POS2041 Chapter 7

How many times in American history has the presidential candidate who won the most popular votes not been selected by the electoral college?

4

Education is not a good predictor of who participates in politics.

False

The electoral college cannot elect any candidate who has not also won the popular vote.

False

From the end of the Civil War to the 1890s, the ______ Party was the party of the North, while the ______ Party was the party of the South.

Republican; Democratic

Which of the following statements about voting rights is correct?

Some states have laws restricting the voting rights of persons convicted of felonies.

Which of the following statements accurately describes the percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections since 1960?

The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections dropped significantly after 1960 but has been increasing in recent years.

Incumbents usually have an easier time successfully campaigning for office than non-incumbents.

True

Religious groups have acted as important institutions of political mobilization over the past two decades.

True

Which of the following statements about youth participation in the 2008 presidential election is true?

Youth turnout rose in 2008 and most young people voted for Barack Obama.

When a voter must be registered with a party prior to voting in that party's election, it is called:

a closed primary

Generally speaking, a recall effort begins with:

a petition campaign

The term turnout describes the number of people that:

actually vote

A political party is:

an organization that tries to influence the government by getting its members elected to office

During the late 1840s and early 1850s, both the Democratic and Whig parties were divided by:

conflicts over slavery

The ______ is the last example of indirect voting in national elections

electoral college

Which of the following is not a key factor in indicating one's level of participation?

geographic region

The Supreme Court:

has ruled that campaign spending is a form of free speech

It is likely that eliminating state-level voter registration laws will:

increase voter turnout among younger people

The right of candidates to spend their own money on running for office:

is protected absolutely by the First Amendment, according to the Supreme Court

Which of the following is the best example of direct democracy in practice in the United States?

referendum

The New Deal coalition was severely strained and ultimately broken apart by:

the Vietnam War and the issue of civil rights.

Who is the incumbent?

the current officeholder, running for re-election

"Me too" Republicanism refers to:

the tendency of Republican politicians during the New Deal to support popular programs such as Social Security rather than advocate alternative policies

Nonelectoral forms of participation usually require more ______ than voting.

time, money, and effort

The United States began its tradition of the ______ during the early eighteenth century.

two-party system

Politicians attempt to "balance the ticket" with members of many important groups because:

voters tend to prefer candidates who are closer to themselves in terms of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, geography, and social background

Historically, realignments occur:

when new issues combine with economic or political crises to mobilize new voters and persuade large numbers of voters to reexamine their traditional partisan loyalties

The majority of PACs represent:

business and professional groups

When Richard Nixon employed his "southern strategy," he:

appealed to disaffected white voters in the South

Strong parties may provide an important link between government and:

democratic participation