CH 11 quiz P SC 1113

A focus group is: a) a small number of ordinary citizens who are observed as they talk with each other about political candidates, issues, and events b) a group of voters a politician tries to sway away from the opposition candidate c) the general name for the group of campaign workers who keep the candidate focused on the message of the campaign d) a targeted segment of voters that politicians believe are crucial for victory

a) a small number of ordinary citizens who are observed as they talk with each other about political candidates, issues, and events

Broadly speaking, campaign finance operates through two parallel systems: a) money given directly to candidates, which is regulated, and money spent outside of the candidate's campaign, which generally is unregulated b) negative advertising and positive advertising c) grassroots systems and astro-turf systems d) money given directly to candidates, which is regulated, and money donated to the candidate from outside the United States, which generally is regulated

a) money given directly to candidates, which is regulated, and money spent outside of the candidate's campaign, which generally is unregulated

Turnout for the 2012 presidential election was about: a) sixty percent b) thirty percent c) seventy-five percent d) nineteen percent

a) sixty percent

Casting a vote is making a prediction about the future: a) that electing one candidate will produce a better outcome in some relevant sense than electing another candidate b)that one candidate will implement the policies you want exactly as you would like c) that your preferred candidate is going to win d) that if you do not vote your preferred candidate is going to lose

a) that electing one candidate will produce a better outcome in some relevant sense than electing another candidate

The assorted demographic and institutional influences on voting produce an electorate: a) in which wealthy, well-educated, older white people are underrepresented and poor, uneducated, young, and nonwhite people are overrepresented b) in which wealthy, well-educated, older white people are overrepresented and poor, uneducated, young, and nonwhite people are underrepresented. c) in which wealthy, well-educated, older white people and poor, uneducated, young, and nonwhite people are equally represented d) in which wealthy, well-educated, older white people and poor, uneducated, young, and nonwhite people are equally underrepresented

b) in which wealthy, well-educated, older white people are overrepresented and poor, uneducated, young, and nonwhite people are underrepresented.

Issue voting is: a) made more difficult by party labels because the typical positions of Republicans and Democrats do not differ in predictable ways on very many issues b) made easier by party labels because the typical positions of Republicans and Democrats differ in predictable ways on many issues c) not affected by party labels d) has been rendered obsolete by party labels

b) made easier by party labels because the typical positions of Republicans and Democrats differ in predictable ways on many issues

The ___________ is the candidate's answer to the voter's question: Why should I vote for this candidate? a) medium b) message c) portfolio d) push poll

b) message

Presidential campaigns begin shortly after the midterm elections, if not earlier, because: a) it is important for the candidates to engage the public while the public is still excited about politics - like right after the midterm elections b) most presidential primaries now take place very early in the election year c) the public is especially tuned in to politics during the fall because of the free time associated with the Thanksgiving Holiday d) presidential candidates are often members of the House, so once the election for the House has ended, the members of the House who want to run for president can focus on that race

b) most presidential primaries now take place very early in the election year

When candidates form relatively stable coalitions with other would-be leaders--that is, combine into political parties--the following is true: a) they in essence fix the elections so they have predetermined outcomes b) they narrow voter choices to a manageable number and simplify voters' choices across offices and over time c) they fail to offer voters meaningfully different choices d) they gerrymander their Senate districts

b) they narrow voter choices to a manageable number and simplify voters' choices across offices and over time

Party labels provide cues for performance voting so voters can easily: a) vote based solely on the performance of the voter's retirement account or other investment b) vote for the in-party when the voter thinks the government is doing well and vote for the out-party when the voter thinks the government is doing badly c)vote in a national election based upon how the voter's municipal officials are performing d) vote at every available election opportunity

b) vote for the in-party when the voter thinks the government is doing well and vote for the out-party when the voter thinks the government is doing badly

Universal suffrage for women was achieved: a) after the Civil War with the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment b) through state-level action alone; the national government has never formally changed the Constitution but has simply reinterpreted it to include women c) in 1920 with the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment d) at the end of World War II with the adoption of the Universal Women's Suffrage Act

c) in 1920 with the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment

One political consultant explained this campaign tactic by saying: "People say they hate _________________. But [this tactic] works. They hate it and they remember it." a) door-to-door campaigning b) a corny ad with babies and flags in it c) negative campaigning d) any celebrity endorsement

c) negative campaigning

The best single predictor of how someone will vote in federal elections is: a) income level b) gender c) party identification d) religion

c) party identification

The most important information shortcut voters use to make predictions is: a) endorsements b) religious affiliation c) party label d) advertisements about specific policy proposals

c) party label

The ultimate barrier to a more egalitarian campaign finance system is: a) the House and Senate unanimously oppose it b) the parties oppose it c) the First Amendment to the Constitution as it is currently interpreted by the Supreme Court d) such a system is expressly prohibited by the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution

c) the First Amendment to the Constitution as it is currently interpreted by the Supreme Court

Elections work to ameliorate the problem of delegation of authority in which of the following ways: a) they give ordinary citizens a say in who represents them b) the prospect of future elections gives officeholders who want to keep their jobs a motive to be responsive agents c) they provide powerful incentives for those who want to replace officeholders to monitor and report on their activities d) all of the above

d) all of the above

In predicting the likely results in a presidential general election, the best indicator of success is which of the following: a) which candidate raised the most money b) which candidate spent the most money c) which candidate spent the most money on negative advertising d) how voters respond to the competing campaign messages

d) how voters respond to the competing campaign messages

Elections allow ordinary citizens to, in aggregate,: a) essentially support the status quo b) express how they feel about government although elected officials do not take the voters' views into account when they make policy choices c) avoid working for the duration of election day d) reward or punish elected officials for their performance in office

d) reward or punish elected officials for their performance in office

Voters who coalesce around causes such as gun control or gun rights are: a) typically just manipulated by a special interest group b) irrational supporters of politicians c) not frequent voters d) single-issue voters

d) single-issue voters

When the goals, tactics, and resources of political entrepreneurs change: a) the level of electoral participation remains constant because, simply, turnout is not directly affected by these activities b) polling lags behind by one or two election cycles before it identifies these changed goals and strategies c) voter participation always increases because these changes agitate the electorate d) the level of electoral participation changes because turnout is directly affected by these activities

d) the level of electoral participation changes because turnout is directly affected by these activities