citizens from being kept from voting
The application of the 15th Amendment to all elections
What did the Civil Rights Act of 1960 call for?
Federal referees to help all eligible people to register and vote in federal elections
The application of the 15th Amendment to all elections
The use of injunctions to ensure voting rights
The prevention of eligible citizens from being kept from voting
What did the Civil Rights Act of 1957 set up?
The Civil Rights Commission to investigate voter discrimination claims
The prevention of eligible citizens from being kept from voting
The application of the 15th Amendment to all elections
Federal referees to help all eligible people to register and vote in federal elections
What did the 15th Amendment establish in 1870?
The right to vote may not be denied because of race
The right to vote may not be denied because of age
The right to vote may not be denied because of gender
The right to vote may not be denied because of property ownership
What was the struggle to extend voting rights in the early 1800s?
To shift power from the States to the Federal Government
To prevent States from restricting suffrage
To ensure African American voting rights
To eliminate restrictions based on religion and property
What are the three factors based on which a person must satisfy qualifications to vote?
Citizenship, language, age
Citizenship, residence, age
Residence, education, age
Citizenship, residence, literacy
Who is generally denied the right to vote in the United States?
Naturalized citizens
Permanent residents
Aliens
Foreign-born residents
What is the age at which a State may not deny a person the right to vote?
21
25
18
30
How many States require voter registration?
48
49
50
47
What is the act of signing up with local election officials called?
Election enrollment
Polling
Voter registration
Voter verification
What do State officials periodically review and purge?
Citizenship records
Poll books
Voter registration forms
Residence documents
Which requirement is not needed for voting in any State?
Residence
Citizenship
Poll tax
Literacy
Who is denied the right to vote in all States?
People in mental institutions
Foreign-born residents
Transients
Permanent residents
What do most States deny the right to vote to anyone who has been convicted of?
A misdemeanor
A traffic violation
A serious crime
A civil offense
Which State does not require voter registration?
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
What is the power to set suffrage qualifications left to by the Constitution's Framers?
Federal government
Local government
Election officials
State government
What is the practice meant to give people time to get to know the State's issues and prevent outsiders from affecting local elections?
Citizenship requirement
Purging
Residence requirement
Voter registration
What is the requirement to be a legal resident of the State in which a person wishes to vote?
Citizenship
Residence
Age
Literacy
What is the requirement to have lived in a State for a certain period of time before being able to vote there meant to prevent?
Political interference
Election manipulation
Voter fraud
Outsiders from affecting local elections
What is the tax paid for voting that is not required by any State?
Income tax
Property tax
Sales tax
Poll tax
What is one reason for low voter turnout in off-year elections?
Media bias
Influence of special interest groups
Lack of interest in politics
Lack of feeling of political efficacy
What is the phenomenon called when voters do not vote the entire ballot?
Election fatigue
Political disillusionment
Voter apathy
Ballot fatigue
Which sociological factor influences a person's voting choices based on their occupation and income?
Gender
Education
Religion
Region of residence
What is the term for loyalty to a political party?
Political allegiance
Party identification
Political affiliation
Party loyalty
What is the practice called when a person votes only for candidates of one party?
Split-ticket voting
Nonpartisan voting
Straight-ticket voting
Independent voting
What is the process by which people gain their political attitudes and opinions?
Political persuasion
Political conditioning
Political indoctrination
Political socialization
What is the term for the measurable differences between the electoral choices of men and women?
Voter disparity
Gender gap
Gender divide
Electoral gender bias
What is the perception of the candidates and issues considered as in voter behavior?
Economic factor
Political factor
Psychological factor
Sociological factor
What is the term for people not identified with a political party?
Independent
Nonpartisan
Neutral
Bipartisan
What is the term for voting for candidates from more than one major party in the same election?
Straight-ticket voting
Split-ticket voting
Cross-party voting
Multi-party voting
What is the reason for many nonvoters to not feel that their votes make a difference?
Media influence
Political disillusionment
Lack of interest in politics
Special interest groups
What is the term for government by the people being taken over by politicians, special interest groups, and the media?
Political corruption
Government control
Political manipulation
Political takeover
What is the term for the process of gaining political attitudes and opinions?
Political socialization
Political indoctrination
Political persuasion
Political conditioning
What is the device by which voters register their choices in an election?
Polling place
Precinct
Secret ballot
Voting machine
When are most States elections for State offices held?
First Tuesday in November
Second Tuesday in November
Last Tuesday in November
First Monday in November
What is the coattail effect in elections?
When a strong candidate helps attract voters to other candidates on the party's ticket
When a candidate's popularity has no impact on other candidates
When a weak candidate attracts voters to other candidates on the party's ticket
When a candidate's popularity only affects the top of the ballot
What is a precinct in the context of elections?
A voting machine
A voting district
A polling place
A ballot
What is the Australian ballot?
A ballot printed at public expense
A ballot given out only at the polls
A ballot listing candidates in a group by office
A ballot marked in secret
What is absentee voting in elections?
Voting by those unable to get to their regular polling places
Voting by those who are not registered voters
Voting by those who are out of the country
Voting by those who are under 18 years old
What is the purpose of early voting in elections?
To allow voters to cast ballots before the official election day
To allow voters to cast multiple ballots
To allow voters to cast ballots after the official election day
To allow voters to change their ballots after casting them
What is the percentage of votes cast on some type of voting machine in national elections?
Exactly 100%
Less than 25%
Around 50%
Over 75%
What is mail-in balloting in elections?
Voting at the polling place
Voting using a voting machine
Voting by filling out a ballot at home and mailing it back to election officials
Voting by sending a representative to cast a ballot
What does federal law regulate in presidential and congressional elections?
State and local elections
Voting districts and precincts
Candidates and their campaigns
Dates and some other aspects
What is the role of Congress in setting the date for national and Congressional elections?
It sets the date for national and Congressional elections
It has no role in setting the date
It only regulates the use of secret ballots
It sets the date for State elections
What is the purpose of the use of secret ballots in elections?
To protect the right to vote
To allow voters to change their ballots after casting them
To prevent voters from knowing the election results
To ensure that only registered voters can cast their ballots
What is the function of a polling place in elections?
To count the votes
To locate the precinct
To register voters
To allow voters to cast their ballots
What is the purpose of a party-column ballot in elections?
To list candidates in a group by office
To list candidates by party
To mark the ballot in secret
To give out only at the polls
What is the method of casting a ballot that does not require any type of voting machine?
Absentee voting
Early voting
Mail-in balloting
Voting at the polling place
What is the process by which people learn ideas and develop opinions about political issues?
Political segregation
Political manipulation
Political socialization
Political revolution
Which of the following is NOT an important factor in developing political opinions?
Race
Occupation
Family
None of the above
What are the means of communication that have a huge impact on the formation of public opinion?
Billboards and posters
Television and the Internet
Newspapers and radio
Books and magazines
Who are the groups of people with whom one regularly associates and usually share political opinions?
Political parties
Peer groups
Family members
Interest groups
Who are the people who can strongly influence the views of others and hold public office?
Public officials
Media personalities
Political analysts
Opinion leaders
What are the private organizations that work to shape public policy?
Public officials
Interest groups
Media outlets
Political parties
What is the term used to describe instructions from the constituency based on election results?
Constituency resolution
Political consensus
Government directive
Public mandate
What are devices that collect information through questioning to measure public opinion?
Public opinion polls
Opinion surveys
Political debates
Public forums
What is the process of breaking the polling process into steps to ensure accuracy?
Straw voting
Quota sampling
Random sampling
Scientific polling
Which type of sample is one in which members of the chosen universe are equally likely to be picked?
Random sample
Convenience sample
Quota sample
Judgment sample
What are the most difficult things to measure in public opinion polls?
Intensity, stability, and relevance of opinions
Accuracy, precision, and consistency of responses
Influence, persuasion, and manipulation of attitudes
Consensus, diversity, and variability of views
What can polls create when some voters jump on the bandwagon to be with the candidate who is ahead in the polls?
Primacy effect
Halo effect
Confirmation bias
Bandwagon effect
What are the most useful tools for measuring public opinion despite criticisms?
Public forums
Opinion surveys
Political debates
Public opinion polls
Which of the following is NOT a criticism of public opinion polls?
Reflecting total population
Inaccurate measurement
Creating bandwagon effect
Shaping opinions
What is the term used to describe the population the poll aims to measure?
Category
Sample
Universe
Segment
What is the plural form of the word 'medium'?
Mediums
Medias
Mediumies
Media
Which mass media has the most influence in American politics?
Newspapers
Radio
Magazines
Television
What has dramatically altered the way Americans acquire news?
Television
Newspapers
Internet
Radio
Which of the following has become an important tool for fundraising and mobilizing supporters in American politics?
Magazines
Newspapers
Social media networks
Television
What is the term used for focused, snappy statements that can be aired in thirty-five or forty-five seconds?
Excerpts
Clips
Quotes
Sound bites
What has reduced the importance of political parties in American politics?
Internet
Television
Radio
Magazines
What has reemerged in the last decade or so in American politics?
Partisan press
Nontraditional cable television news channels
Conservative talk radio
All of the above
What do few people actually follow carefully in the media?
Sports news
Political issues
Celebrity news
Entertainment news
What do many Democrats and Republicans tend to do regarding their media consumption?
None of the above
Watch, listen to, or read sources with contrary opinions
Watch, listen to, or read their favorite sources
Avoid watching, listening to, or reading any news
What is the central role of the media in elections?
All of the above
Setting the public agenda
Mobilizing supporters
Fundraising
What has disappeared as news became more nationalized in the early part of the twentieth century?
Radio
Internet
Partisan press
Television
What has the Internet taken a step further in transforming the way Americans acquire news?
Television
Newspapers
Radio
Social networking sites
What has become important in uniting political activists worldwide?
Social media networks
Television
Newspapers
Radio
What has a large part in setting the public agenda?
Books
Political parties
Mass media
Social media networks
What has a limited influence in some ways?
The media
Newspapers
Radio
Television
What is the main goal of interest groups?
To influence public policy
To select policy makers
To organize public demonstrations
To form political parties
What is the primary concern of political parties?
What the government does
Who takes part in government
How to influence public policy
How to organize interest groups
What is the controversial role of interest groups in politics?
Limiting each other's extremes
Stimulating interest in public affairs
Providing useful information to the government
Having more influence than they deserve
What is the purpose of interest groups reaching out to the public?
To gain support for their causes
To build a positive image for their group
To promote the public policies they favor
All of the above
What is the direct approach used by interest groups to influence public officials?
Grass-roots pressures
Propaganda
Lobbying
Campaign contributions
What is the primary means by which the American Civil Liberties Union seeks to influence public policy?
Legal action
Lobbying
Grass-roots pressures
Campaign contributions
What is the term for organized pressure from citizens at large to influence public officials?
Campaign contributions
Grass-roots pressures
Propaganda
Lobbying
What technique of persuasion aimed at influencing individual or group behaviors do interest groups often use?
Grass-roots pressures
Propaganda
Lobbying
Campaign contributions
What do interest groups use to raise campaign funds for candidates whom they think will further their goals?
Political action committees
Lobbying
Legal action
Grass-roots pressures
What is the term for an interest group filing a brief in a case to which it is not itself a party but in which it does have a stake?
Grass-roots pressures
Lobbying
Amicus curiae brief
Legal action
What do interest groups try to influence political parties to do?
Limit each other's extremes
Select policy makers
Get policy makers elected who favor their position
Promote public policies
What do some interest groups form to raise campaign funds for candidates?
Lobbying groups
Legal action committees
Political action committees
Grass-roots pressures
What is the term for the process by which organized interests attempt to affect the decisions and actions of public officials?
Lobbying
Legal action
Grass-roots pressures
Campaign contributions
What do lobbyists do to persuade public officials to do those things that interest groups want them to do?
All of the above
Write speeches
Provide information
Make campaign contributions
What is the primary interest represented by most interest groups?
Environmental interests
Labor interests
Business interests
Veterans interests
What are the two major political parties in the United States?
Labour and Conservative
Whigs and Tories
Republicans and Democrats
Green and Libertarian
What is the primary function of the national convention of a political party?
Conducting election campaigns
Drafting party manifestos
Organizing local party units
Selecting the party's presidential and vice-presidential nominees
What is the main purpose of political parties in a democratic government?
Controlling government by winning elections
Suppressing public participation
Eliminating opposition parties
Promoting dictatorship
What is the impact of minor parties on American politics?
Acting as critics and innovators
Strengthening the major parties
Supporting the status quo
Promoting bipartisanship
What is the weakness of a multiparty system?
It promotes extreme ideologies
One party is often unable to win the support of a majority of the voters
It leads to excessive government control
It discourages political participation
What is the role of economic protest parties in American politics?
Advocating for socialist reforms
Supporting the economic policies of the major parties
Promoting economic inequality
Criticizing the economic actions and plans of the major parties
What is the main reason for the existence of a two-party system in the United States?
Influence of foreign political systems
Prevalence of single-member districts
Strong government control
Lack of political diversity
What is the function of campaign committees in each house of Congress?
Conducting foreign policy negotiations
Reelecting incumbents and ensuring open seats remain in the party
Drafting legislative bills
Overseeing judicial appointments
What is the purpose of single-issue parties in American politics?
Supporting the major parties' agendas
Focusing on one public policy matter
Advocating for multiple policy issues
Promoting bipartisan cooperation
What is the impact of strong third-party candidates in elections?
Strengthening the major parties' positions
Encouraging voter turnout
Playing the 'spoiler' role by weakening a major party's ability to win
Promoting political stability
What is the main function of political parties in nominating candidates for public office?
Presenting candidates to the voters and gathering support for them
Suppressing voter participation
Promoting political apathy
Selecting candidates based on personal preferences
What is the role of parties in ensuring that their candidates and officeholders are qualified and of good character?
Linking the people and their wishes to government action
Performing well in office
Acting as government watchdogs
Informing and inspiring the people to participate in public affairs
What is the main reason for the decentralized nature of the two major parties?
Lack of party leadership
Strong government control
Influence of foreign political systems
Result of the nominating process
What is the primary role of the party out of power in a government?
Keeping a close eye on the policies and behavior of the party in power
Promoting the policies of the party in power
Supporting the party in power
Advocating for political extremism
What is the main impact of splinter parties in American politics?
Drawing attention to controversial issues
Suppressing political diversity
Promoting political conformity
Strengthening the major parties
What is the process of naming candidates who will seek office called?
Selection
Appointment
Nomination
Election
Which of the following is NOT a way in which nominations are made in the United States?
Caucus
Referendum
Direct primary
Self-announcement
In which type of primary can any voter vote in one party's primary?
Open primary
Closed primary
Runoff primary
Blanket primary
What is the election held within a party to pick its candidates called?
By-election
General election
Primary election
Special election
Which type of primary was ruled unconstitutional in 2000?
Blanket primary
Runoff primary
Open primary
Closed primary
In which type of election are candidates not identified by party?
Primary election
Special election
Partisan election
Nonpartisan election
Which type of nomination is found most widely at the local level?
Nomination by petition
Direct primary
Convention
Caucus
In which type of primary must a candidate get more than half the votes to win?
Runoff primary
Blanket primary
Open primary
Closed primary
Which type of election is used for filling most elected school and municipal offices?
Nonpartisan election
Primary election
Partisan election
Special election
Which type of nomination requires a candidate to get a certain number of qualified voters to sign a petition?
Nomination by petition
Caucus
Convention
Direct primary
In which type of primary can voters choose among all contenders, regardless of party?
Closed primary
Open primary
Blanket primary
Runoff primary
Which type of nomination is used chiefly for nonpartisan school posts and municipal offices in medium-sized and smaller communities?
Nomination by petition
Caucus
Convention
Direct primary
Which type of primary requires the two top vote-getters to hold a runoff primary if no candidate succeeds in getting more than half the votes?
Blanket primary
Closed primary
Open primary
Runoff primary
Which type of primary generally only allows registered party members to vote?
Open primary
Closed primary
Runoff primary
Blanket primary
Which type of nomination is made by a group of like-minded people nominating a candidate?
Direct primary
Convention
Caucus
Nomination by petition
What is the purpose of a national convention for political parties?
To target swing voters and battleground States
To hold preference primaries
To adopt a platform and vote for candidates
To select the President and Vice President directly
How do many States help decide which delegates will go to the national conventions?
By holding preference primaries
By using a district system to allot electoral votes
By selecting delegates in local caucuses
Through winner-take-all contests
What is the purpose of a caucus in the presidential election process?
To adopt a platform and vote for candidates
To select the President and Vice President directly
To hold preference primaries
To select delegates to the national convention
What is the role of swing voters in the presidential campaigns?
To hold preference primaries
To select the President and Vice President directly
To adopt a platform and vote for candidates
To target swing voters and battleground States
When is the presidential campaign held?
Every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November
Every two years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November
Every four years on the first Monday after the first Tuesday in November
Every two years on the first Monday after the first Tuesday in November
What happens if no candidate receives a majority of the electoral votes?
The Supreme Court decides the President
The Senate elects the President
The House of Representatives elects the President
The candidate with the most popular votes becomes President
What is a problem with the electoral college system?
The electoral votes are divided according to voter distribution
The winner of the popular vote may not become President
A strong third-party candidate cannot win enough votes
The electoral votes are divided according to State population
What is the district plan as a method of changing the electoral system?
A plan to give a national bonus to the winning candidate
A plan to allot electoral votes using a district system
A plan to divide electoral votes according to State population
A plan to bring about the direct popular election of the President
What is the purpose of the national popular vote plan?
To divide electoral votes according to State population
To bring about the direct popular election of the President
To allot electoral votes using a district system
To give a national bonus to the winning candidate
What is the role of the House of Representatives in the presidential election process?
To select the President and Vice President directly
To adopt a platform and vote for candidates
To elect the President if no candidate receives a majority of the electoral votes
To hold preference primaries
What is the outcome of a winner-take-all contest in a State primary?
The winner gets a share of delegate votes
The winner becomes the President directly
The winner gains the votes of all State delegates at the convention
The winner gets a national bonus
What is the purpose of the keynote address at a national convention?
To select the President and Vice President directly
To adopt a platform and vote for candidates
To give an opening speech glorifying the party and its leaders
To hold preference primaries
What is the role of the presidential electors in the electoral college system?
To cast votes for a particular candidate based on the popular votes
To adopt a platform and vote for candidates
To hold preference primaries
To select the President and Vice President directly
What is the timing of the presidential primaries important for?
To select the President and Vice President directly
To adopt a platform and vote for candidates
To hold preference primaries
To determine the length of the election season
What is the role of the Democratic Party in the presidential primaries?
To select delegates in local caucuses
To target swing voters and battleground States
To hold winner-take-all contests
To use a complex system of proportional representation
Where do parties and candidates draw their money from?
Federal and State treasuries
Public treasury and political action committees
Private contributors and public treasury
Political action committees and individuals
What are PACs in the context of campaign finance?
Grants of money from federal or State treasuries
Political arms of special-interest groups
Public financing for presidential elections
Unaffiliated with any political party
What is the purpose of public subsidies received by presidential candidates?
To raise and spend unlimited amounts
To fund party-building activities
To provide public financing for the presidential election process
To disclose campaign finance data
Which law attempted to close the 'soft money' loophole in the 1974 and 1976 statutes?
McConnell v. FEC in 2003
FECA Amendments of 1974
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971
What is the main responsibility of the Federal Election Commission (FEC)?
To disclose campaign finance data
To raise and spend unlimited amounts
To administer all federal campaign laws
To work directly with a candidate’s campaign
What are Super PACs allowed to do that traditional PACs are not?
Administer all federal campaign laws
Work directly with a candidate’s campaign
Reveal their donors
Raise and spend unlimited amounts
What is the purpose of the Presidential Election Campaign Fund?
To disclose campaign finance data
To raise and spend unlimited amounts
To provide public financing for the presidential election process
To place limits on campaign contributions
What are 527 organizations allowed to do in terms of raising funds?
Place limits on campaign contributions
Work directly with a candidate’s campaign
Reveal their donors
Raise and spend unlimited amounts
What was the controversial ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission?
Unions and corporations are not allowed to spend money on federal elections
Unions and corporations have a right to spend money on federal elections
Unions and corporations have a right to raise unlimited sums of money
Unions and corporations are not allowed to raise unlimited sums of money
What trend is unlikely to be reversed any time soon in terms of campaign finance?
The limits on campaign contributions
The timely disclosure of campaign finance data
The public financing for the presidential election process
The exploitation of the soft-money loophole
What is the main purpose of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971?
To provide public financing for the presidential election process
To place limits on campaign contributions
To require the timely disclosure of campaign finance data
To raise and spend unlimited amounts
What is the main impact of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002?
To provide public financing for the presidential election process
To place limits on campaign contributions
To require the timely disclosure of campaign finance data
To raise and spend unlimited amounts
What is the main impact of the FECA Amendments of 1974 and 1976?
To place limits on campaign contributions
To raise and spend unlimited amounts
To require the timely disclosure of campaign finance data
To provide public financing for the presidential election process
What is the main impact of the McConnell v. FEC ruling in 2003?
To place limits on campaign contributions
To require the timely disclosure of campaign finance data
To raise and spend unlimited amounts
To provide public financing for the presidential election process
What is the main impact of the Revenue Act of 1971?
To raise and spend unlimited amounts
To require the timely disclosure of campaign finance data
To provide public financing for the presidential election process
To place limits on campaign contributions
