GOVT 2306 Ch.5

Not everyone in Texas can cast a ballot. Some of the restrictions are based on federal law, and some are based on Texas law. Voters are required to be at least - and must register at least - days prior to an election.

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Which statement describes the pattern of voter turnout in Texas? Voter turnout in Texas is highest for gubernatorial elections, with rates as high as 60 percent. In Texas, voter turnout in presidential election years is always lower than turnout in constitutional election years. In presidential election years, voter turnout in Texas is generally more than 60 percent. Overall, voter turnout in Texas is lowest for special constitutional elections.

Overall, voter turnout in Texas is lowest for special constitutional elections.

The Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) opened the door for unregulated independent expenditures by labor unions, nonprofits, and corporations. True False

True

The Texas Ethics Commission is responsible for enforcing campaign finance regulations in Texas. False True

True

The state of Texas has relatively weak campaign finance laws with no limits on campaign spending. False True

True

The state of Texas requires identification or an affidavit in order to vote. False True

True

The term soft money refers to money that is donated to and spent by political parties. True False

True

Based on the table, which statement is true about voter turnout in Texas? Voter turnout in Texas is consistently higher than voter turnout in the United States as a whole in nonpresidential election years. Voter turnout in Texas is the same in presidential election years as it is in nonpresidential election years. Voter turnout in Texas is consistently lower than voter turnout in the United States as a whole in nonpresidential election years. In 2012, voter turnout in Texas was higher than voter turnout in the United States as a whole.

Voter turnout in Texas is consistently lower than voter turnout in the United States as a whole in nonpresidential election years.

When did universal suffrage become a reality in Texas? a. Mid-1960s b. Early 1990s c. After the Civil War d. Late 1940s

a. Mid-1960s

How do most Texas voters learn about political candidates? a. Television commercials b. Social media c. Newspaper ads d. Live debates

a. Television commercials

Why were literacy tests implemented in the 1870s? a. To prevent minority people from voting b. To encourage literacy among Texans c. To encourage minority people to vote d. To teach children how to read

a. To prevent minority people from voting

Historically, have Texas voter turnout rates ranked above, below, or about the same as the national turnout rates? a. below b. above c. about the same as

a. below

In 2010, when Annise Parker was sworn in as mayor of Houston, she made history as the first a. openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city. b. female mayor of Houston. c. African American mayor of a major U.S. city. d. Latino mayor of Houston.

a. openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city.

CONSULTANT: I appreciate that. My first piece of advice will be free. Because the party is responsible for - , it is crucial that you file the party's necessary papers as soon as possible. You don't want to ruffle feathers by appearing dismissive of its timetable, and the clock is ticking.

administering the primary

What is gerrymandering? a. Making campaign promises not implemented once in office b. Manipulating the boundaries of a district to include or exclude certain groups of voters and thus affect election outcomes c. Slandering one's opponent in a political campaign d. Using literacy tests as a means of preventing minorities from voting

b. Manipulating the boundaries of a district to include or exclude certain groups of voters and thus affect election outcomes

Shondra is running for Governor of Texas, and she decides to air a commercial that focuses on portraying her opponent in a negative light, rather than on the issues. Some might call Shondra's decision an example of what type of campaign? a. Cutting-edge b. Mudslide c. Nonpartisan d. Illegal

b. Mudslide

Pedro, 19 years old, was born in Oklahoma to Mexican parents. He and his family moved to Texas two weeks before the upcoming election. Is he eligible to vote in Texas? a. Yes, because he is over 18 years of age. b. No, because he must be a resident of the state for at least 30 days preceding election day. c. No, because he is not a native-born or naturalized citizen. d. Yes, because he was born in the U.S.

b. No, because he must be a resident of the state for at least 30 days preceding election day.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 expanded and encouraged voting and has been renewed and amended by Congress four times. Together with federal court rulings, what does the law now do? a. Require states to use literacy tests in voter registrations b. Require states to provide absentee or early voting c. Require states to eliminate segregation d. Require residency requirements of more than 30 days for voting in presidential elections

b. Require states to provide absentee or early voting

What inexpensive medium allows candidates to reach a bigger voter base and keep current with issues? a. Television advertisements b. Social media posts c. Radio advertisements d. Personal appearances

b. Social media posts

Which document outlines all election laws in Texas? a. Voting Rights Act of 1965 b. Texas Election Code c. U.S. Constitution d. Texas Constitution

b. Texas Election Code

What were the major changes to the voter identification law? a. Voters can now have a family member swear that they are who they say they are. b. Voters can show other forms of ID (non-government-issued) at polls. c. Voters can be arrested on the spot if they attempt to vote without ID.

b. Voters can show other forms of ID (non-government-issued) at polls.

When would the voters in Texas participate in a special election? a. When the local election occurs at the same time as a federal election b. When they are asked to vote on a constitutional amendment c. When the election requires a nonpartisan ballot system d. When there are more than six candidates running for one office

b. When they are asked to vote on a constitutional amendment

In what year was the first African American elected to statewide office in Texas? a. 1980 b. 2012 c. 1990 d. 1969

c. 1990

What year was Senate Bill 14 passed by the Texas legislature? a. 2015 b. 1971 c. 2011

c. 2011

What year was Senate Bill 5 passed? a. 2013 b. 2018 c. 2017

c. 2017

What type of primary does Texas use? a. A closed primary b. An open primary c. A combination of closed primary and open primary d. A runoff primary

c. A combination of closed primary and open primary

How did the political presence of women change in Texas after 1990? a. Women filled all top political offices except governor. b. The number of women in political positions began to decline. c. For the first time in the 20th century, the number of women politicians increased dramatically. d. Female politicians far outnumbered male politicians

c. For the first time in the 20th century, the number of women politicians increased dramatically.

Jermaine chooses to directly donate some of his money to the candidate for governor. What form of financing is his contribution considered to be? a. Soft money b. Commission c. Hard money d. Salary

c. Hard money

Which group began to have a major political impact at the state level the 1960s and early 1970s? a. Native Americans b. African Americans c. Mexican Americans d. Asian Americans

c. Mexican Americans

How is a primary different than a general election? a. Primaries only take place once every eight years. b. Primaries take place immediately after the general election, to prepare for future elections. c. Primaries allow party members to select nominees to run in the general election. d. Primaries are only used by the Republican Party.

c. Primaries allow party members to select nominees to run in the general election.

What contributed to the success of Texas politicians like W. Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel and Kinky Friedman? a. Their liberal ideals b. Their endorsement from the KKK c. Their fame in the media d. Their ties to the mafia

c. Their fame in the media

According the text, what is the biggest reason why many qualified Texans don't run for public office? a. They are not interested in politics. b. They are not talented enough public speakers to campaign. c. They cannot afford to pay their own campaign expenses. d. They cannot handle the pressure that comes with being in the public eye.

c. They cannot afford to pay their own campaign expenses.

According to the text, which of the following is a primary reason fewer women than men seek elective public office? a. They can't achieve support from their political party. b. They are typically associated with weaker third parties. c. They have difficulty raising money to pay campaign expenses. d. They are more interested in a corporate career.

c. They have difficulty raising money to pay campaign expenses.

Where did Texas rank in voter turnout in the 2016 presidential election? a.First b.Twenty-eighth c.Forty-fourth

c.Forty-fourth

Which form of a primary requires voters to declare a party affiliation when registering to vote? a. Jungle b. Open c. Nonpartisan d. Closed

d. Closed

Most African Americans in Texas identify themselves with what political party? a. Libertarians b. Independents c. Republicans d. Democrats

d. Democrats

Which socioeconomic factor most influences voter turnout? a. Race b. Income c. Age d. Education

d. Education

Which voting restriction provided that persons who could exercise the right to vote before 1867, or their descendants, would be exempt from educational, property, or tax requirements for voting? a. Gerrymandering b. Literacy test c. Poll tax d. Grandfather clause

d. Grandfather clause

What is true of Latino voters in Texas electoral districts with a majority Latino population? a. They tend to vote Independent. b. They are mostly older people. c. They are voting less than ever. d. They tend to vote Democratic.

d. They tend to vote Democratic.

CONSULTANT: The time between Labor Day and Election Day will fly by, and you'll probably have to go negative by then—or at least defend yourself against attacks. You won't have any time to define yourself positively. Besides, with so many voters taking advantage of - , this race may be decided well before Election Day.

early voting

In 2016, Texas had the - voter turnout rate in the presidential election.

fifth lowest

CANDIDATE: I'm interested in running for office and am looking for a good consultant. I was impressed by your candidate's come-from-behind win in the recent - election to fill the vacant U.S. congressional seat after that unexpected resignation. As a result, you are first on my list of interviews.

special

CANDIDATE: That makes sense. Even though we have moved to direct primaries in which the - decide the party nominee, I realize that the leadership still has some influence in the process, and I certainly want to keep those folks happy.

voters

Although Texas has strict campaign finance laws, there is no commission responsible for the enforcement of those laws. True False

False

Texas has same-day voter registration. True False

False

Texas state campaign finance law bans PAC contributions to candidates. False True

False

The term soft money refers to illegal contributions made to candidates from lobbyists attempting to gain access. False True

False

The term soft money refers to money contributed directly from individuals to candidates for political office. True False

False

How did voter turnout in Texas for the 2014 midterm election compare to the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections? It was about 15 percentage points higher. It was about 5 percentage points lower. It was about 10 percentage points higher. It was about 20 percentage points lower.

It was about 20 percentage points lower.

Financial disclosure is an important part of Texas campaign finance laws. False True

True

Corporate PACs raise money and donate it to candidates for political office. True False

True