1. Which of the following statements about recruiting candidates is true?
a. Recruiting candidates is easier for Republicans.
b. Recruiting candidates is easier for higher offices with more prestige.
c. Recruiting candidates is harder for the office of register of deeds.
d. Recruiting candidates is harder for the office of county treasurer.
e. Recruiting candidates is easier for local offices than any other.
2. The people who wanted to be the Republican candidate in the 2012 presidential campaign first needed to raise
enough funds to
a. win the title of highest-funded candidate.
b. put up billboards in urban areas.
c. run for local office.
d. tour the nation to see if they had enough local supporters.
e. air attack ads on television.
3. Constitutionally, the President must be
a. a citizen for at least twenty-one years.
b. a citizen for at least thirty-five years.
c. a naturalized immigrant to the United States.
d. at least twenty-one years old.
e. at least thirty-five years old.
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4. As detailed in the Constitution, the formal requirements for the office of senator include that he or she must be
a. a citizen for at least seven years.
b. a natural-born citizen.
c. a resident of the state from which elected.
d. a resident of a different state from the president.
e. at least twenty-five years old.
5. The qualifications for state legislators are
a. set by the state constitutions.
b. set by the U.S. Constitution.
c. usually higher for those in the lower chamber of the legislature.
d. usually much more stringent than the legal qualifications for serving as governor.
e. usually just an age requirement.
6. Which of the following statements about political officeholders is true?
a. Officeholders represent the general public.
b. Officeholders are fairly evenly divided between men and women.
c. Officeholders are mostly white and male.
d. Officeholders are diverse, racially and ethnically speaking.
e. Officeholders are Roman Catholics.
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7. As a result of ______, the number of African American public officials has increased throughout the United States.
a. improved educational opportunities
b. public-awareness campaigns
c. the Tenth Amendment
d. major civil rights legislation in the 1960s
e. decreasing interest in holding political office among whites
8. With regard to candidates for office, all of the following are true EXCEPT
a. until recently, women were considered to be appropriate candidates only for lower-level offices.
b. today, only 35 percent of Americans say they would vote for a qualified woman for president.
c. most candidates are white and male.
d. the number of women running for office is increasing.
e. candidates are likely to be professionals.
9. Which of the following statements best describe why lawyers are more likely to campaign for and hold political
office?
a. They have more flexible schedules, and political involvement can make a valuable contribution to their
careers.
b. The patients they see can wait for them, or see other professionals.
c. They usually have summers off, which aids in campaigning.
d. The money they make in political office is usually far more than what they make as blue collar workers.
e. The connections they make in politics allow them to easily become CEOs when they eventually leave.
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10. State and national candidates are typically nominated through a
a. general election.
b. primary election.
c. judicial appointment.
d. runoff election.
e. party leader appointment.
11. Before the advent of ______, a strong party organization at the local, state, or national level could furnish most of
the services candidates needed.
a. Democratic dominance
b. widespread political scandal
c. political apathy
d. television campaigning
e. print media campaigning
12. Why do campaigns no longer depend on political parties?
a. Election laws make political parties irrelevant.
b. Many candidates become liberals.
c. Fewer people identify with them.
d. Many candidates become independents.
e. Interest groups regulate campaign expenditures.
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13. In 1954, fewer than 20 percent of adults identified themselves as ______, whereas today that share is about 40
percent.
a. Republicans
b. Democrats
c. Libertarians
d. Socialists
e. Independents
14. Today, in national elections, most campaign tasks are handled by
a. former successful politicians.
b. professionals who donate their time for free.
c. amateur politicians.
d. paid professionals.
e. volunteers.
15. The job of a political consultant may include all of the following EXCEPT
a. choosingthecandidate’sofficialportrait.
b. choosing campaign colors.
c. overseeing campaign advertising.
d. nominating a candidate for office.
e. devising a campaign strategy.
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16. If a candidate is a highly visible incumbent seeking reelection,
a. name recognition may be a serious problem.
b. they should leave the major parties and run as an independent.
c. theremaybelittleneedforcampaigningexcepttoremindthevotersoftheofficeholder’sgooddeeds.
d. the strategy will be to keep as low a profile as possible.
e. the incumbent must devote almost every moment to campaigning to avoid seeming overly confident and
arrogant.
17. Tracking polls are
a. taken on a nearly daily basis as the election approaches.
b. used by the government to determine if candidates receive illegal contributions.
c. only relevant early in the campaign.
d. usually not reliable sources of information.
e. taken only by the regular pollsters (such as Roper, Harris, and Gallup).
18. Which of the following best describes a focus group?
a. A poll carried out on a regular basis to analyze long-term trends
b. When professional consultants organize a discussion about candidates or certain political issues among small
groups of ordinary citizens
c. Phone calls that are made to certain likely voters
d. A group that measures the national mood
e. A census taken of a group
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19. In 2012, total campaign spending for ______ reached $2.6 billion.
a. the presidential candidates alone
b. the presidential and congressional candidates
c. all national and state candidates for office combined
d. all national, state, and local candidates for office combined
e. the candidates for governor of California
20. The Hatch Act of 1939 is best known for
a. facilitating the growth of political action committees.
b. placing no limit on overall campaign spending.
c. restricting the political activities of civil servants.
d. being the first law designed to regulate campaign financing.
e. its many loopholes and general ineffectiveness.
21. Which Supreme Court ruling limited the amount that candidates could spend on their own campaigns, but was later
found unconstitutional?
a. Citizens United v. FEC (2010)
b. Buckley v. Valeo (1976)
c. The Hatch Act of 1939
d. The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971
e. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002
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22. Reforms to the Federal Election Campaign Act in 1974 did NOT
a. limit campaign contributions.
b. provide public funding for presidential elections.
c. provide public funding for congressional elections.
d. require disclosure of contributions and spending.
e. create the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
23. Which of the following statements about the Buckley v. Valeo case is true?
a. The Supreme Court ruled that issue advocacy advertising was unconstitutional.
b. The Supreme Court ruled that the use of focus groups in political campaigns was unconstitutional.
c. The Supreme Court got rid of the Federal Election Commission.
d. The Supreme Court ruled that the amount candidates could spend on their own campaigns cannot be limited.
e. The Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to restrict in any way the amount congressional
candidates could spend on their own behalf.
24. A committee set up by and representing a corporation, labor union, or special interest group to raise campaign
donations is a
a. focus group.
b. political action committee.
c. volunteer clearinghouse.
d. special interest committee.
e. political party organization.
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25. The number of political action committees (PACs)
a. has remained stable since the 1970s.
b. grew after 1976 but declined in the 1990s.
c. grew significantly after 1976 but has leveled off since the 1990s.
d. grew significantly between 1900 and 1950 but leveled off in the 1960s.
e. has grown exponentially since 1976 to more than 20,000 today.
26. “Softmoney”inpoliticalcampaignsisbestdescribedas
a. campaign contributions made by foreigners.
b. matching grants made by the federal government.
c. small campaign donations.
d. campaign contributions to political parties that escaped limits of federal or state election law.
e. money obtained from illegal sources.
27. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 banned
a. soft money contributions to national parties.
b. campaign ads by special interest groups.
c. independent expenditures by special interests.
d. the practice of lobbying.
e. interference in presidential elections by the Federal Election Commission.
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28. Independent expenditures by special interests are
a. coordinatedbylawwithacandidate’scampaign.
b. unregulated political expenditures by PACs, organizations, and individuals that are not coordinated with
candidate campaigns or political parties.
c. only allowed by labor and agricultural interests, not business interests.
d. less important in the 2004 elections than in previous election years.
e. no longer visible during modern political campaigns.
29. Whichofthefollowingstatementsabout“527”groupsistrue?
a. They have not impacted campaigns.
b. They were named after the number of members legally required to form the group.
c. They run issue ads to energize voters.
d. They must pay taxes which fund elections.
e. They are no longer active.
30. Advertisingpaidforbyinterestgroupsthatsupportoropposeacandidate(oracandidate’spositiononanissue)
without mentioning voting or elections is called
a. a PAC advertisement.
b. a soft-money contribution.
c. issue advocacy advertising.
d. a hard-money expenditure.
e. payola profiteering and pilfering.
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31. Under the 2010 Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC,
a. corporations and unions are allowed to make direct contributions of $100,000 or less to candidates.
b. corporations and unions are allowed to make direct contributions of any amount to candidates.
c. corporations and unions are banned from spending money on issue ads.
d. corporations and unions are limited to spending $100,000 per issue ad.
e. corporations and unions are allowed to spend whatever they wish on issue ads.
32. When or why were primary elections were first mandated?
a. Primary elections were mandated by President Andrew Jackson.
b. Primaryelectionswereconductedtoeliminatethepracticeof“beautycontests.”
c. Primary elections strengthen the influence of party bosses.
d. Primary elections started in 1968 in Chicago.
e. Primary elections started in 1904 in Wisconsin.
33. A meeting of party members designed to select candidates and propose policies is called
a. an open primary.
b. a caucus.
c. a winner-take-all primary.
d. a local election.
e. a blanket primary.
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34. Superdelegates are
a. partyleadersorelectedofficialswhoaregiventherighttovoteattheparty’snationalconvention.
b. the five delegates who raise the most money for the party.
c. no longer permitted at national conventions.
d. elected at the state level.
e. appointed by the president.
35. Candidates in state and local elections are mostly chosen by
a. who looks the best on TV.
b. Republican Party caucuses.
c. superdelegates from the Democratic Party.
d. direct primaries.
e. indirect primaries.
36. In 2012, most Republican Party presidential primaries and caucuses allocated delegates
a. in a 70/30 split between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
b. on a winner-take-all basis.
c. on a proportional basis.
d. accordingtotheresultsof“beautycontests.”
e. according to the results of a poll among superdelegates.
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37. When only declared party members can vote in a primary election, it is called
a. a closed primary.
b. an open primary.
c. a run-off primary.
d. a blanket primary.
e. a caucus.
38. Which of the following best describes an open primary?
a. Voters are allowed to vote for any candidate of their own political party.
b. Voters can vote in either party primary without disclosing their party affiliation.
c. Candidates have to compete in a single election of the top two vote-getters.
d. The vote takes place on only one day.
e. Voters can vote in a party caucus.
39. When the top two candidates in a primary compete in another primary for a majority of votes, it is called
a. a closed primary.
b. an open primary.
c. a run-off primary.
d. a blanket primary.
e. a caucus.
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40. The process in which more and more states move their primaries into the first months of the year is known as
a. impact-minimization.
b. holdinga“toptwo”primary.
c. holding blanket primaries.
d. front-running.
e. front-loading.
41. What does each poltical party use to determine which delegates may participate in the national convention?
a. A grassroots coalition
b. A caucus committee
c. A credentials committee
d. A secret ballot
e. A“beautycontest”
42. The selection of electors is governed by
a. the Bill of Rights.
b. the Freedom of Information Act.
c. the National Electoral College Selection Act.
d. local laws.
e. state laws.
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43. The number of members each state will have in the Electoral College
a. cannot exceed fifty members.
b. cannot be changed without a constitutional amendment.
c. changes every four years.
d. equalsthatstate’snumberofsenatorsplusitsnumberofrepresentatives.
e. is the same so as to ensure that each state plays an equal role in selecting the president of the United States.
44. The Australian ballot is best described as a
a. secret ballot prepared, distributed, and tabulated by government officials at public expense.
b. color-coded ballot made by the political parties to show poll watchers who a voter is voting for.
c. ballot manufactured in Geneva, Switzerland.
d. voice vote, in lieu of a secret ballot.
e. ballot used by the Democratic Party only.
45. The two major parties prefer a(n) ______ ballot because it encourages straight-ticket voting.
a. absentee
b. oral
c. open
d. party-column
e. office-block ballot
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46. Some observers argue that an excessive concern with voting fraud makes it harder for
a. Republicans to get voted into office.
b. tracking polls to accurately predict election results.
c. people to take election results seriously.
d. women to vote.
e. minorities and poor people to vote.
47. The number of eligible voters who cast ballots on Election Day is referred to as the
a. political education rate.
b. voter turnout.
c. political participation rate.
d. voter dissatisfaction rate.
e. voter impact.
48. Felons and ex-felons, and new immigrants who are not yet citizens, are included in the
a. voting-age population.
b. vote-eligible population.
c. local election turnout numbers.
d. state election turnout numbers.
e. demographics usually targeted by minor parties.
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49. Regarding voter requirements, each state
a. has different qualifications for voting and registration.
b. must have identical voter registration qualifications.
c. can impose residency requirements of any length in order for voters to register.
d. requires voters to register by mail.
e. allows voters to register up to the day of the election.
50. Themostlikelydeterminantofhowpeoplevoteis
a. partyidentification.
b. perceptionofthecandidates.
c. issuepreferences.
d. litmustestsontheabortionissue.
51. Compared to past campaigns, how different is campaigning in the twenty-first century? Use specific examples in
your answer.
52. Explore the strategies devised by interest groups and parties to get around campaign finance reform legislation.
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53. Describe the different kinds of primaries. How does the type of primary, and the timing of primaries, impact election
results?
54. The Electoral College is central to the American presidential electoral system. Explain how it works, when it has
engendered controversial results, the criticisms it has endured, and why it has largely survived since 1804.
55. Describe the two schools of thought concerning the importance of low voter turnout.
56. Explain how the right to vote has been expanded since the Constitution was written.
57. Voter fraud has been considered by some to be a serious issue. What reforms are needed, in your opinion, to set
both qualifications for voting and deter or prevent fraudulent voting?
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58. Some suggest that American adolescence is now widening into the early twenties. Should the voting age, therefore,
be raised to 21 years of age? Why or why not?
59. Many states have prohibited convicted felons from voting. Should this practice be continued, in your opinion? Why
or why not?
60. Describe the factors that influence political preferences. Which appear to be the most important? Why might this
be?
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