Texas Gov 2306 Exam 2
If most of the power rests with the mayor, that city is said to have a:
Strong mayor government
What is the composition of the county commissioner's court?
a county judge and four county commissioners
Of the following, who is most likely to be appointed to his or her initial seat on the court in Texas?
a municipal court judge
In most instances, the adoption of articles of impeachment results in
a trial in the senate.
San Antonio wants to expand and add new territory to the city and broaden its tax base by doing what with regard to an upscale subdivision that borders the city?
annexing it
In a strong-mayor city, the mayor
appoints major department heads.
The highest percentage of Texas inmates are
black.
The Texas Government Code allows jurisdictions to draw upon which source(s) for jury selection?
both registered voters and licensed drivers
Which of the following defines tenure of office?
both the ability of elected officials to succeed themselves and the term length
What is the most important difference between trial and appellate courts?
deciding points of fact versus points of law
In most states, which courts hear major criminal and civil cases?
district courts major trial courts superior courts All these answers are correct.
Which state government sector has the largest number of employees?
education
Which method of judicial selection is a system left over from colonial America?
election by the legislature
Which of the following informal qualifications for governor is nearly universal in Texas?
having previously held elected office
One suggestion for reform of county government that has been frequently made over the past 70 years involves
home rule.
Bexar County, Texas, is an example of which category of local government?
limited-purpose
Which method of judicial selection leads to the highest degree of judicial responsiveness?
nonpartisan election
Which method of judicial selection leads to the lowest level of judicial competence?
partisan election
The largest expenditure of state funds is for
personnel.
Why is the Texas Governor's power exceptionally weak as compared to that of the governors of some other states?
plural executive system
Which of the following is one of the roles of the mayor in a council-manager form of government?
presiding officer of the council
The primary source of revenue for counties is
property tax.
Which of the following is NOT among the formal qualifications for the office of governor in Texas?
registered voter
The chief record keeper and election official for the state of Texas is the
secretary of state.
The most common for of local government in the United States is the
special district.
In 1984, many incumbent Democratic judges lost their seats in large urban counties to unknown Republican challengers because of
straight ticket voting.
What change was noted when cities in Texas were forced to change to single-member districts for at least some city council seats?
substantial increase in minority city council members
The merit system used to identify and select judges is also known as
the Missouri system.
Which office created in 1876 functions as the chief fiscal and revenue forecasting office and is responsible for investing state funds?
the comptroller of public accounts
Why does the U.S. have a dual court system?
the federal system of government
In 2014, Texas's incarceration rate was _____ in the nation.
the fifth highest
The weak-mayor's formal powers most resemble those of which other government official in Texas?
the governor
In states without lieutenant governor, who is usually next is succession to the governor's office?
the leader of the state senate
The Texas legislature can override the governor's general veto with a _____vote in each house.
two-thirds
The power of the Texas governor to remove government officials is
very weak.
The office of lieutenant governor is different from the office of the vice president in that
when governors leave their state, lieutenant governors become acting governors.
Voter turnout in City of Austin municipal elections is usually about
10 percent.
How many states, including Texas, do not limit how long a person can serve as governor?
14
For incorporation to proceed in Texas, first a minimum population of ________ citizens must be living within a two-square-mile area.
201
As of 2016, what percentage of all Texas judges are female?
34%
A former governor would be most likely to hold which of the following jobs?
Business executive
When a governor has an active policy agenda, he or she is fulfilling the role of:
Chief legislator
Which executive-level officer collects taxes and invests state funds?
Comptroller of Public Accounts
Courts differ from legislature in that:
Courts cannot initiate policy changes
When a governor takes action to respond to a natural disaster in the state, he or she is fulfilling the role of:
Crisis manager
___________ is the political principle that assigns different functions to different levels of government.
Federalism
San Antonio ran slates of candidates using a "nonpartisan organization" known as
Good Government League.
What is the largest county in Texas in terms of population?
Harris
Under the council-manager form of government, how is the city manager selected?
city council appointment
The least common form of local government in the United States is the
city.
If you selected any city in Texas at random, what government form would you LEAST likely find?
commission
In which type of city government do voters elect people directly to oversee city departments?
commission
What are the two kinds of county courts?
constitutional county courts and county courts at law
Most court cases in Texas deal with
controversies with individuals.
If you selected any city in Texas at random, what governmental form you most likely find?
council manager
In which type of city government does the city council select a person to be chief administrator?
council-manager
Who is responsible for collecting revenue for the state and disturbing county?
county tax assessor
What voting system is preferred by voting rights activists as a means of increasing minority representation?
cumulative voting
The commission form of government:
Helped spark the transition to the council-manager form of government
Why do political candidates often use the "tough on criminals" campaign strategy?
It is safe issue that offends few voters.
The strict procedural rules that govern courts:
Might disallow evidence gathered in an illegal manner
Judges appointed by governors are typically:
More competent and less responsive
The Frontline program entitled "Justice for Sale" highlighted how justices on Texas' supreme court had received:
More than $9 million in donations
According to Map 4.1, about how many states have had a woman governor at one point?
More than half
All Texas judges are selected by partisan elections EXCEPT:
Municipal judges
What is the primary attribute voters use to select judges?
Name familiarity
Across all fifty states, the most common method for selecting trial court judges is:
Partisan elections
How are supreme court judges selected in Texas?
Partisan elections
When a governor acts as head of his or her political party, he or she is fulfilling the role of:
Party chief
Texas is an example of a plural executive system because:
Power is divided among several elected officials
The Texas governor gains strength from his or her ability to:
Be continually reelected
The governor of Texas's salary is __________ per year.
$150,000
Based on the informal qualifications for office, which of the following types of individuals would be most successful in a Texas gubernatorial race:
A member of a wealthy family
Municipal elections in Texas:
Are nonpartisan
In Texas, appellate courts:
Decide whether procedure was followed
In a council-manager government, who is responsible for preparing the budget?
The city manager