Ch.7: Political Participation

When democratic governments came into existence, tax and food riots and other forms of protest greatly diminished. Why? A. Citizens had less-disruptive ways to express themselves. B. A government safety net ensured basic needs were met. C. Social scientists have been studying this phenomenon but do not have a conclusive answer. D. The wealth of citizens increased dramatically with democratic freedoms and liberty. E. None of these answers is correct.

A. Citizens had less-disruptive ways to express themselves.

Occupy Wall Street's main target has been... A. the private wealth of the wealthiest Americans. B. the undue influence of the Tea Party in national politics. C. the high taxes paid by America's poor. D. the need to have better regulation of stock trading. E. the necessity of overthrowing capitalism and replacing it with socialism.

A. the private wealth of the wealthiest Americans.

Voter turnout is LOWEST in which age group? A. young adults B. middle-aged adults C. older adults D. senior citizens E. Voter turnout is essentially the same for all age groups.

A. young adults

Voter identification cards find the most support among... A. Democrats. B. Republicans. C. libertarians. D. liberals. E. poorer citizens.

B. Republicans.

One of the reasons voter turnout is lower in the United States than in western European countries is that... A. Americans pay less attention to politics. B. U.S. registration laws place a greater burden on the individual. C. the U.S. population is not as well educated. D. Europeans must pay a huge fine if they fail to vote. E. None of these answers is correct.

B. U.S. registration laws place a greater burden on the individual.

Political protests... A. have recently seen success in changing policy, primarily with liberal or leftist protest groups. B. are seen by most Americans as something to be accepted but not admired. C. are more common in the United States today than in most European democracies. D. have become more spontaneous and unlawful in recent years. E. are today mostly aimed at local laws and local political targets.

B. are seen by most Americans as something to be accepted but not admired.

Voter registration in the United States... A. was introduced as a means of keeping white males without property from voting. B. began as a way of preventing voters from casting more than one ballot on election day. C. is the responsibility of the government, which adds legally qualified individuals automatically to the registration rolls. D. applies to voting in general elections but not in primary elections. E. has vastly increased voter turnout.

B. began as a way of preventing voters from casting more than one ballot on election day.

The chief obstacle to Americans' participation in community activities is the... A. lack of opportunity, because there are few groups active at this level. B. lack of personal motivation to get involved. C. low potential for success, since key decisions are made at the national level. D. low potential for success, since key decisions are made at the state level. E. All of these answers are correct.

B. lack of personal motivation to get involved.

Which of the following countries has the highest estimated voter turnout in recent national elections? A. Denmark B. Germany C. United States D. Belgium E. France

D. Belgium

Volunteer activity in the United States is LOWEST in the... A. Midwest. B. West. C. Plains states. D. South. E. Northeast.

D. South.

Citizens in which of the following countries are most likely to engage in political activities, such as volunteering for political campaigns? A. Germany B. France C. Great Britain D. United States E. There is no difference among the four nations.

D. United States

Citizens in which of the following countries are most likely to talk to people about politics? A. Germany B. France C. Great Britain D. United States E. There is no difference among the four nations.

D. United States

The frequency of elections in the United States reduces voter turnout by... A. discouraging local politicians from playing an active role in presidential elections. B. creating more complex registration requirements. C. focusing too much attention on state and local elections. D. increasing the personal effort needed to participate in all elections. E. increasing the amount of taxes paid at the polls.

D. increasing the personal effort needed to participate in all elections.

In the United States, the primary responsibility for registration of the individual voter rests with the... A. state and local governments. B. local courts. C. employer. D. individual. E. federal government.

D. individual.

The Tea Party's key initial issue was... A. support for American military involvement in Iraq. B. support for American military involvement in Afghanistan. C. opposition to President Obama's climate change policies. D. opposition to high taxes. E. opposition to the Occupy Wall Street movement.

D. opposition to high taxes.

One's sense of civic duty and sense of apathy are attitudes that are usually acquired from one's... A. economic status. B. community. C. education. D. parents. E. experience with voting.

D. parents.

What percentage of states hold their gubernatorial elections in nonpresidential years? A. 25 percent B. 33 percent C. 50 percent D. 66 percent E. 75 percent

E. 75 percent

The "motor voter" law... A.was passed in 1993. B. made it easier for citizens to register to vote. C. linked voter registration to the vehicle registration process. D. linked voter registration to the public assistance application process. E.All of these answers are correct.

E. All of these answers are correct.

Voting... A. is a limited form of political participation. B. provides citizens with a regular way to express themselves politically. C. is the most widespread form of political participation. D. does not offer as full an opportunity for political participation as some other activities. E. All of these answers are correct.

E. All of these answers are correct.

________ elections tend to draw the largest percentage of voters in the U.S. A. Primary B. Mayoral C. Congressional D. Gubernatorial E. Presidential

E. Presidential

Eighteen-, nineteen-, and twenty-year-old Americans were granted the right to vote by the passage of the ________ Amendment. A. Fifteenth B. Nineteenth C. Twenty-First D. Twenty-Third E. Twenty-Sixth

E. Twenty-Sixth

What did political scientist Larry Bartels demonstrate in his book Unequal Democracy? A. Elected officials are substantially more responsive to the concerns of their more affluent constituents than to those of their poorer constituents. B. Elected officials are substantially more responsive to the efforts of lobbyists than to the concerns of their constituents. C. Elected officials do not tend to respond to the efforts of social movements or protests when casting votes or forming policy. D. Elected officials tend to ignore the interests of their constituents when they make policy or cast votes, until just before they are up for reelection. E. Incumbents hold so much power in the United States and are so difficult to unseat that they have disenfranchised much of the voting population of the U.S.

A. Elected officials are substantially more responsive to the concerns of their more affluent constituents than to those of their poorer constituents.

Which of the following countries had the LOWEST estimated voter turnout in major national elections in recent decades? A. Denmark B. Germany C. United States D. Belgium E. Canada

C. United States

As distinct from alienation, apathy is... A. associated with a high rate of voter turnout. B. a feeling of powerlessness. C. a general lack of interest in politics. D. a sign that the political system is working properly. E. widespread among affluent Americans.

C. a general lack of interest in politics.

Women gained the right to vote... A. with the passage of the Bill of Rights. B. shortly after the Civil War. C. early in the 20th century. D. with the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. E. during the era of Jacksonian democracy.

C. early in the 20th century.

Which of the following is a reason that Americans are more likely to work for a political campaign than are citizens in Europe? A. America's federal system provides more campaign opportunities. B. European candidates seldom need campaign workers. C. Americans have more leisure time than Europeans. D. U.S. candidates pay campaign workers, whereas European candidates do not. E. Laws in some U.S. communities require citizens to participate in campaigns.

A. America's federal system provides more campaign opportunities.

African American men technically gained suffrage with passage of the ________ Amendment. A. Fifteenth B. Nineteenth C. Twenty-First D. Twenty-Third E. Twenty-Sixth

A. Fifteenth

What reason did the Supreme Court give for striking down North Carolina's voter ID law? A. It had a discriminatory intent. B. It had no basis in established law. C. States may not set specific voter registration requirements. D. It encroached on the federal domain. E. It failed to take into account the needs of middle-class voters.

A. It had a discriminatory intent.

Literacy tests were used to... A. disenfranchise African Americans in the South. B. finance election campaigns. C. ensure that women voted with their husbands, who legally controlled the money in a marriage. D. ensure that the people who voted would take the vote seriously. E. help subsidize public education in the North.

A. disenfranchise African Americans in the South.

Education and income affect voter turnout... A. more in the United States than in Europe. B. more in Europe than in the United States. C. only in national elections in the United States. D. only in national elections in Europe. E. None of these answers is correct.

A. more in the United States than in Europe.

Compared with U.S. citizens of higher incomes, those of lower incomes are... A. much less likely to vote in elections. B. about equally likely to vote in elections. C. much more likely to vote in elections. D. much less likely to vote in elections—a pattern that is also true in European democracies. E. None of these answers is correct.

A. much less likely to vote in elections.

A sustained action taken by citizens disenchanted with government in order to express their opposition and work to bring about social or political change is a... A. political movement. B. voter upsurge. C. citizen lobby. D. popular resistance. E. regular election.

A. political movement.

Which of the following groups is most adversely affected by the United States' voter registration system? A. senior citizens B. those with less income C. young adults D. women E. people with college degrees

A. senior citizens

All of the following tend to decrease voter turnout EXCEPT... A. sharp policy differences between major parties. B. alienation. C. frequent elections. D. the burdens of voter registration. E. lack of interest in politics.

A. sharp policy differences between major parties.

In comparison with citizens in western European democracies, Americans are LESS likely to... A. vote in national elections. B. actively work in an election campaign. C. support the activities of political groups. D. contribute money to political groups. E. All of these answers are correct.

A. vote in national elections.

The adoption of voter identification card requirements by states... A. will likely cause a decline in voter turnout. B. is a policy intended to further the gains of the motor voter law. C. was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. D. will increase the voting power of poorer citizens. E. was a response to well-documented accounts of widespread electoral fraud.

A. will likely cause a decline in voter turnout.

Voter participation in the United States... A. tends to be highest during midterm elections. B. is lower than in nearly every other democracy. C. shows that the apathy of young citizens has worsened considerably since the early 1990s. D. has increased in all elections over the past two decades. E. has declined in all elections over the past two decades.

B. is lower than in nearly every other democracy.

Regular voters tend to be characterized by a... A. strong sense of alienation, which motivates them to try to change government. B. strong sense of civic duty. C. desire to use government as a vehicle to help other Americans rather than themselves. D. strong sense of independence, which motivates them to try to defeat incumbents. E. All of these answers are correct.

B. strong sense of civic duty.

Unlike other democracies, the United States... A. holds elections for the lower house of the legislature every four years. B. uses primaries to select political candidates. C. holds elections for its chief executive every six years. D. places the burden for voter registration on the government. E. penalizes eligible voters for failing to turn up and vote on Election Day.

B. uses primaries to select political candidates.

In the United States,... A. the federal government prevents states from forcing residents to register in advance of the election instead of on Election Day. B. voter registration requirements have usually been set by the states. C. voter registration periods and locations are highly publicized by the states, but registration requirements prevent many from taking advantage of them. D. most states automatically register a person to vote when he or she acquires a driver's license. E. states with easier registration laws have shown no higher turnout rates than states with restrictive registration requirements.

B. voter registration requirements have usually been set by the states.

The Tea Party... A. is aligned with the moderate wing of the Republican Party. B. was able to develop an enduring institutional base within the Republican Party. C. has urged compromise with Democrats on tax and spending issues. D. has yet to have any of its supporters elected to Congress. E. All of these answers are correct.

B. was able to develop an enduring institutional base within the Republican Party.

In the past two decades, the level of turnout in presidential elections has averaged about... A. 75 percent. B. 65 percent. C. 60 percent. D. 45 percent. E. 35 percent.

C. 60 percent.

When the nation was founded, who was eligible to vote? A. everyone—there was universal suffrage B. all males and females who were at least 21 years of age C. only males who owned property D. only citizens who had lived in the nation for at least ten years E. all native-born citizens

C. everyone—there was universal suffrage

When it comes to protest activities, a majority of Americans are... A. actively involved in protests at one time or another in their lives. B. willing to contribute through financial support but not through active participation. C. not highly supportive of such activities, despite America's tradition of free expression. D. actively involved only later in their lives, when they feel more secure that a protest is justified. E. supportive of violent activities if the cause warrants such an approach.

C. not highly supportive of such activities, despite America's tradition of free expression.

The citizens of ________ are most likely to take an active part in campaigns during an election. A. the Netherlands B. Great Britain C. the United States D. Germany E. France

C. the United States

Scholars estimate that turnout would be roughly ________ percentage points higher in the United States if the U.S. had European-style registration. A. 2 B. 5 C. 7 D. 10 E. 15

D. 10

Which of the following states had its voter ID law upheld by the Supreme Court despite the Court's admission that the law was created with partisan intentions? A. Maine B. New Hampshire C. North Carolina D. Indiana E. Wisconsin

D. Indiana

Which of the following states has relatively low turnout in elections? A. Idaho B. Maine C. Minnesota D. Indiana E. These four states have similar turnout rates compared to the national average.

D. Indiana

In which of the following countries are rates of protest the LOWEST? A. Sweden B. Germany C. France D. United States E. Spain

D. United States

States with the most restrictive voter registration laws also have... A. the lowest rates of verified voter fraud. B. turnout rates comparable to the national average. C. the highest rates of verified voter fraud. D. turnout rates well below the national average. E. the highest percentage of eligible voters registered.

D. turnout rates well below the national average.