Chapter 5

List and discuss the reasons why campaigns in Texas are so expensive.

.1. Ad slots are expensive 2. importance of texas leading to investment 3. Texas laws allow fundraising to reach significantly high levels relative to other states 4. significant resources are required to reach voters

Texas ranks ________ in the nation in voter participation.

50th

Approximately what percentage of the state's voting-age population is registered to vote?

79 percent

Which of the following is the largest expense for most campaigns?

Advertising

Dates for special elections are specified by the Texas Secretary of State, who oversees and administers all elections in Texas.

False

Early voting was adopted in Texas to increase the chances of Republican candidates being elected to office.

False

General elections in Texas are always held on the third Tuesday of November.

False

It is relatively easy for an independent candidate to get on the Texas ballot.

False

Only the federal government can set the requirements for getting on the ballot.

False

Over time, early voting has favored the Democratic Party.

False

Primaries are the final elections to be held in the election cycle.

False

Reapportionment involves the determination of how district lines will be drawn in each state for the state legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives.

False

Special elections are used to ratify amendments to the Texas Constitution, fill vacancies in offices, set the dates for legislative sessions, and to allow the state to borrow money.

False

Texans tend to vote at higher rates than the national average.

False

The Republican Party was the dominant force in Texas politics throughout most of the 1900s.

False

To register to vote in Texas, a person must have been a resident of Texas for at least 90 days.

False

When do general elections occur in Texas, and which offices are up for election? Why are they held in November? What do you think about moving other state and municipal elections to the general election in November in the future?

Find later

Which of the following are the most important factors that influence whether or not someone votes?

Income level and education

Why are statewide officials such as the governor and lieutenant governor elected in nonpresidential years?

It prevents presidential candidates from influencing the outcome of Texas races.

A ________ was a state-imposed tax on voters as a prerequisite for voting.

Poll Tax

Which scenario would make a runoff primary most likely to occur?

Six candidates are all running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.

Suppose you wanted to create a method of redistricting that would make races for the Texas legislature more competitive. Which plan would you recommend be enacted to do so?

Suppose you wanted to create a method of redistricting that would make races for the Texas legislature more competitive. Which plan would you recommend be enacted to do so?

Candidates for state office and lobbyists have to file quarterly reports detailing their spending and donations with which agency?

Texas Ethics Commission

Why is it so difficult to get on the ballot as an independent in Texas?

The parties that control government, and therefore control ballot access, want to maintain their power and make it harder for other parties to compete for votes during elections.

What happens when a voter engages in straight-ticket voting?

The voter can check one box at the top of the ballot for one party and this will then cast a vote for each candidate on the ballot with that party's affiliation.

How much can an individual donate to a campaign for a state-level, nonjudicial office, such as for governor?

There is no limit.

Which of the following laws was written specifically to deal with expanding and protecting voting rights?

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Which of the following tends to lower voter turnout?

Which of the following tends to lower voter turnout?

In 1923, the Texas Legislature established ____________________ to prohibit African Americans from voting in the Democratic primary.

White Primary

Which statement concerning women's suffrage is correct?

Women were permitted to vote in all elections in Texas with the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The motor voter law

allows citizens to register to vote while applying for a driver's license.

A closed primary allows only those individuals who________ to participate.

are a registered member of their political party

In order to vote in Texas, you must meet which of the following requirements?

be a resident of Texas, a U.S. citizen, and at least 18 years of age

The Voting Rights Act has been renewed several times since 1965, and new provisions have been added since then. For example,

bilingual ballots are now required in certain areas where more than 5 percent of voters speak another language.

In Texas, the ____________________ is responsible for redistricting.

legislature

Discuss and explain at least four reasons why Texas voter turnout is so low. What can be done to increase voter participation?

many Texas do not care about politics and suffer from voter apathy many Texas are totally uniformed about candidates, especially at the lower levels of government Lack of competition, (many districts, one candidate, simply dominates the competition) The incumbent is assumed to win, and there is a total lack of financial investment into the other party to mount a serious challenge. I think Texans need an accessible platform to see who believes in what, so instead of voting off party lines, they can vote on issues instead. Because right now, Texans vote based on if they are Democrat or Republican

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) focuses on

monitoring changes in electoral law that may suppress the votes of minorities.

One of the advantages incumbents have when running for reelection is

name recognition and visibility.

What type of primary allows a voter to choose on Election Day which party they will vote for?

open primary

The _______________ requirement was included in the Voting Rights Act to ensure that states that had previously restricted the political participation of minorities could not use redistricting for partisan gain and against the interest of minority groups.

preclearance

In Texas, special elections are used to

ratify amendments to the Texas Constitution.

Texas was the first state in the South to

ratify the women's suffrage amendment.

The process of ________ involves recalculating how many congressional districts each state will receive based on the state's population.

reapportionment

When people vote in a primary election, they are

selecting a party's candidate for the general election

Which offshoot of the Democratic Party preselected candidates for the Democratic primary and prohibited African Americans from participating?

the Jaybird Party

Suffrage refers to

the right to vote.

What is the most basic and fundamental duty citizens have in a democracy?

voting

Some blame the relatively low voter turnout for Texas elections on the frequency of elections and the large number of candidates.

True

Straight-ticket voting is now eliminated in Texas, starting with the 2020 elections.

True

The Texas Constitution and election laws call the Texas system a closed primary because one must declare one's party affiliation before voting, but in practice it is an open primary.

True

When do Texans vote in general elections to elect members of Congress?

Tuesday following the first Monday in November of even-numbered years.

The poll tax was made illegal in federal elections with the passage of the

Twenty-Fourth Amendment.

Texas used a system of early registration until 1971 that required which of the following:

Voters had to register to vote more than nine months before the general election and were required register to vote every year.

When deciding how to vote, people will use mental shortcuts. Political scientists call these shortcuts

Cues

In 2011, the Texas legislature passed a voter identification law that requires a photo identification in order to vote. Which form of photo identification is acceptable?

Department of Public Safety-issued personal ID card

Explain why it is difficult to be elected as an independent candidate in Texas.

Even without straight ticket voting, Many Texas vote- not based on the candidate, but based on party lines. (Democrat and Republican) Therefore, no matter how good the candidate is, many people will simply ignore their existence. Often times, the two major parties simply outfund their way through elections, due to their status.

Federal law requires that bilingual ballots are provided in areas where more than 5 percent of the population speaks a language other than English.

True

One proposal to reform redistricting in Texas is to remove politicians who have an interest in the outcome from the process.

True

One reason for low levels of voter turnout in Texas is the low level of educational attainment in the state.

True

Photo IDs issued by the United States government, such as passports or citizenship certificates are acceptable forms of identification to cast a vote in any Texas election.

True

Poll taxes, such as those used in Texas, disenfranchised poor voters.

True

Primary elections in Texas are generally held in March.

True

Public opinion polling can play an important role in creating targeted messages during campaigns.

True

Which individuals are legally disqualified from voting?

individuals who have been judged by a court to be mentally incompetent

The _________________ begins with primary elections and concludes with general elections.

electoral cycle

The most recent census was conducted 2020, with a reapportionment completed soon after based on its results. Assuming the Texas population increased from its 2010 total, as a result of this reapportionment, Texas will most likely

gain seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.