Exam 4
Campaigns and PACs must report all contributions over ______ to the Texas State Ethics Commission.
$50
Push polls are considered outright illegitimate for which of the following reasons?
- Scientific sampling is not used. - They attack opposing candidates and ideas.
Which of the following are banned from voting in Texas?
- those formally judged to be "mentally incompetent" - convicted felons
The Texas House of Representatives has _____ members.
150
______ courts primarily hear intermediate criminal and civil cases
County
Impeachment is a political process.
True
Members of state boards and commissions are ______.
appointed by the governor
Most of the money contributed to a state legislator's election campaign comes from ______.
contributors who live outside the representative's district
Which primary type fosters crossover voting?
open
Push polls are best described as ______.
targeted attacks
The Telegraph and Texas Register is remembered as the originator of what rallying cry?
"Remember the Alamo!"
At the time of the founding of the nation, journalists were called ______.
"newsmongers"
In which of the following ways do courts differ from governors and legislatures in how they make decisions?
- Courts must confine their decisions to the specifics of the case before them. - Courts must enforce rules that restrict access to the courts. - Courts must maintain a passive role.
Which of the following statements about elections in the American system of government are true?
- One of the most essential elements of any democracy is elections. - Elections bestow legitimacy on the American system of government. - Elections allow for an orderly transition of power.
What court cases required that state legislative districts contain about the same number of citizens and led to the "one person, one vote" rule? More than one answer may be correct.
- Reynolds v. Sims (1964) - Baker v. Carr (1962)
What factors contribute to the fact that young voters are less likely to vote and become involved in politics?
- They are busy with other interests. - They don't feel like that have a stake in the outcome.
What are the three broad functions the media serve within their communities?
- acting as a link - shaping perception - providing information
What two methods of selection result in a judiciary that is strong on independence?
- appointment by governor - election by legislature
Under a merit system of electing judges, judges ______.
- are initially appointed by the governor - must stand for a periodic retention election
In order to be elected governor in the state of Texas you must be ______.
- at least 30 years old - a citizen of the United States - a resident of Texas for five years before election
Comparatively, the Texas governor is weak in formal powers because of the limitations placed on which of the following?
- budgetary powers - administrative powers
The Texas Family Code, which covers family law cases, allows judges or juries to determine the outcome of cases. However, juries are prohibited in what situations?
- certain parenting situations - adoptions
Which of the following are county courts?
- constitutional county courts - county courts at law
Political power stems from which of the following sources?
- laws and regulations - numbers - social norms - wealth
In which of the following ways do political scientists calculate voter turnout?
- the number of residents casting votes divided by the voting-age population - the percentage of registered voters who cast a ballot - the number of people casting votes divided by the voting-eligible population
The Legislative Budget Board is made up of which of the following?
- the speaker of the house - four senators - four representatives - the lieutenant governor
Which of the following characteristics would be found in someone more likely to participate in the political process in Texas?
- well-educated - high income
Today, governors' staffs typically do which of the following?
- work to keep track of state agencies over which governors have little control - gather information and make recommendations on policy changes
A noncompetitive election district is one that can be counted on to have at least ________ percent of the vote for the dominant party in the district.
55
The first _______ days of the legislative session are used to set the agenda for both chambers of the legislature.
60
About 8.3 million Texans voted in the 2018 governor's race. How many signatures would an independent statewide candidate need in order to appear on the 2020 general election ballot?
83,000
What does the term "concentration" mean when discussing media in the United States?
A few conglomerates have emerged as the major providers of information.
Which of the following Supreme Court decisions ruled that the federal government cannot prohibit or limit direct spending on campaign advertising by corporations or labor unions?
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
Which of the following best describes the level of competence that can be expected in gubernatorial judicial appointments?
Completely incompetent people are not likely to be appointed.
Which of the following accurately describes the Shivercrats?
Conservative Democrats who stood for office as both Democratic and Republican candidates
The only instance of one-party Republican politics in Texas before the 1990s was during Reconstruction under the governorship of ______.
Edmund J. Davis
True or false: Only the federal government, not the states, may pass laws to regulate the Internet.
False
What former Texas governor became president of the United States?
George W. Bush
Which of the following statements is true regarding the voting-eligible population (VEP) voter turnout calculation?
It eliminates ineligible groups.
What is the purpose of a focus group?
It helps political consultants determine the emotional response of average citizens to the campaign message.
Which of the following best characterizes the party system in Texas today?
It is a one-party state in which the Republicans rule.
What is the current climate in Texas concerning nonpartisan election of judges?
It is being seriously considered.
The 1996 Telecommunications Act did what?
It relaxed the limit on how many radio and TV stations one company could own.
Why is Texas a state in which digital media can be especially cost-saving for statewide campaigns?
It's very large and costly to travel to all areas in person.
Which of the following Texas speakers was known for being mild-mannered and bipartisan?
Joe Straus
________ media is a means of communication that reaches many individuals.
Mass
______ is a technique in which data are gathered about individuals and used to "serve up personalized messages to prospective voters."
Microtargeting
In which of the following instances is voter turnout in Texas likely to be highest?
November general election in a presidential year
How do most modern political candidates define themselves and create an image?
They hire political consultants to craft a message and strategy.
What happened to the party movements that developed in Texas during the latter half of the nineteenth century?
They were destroyed by the Democratic Party.
Which of the following would be barred from holding a seat in the Texas state government?
a convicted felon
One manner of free exposure for political campaigns is ______.
a newspaper endorsement
How many verifiable signatures must an independent candidate seeking statewide office secure in order to appear on the general election ballot?
a number equal to 1 percent of the votes cast in the prior governor's race
In a nonpartisan primary, which is used in Washington State and Louisiana, ______.
all candidates are listed on the ballot by office
David's Law, passed in Texas in 2017, attempts to mitigate what issue?
bullying on social media
Legislators in Texas are most likely to ______.
champion local interests
An office block format is most often used on what type of ballot?
computer ballot
Modern political campaigns focus on which activity?
creating a favorable image via media exposure
The permanent party organization consists of ______.
elected party officers
A(n) ______ board or commission is one whose membership is completely or partially made up of designated state officials who are members because of the position they hold.
ex officio
Interviews with citizens just after they have voted in an election are referred to as ______ polls.
exit
Interviews with citizens just after they have voted in an election are referred to as ________ polls.
exit
What did "freedom of the press" mean at the time of the founding of the United States?
freedom to use an actual printing press
Which of the following would most likely be considered wedge issues?
gun control abortion rights
Which of the following is a common feature of the various forms of political participation?
having a goal of influencing governmental decisions
Using the VEP turnout rate, participation in recent presidential elections appears ______ previously determined using the VAP measure.
higher than
A biggest issue with campaign contributions to judicial elections is their impact on judicial
impartiality.
According to the current law, legislative districts must be approximately equal in population and should also allow for ______.
minority representation
The Texas legislature has ______ permanent and session-only staff than most other states.
more
To be an official write-in candidate, individuals ______.
must file their intention to be a candidate before the election
Compared to all other states, Texas ranks ______ most professional in the Squire Legislative Professionalism Index.
nineteenth
Compared to executives of large corporations, the Texas governor is ______.
not overpaid
What is the lowest level of the permanent party organization?
precinct chair
An example of a temporary party organization is the ______.
precinct convention
A(n) ______ election is used by major political parties in Texas to nominate candidates for the November general election.
primary
The _____ is a community's arena. It allows individuals to freely discuss and identify societal problems and influence political action.
public sphere
Of the following, which best describes political parties?
quasi-public agents
One big advantage of the use of digital media for political campaigns is that it ______.
saves money
Recent research shows that _____ remain(s) the most effective single medium available for the acquisition of political information.
television news
The rules regarding legislative sessions in Texas give the governor stronger veto powers because ______.
the legislature cannot call a special session after it has adjourned to override a veto
Also known as the Missouri system, ______ is/are a method of judicial selection by which the governor of a given state appoints judges from a list submitted by a screening committee of legal officials.
the merit system
In Smith v. Allwright, the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed ______.
the white primary
Citizens consider information they receive directly from the media in light of _____, exacerbating media bias.
their own ideological biases
What age group is most likely to get its news from print media?
those older than age 65
Texas's political culture encourages which of the following to vote?
those who already have political power
When used by the governor, which of the following wields the most influence?
threat of a veto
How many levels of courts do most state court systems have?
three
The number of new members of the legislature each session is referred to as ______.
turnover
Because Texas uses a partisan election system to select judges, a candidate for either the Democratic or Republican party must win ______ election(s) to reach the bench.
two
Approximately what portion of American adults use at least one form of social media to share information?
two-thirds
The role of the Texas governor in budgeting is ______.
very limited
What happened after the U.S. Supreme Court abolished the poll tax in 1966?
voter registration soared
What is the approximate amount of the Texas governor's annual salary?
$150,000
Why are those with high socioeconomic status more likely to participate in elections?
- They are more aware of elections. - They perceive themselves as having a high stake in election outcomes.
In which of the following ways have social media proven to be disruptive to the traditional forms of media?
- They expose many to news outside of mainstream sources. - They allow citizens to shape the news agenda. - They have made people part of the news as it happens.
From the following, select the states that do not restrict the voting rights of a convicted felon.
- Vermont - Maine
In which states can judges be elected from the legislature?
- Virginia - South Carolina
Which of the following best describes a semi-open primary?
- Voters are required to request a party ballot. - Voters may vote in any party primary.
Which of the following are among the formal qualifications for being a member of the Texas House?
- a U.S. citizen - at least twenty-one years old - has lived in Texas for two years
In what instances can the Texas governor fill a seat for district or appellate court?
- a new position created by the legislature - vacancy because of resignation - vacancy because of death
What basic elements are usually involved in a party realignment?
- a shift in voters' partisan support in elections - an enduring change in political landscape
Currently, the Texas governor's staff numbers approximately _______
277
An example of a multi-appointment board is the ______.
Texas Ethics Commission
After the Twenty-Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution eliminated the poll tax as a requirement in federal elections, ______.
Texas still required it for voting in state elections
In Texas's 2001 redistricting, the proposed redistricting map had to be submitted to a federal court. Why?
The 1965 Voting Rights Act required it.
Which of the following is true of the merit system of judicial appointment?
There is little evidence that it results in judges who are more competent.
Under the merit plan, how do judges first assume the bench?
They are appointed by the governor from a list supplied by a judicial panel.
Which of the following is historically true of political parties in the United States?
They have never been strongly centralized.
What best describes the role of independent gubernatorial candidates in the 2006 election?
They pulled enough voters away from the Democratic candidate to elect a Republican with only a plurality.
What happened when Texas switched to a permanent registration system?
Voter registration increased significantly.
Which Texas electoral faction supported Dwight Eisenhower in both the 1952 and 1956 presidential elections?
Yellow Dog Democrats
Citizen journalism is especially problematic on _____ because people generally ignore the site's guidelines about attribution.
YouTube
What did Ted Cruz predict would happen if Texas ever does "turn blue"?
The Republican Party would cease to exist.
Which of the following statements about the political party system in the United States is accurate?
The United States has 50 state party systems.
Which of the following is true of the Texas lieutenant governor's power?
The lieutenant governor must forge an alliance with key senators to effectively utilize the powers of the office.
Which of the following statements about women in the Texas judiciary is accurate?
The number of female judges in the state is significant and growing.
What stipulates that poll taxes are illegal?
a federal constitutional amendment
Because Texas must have a balanced budget, each bill considered by the Texas legislature must have ______.
a fiscal note that explains the cost of the bill to the state if it is adopted
In terms of political parties, Texas has a history of being ______.
a one-party state
In Texas the Court of Criminal _______ focuses on criminal cases, while the Texas __________ Court focuses on civil cases.
appeals;supreme
The system that allowed voters to switch parties between offices and was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court was known as a(n) ________ primary.
blanket
Property ownership requirements for voting were applied particularly to elections, in which voters decide whether to _________ fund the building or renovation of schools.
bond
Multimember districts tend to promote ______.
broader representation
The term ______ implies a hierarchy of offices with levels of power leading to a centralized controlling authority.
bureaucracy
The speaker of the Texas house is chosen ______.
by majority vote of the members of the house
In most cases, how are judges in Texas selected?
by partisan election
Under Texas law, if all races are uncontested, cities and school boards ______.
can cancel the election
In a closed primary system, voters ______.
can only vote in the primary of their party registration
In the era of candidate-centered politics, mass communication replaced ______ as the primary way to communicate with voters.
candidate rallies
In ______ politics, prospective officeholders tend to emphasize their own characteristics and backgrounds rather than an association with a major political party.
candidate-centered
In the past 17 presidential elections, Texas voted Democratic only four times. Three of those times it was because the ______.
candidates hailed from Texas or the South
Low levels of voter turnout in Texas is ______.
caused by a combination of social, economic, and other factors
In giving commencement speeches, making presentations, and cutting ribbons, governors are performing their ______ duties.
ceremonial
All of the following are regarded as major criminal cases (felonies) and civil cases that are heard first at the district court level, except ______.
child custody
The best approach for a governor to leverage ceremonial duties to pursue his or her agenda is to ______.
choose carefully
The term " __________ legislatures" is a positive way of describing legislatures characterized by low pay, short sessions, and fewer staff resources.
citizen
Suing your neighbor for trespassing on your property is an example of ______ law.
civil
Which of the following is an informal power of the governor that can have an impact on the direction of the state government's legislative agenda and the perception of the public?
command of the news media
It is generally ______ judges and legal scholars who argue that courts should not be engaging in a policy-making role.
conservative
The 2016 simulcast of presidential debates in Spanish is an example of how ______.
consumers drive media content
For candidates who are not facing opposition, money ______.
continues to come in from various sources
Around the country, party organization at the state and local levels is ______.
controlled by a few active, elite members of the party
Many Texas judges receive their initial seats on the courts via appointment by the Texas
governor.
By 1988 the Republicans had made significant gains, aided by Bill Clements's election as ______ and George H. W. Bush's election as ______.
governor; president
Same-day voter registration results in ______ turnout.
greater
Which of the following is an important informal qualification for becoming governor?
having previously held elected office
In Texas, straight-ticket voting sometimes causes problems in judicial elections in that it allows notably ______ candidates to gain seats on the courts.
inexperienced
More important than the express qualifications that are required for election to governor are a person's ________ qualifications, like previously holding statewide elected office.
informal
What district maps were used in Texas's 2012 election cycle?
interim maps that had been ordered by the federal court
Pro-business conservatives at the core of the Texas Republican Party establishment seek to ______.
keep government spending and taxes low
Since 1972, conventions have been seen as ______.
kickoffs to the general election campaigns
Which of the following is a factor contributing to Texas's low voter turnout?
lack of party competition
The role that media bias plays in the development of public opinion is ______.
large
Primarily ______ states have several courts of appeal.
large urban
For many years in Texas, the Democratic Party ______.
leaned very conservative and traditional
Governors' formal powers to force the legislature to enact legislation, especially the veto authority and the power to call special sessions, are referred to as _______ powers.
legislative
In Texas, the method of removal of state judges can depend on the ______.
level of the judgeship
What tool can governors utilize if they do not like a portion of a proposed bill but generally approve of the bill overall?
line-item veto
Traditionally, how strong a factor has political party been in the Texas legislature?
not strong
The act of writing or presenting news stories that reflect a significantly distorted view of reality, favoring one party over another in the case of political parties, is called _____ bias.
presentation
The only offices elected on a nationwide basis in the United States are ______.
president and vice president
In Texas, who follows the lieutenant governor in the order of succession?
president pro tempore of the Texas Senate
The right of rebuttal does not apply to ______.
print media
In 1935, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Texas Democratic Party to hold white primaries, stating that political parties were ______.
private organizations
The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Bush v. Vera (1996) ruled that ______.
race can be considered when drawing district lines, but it cannot be the predominant factor
One reason for the low level of competition in Texas legislative races is ________
racial and political gerrymandering
Which of the following refers to the drawing of legislative districts to create minority districts?
racial gerrymandering
A lasting shift of party loyalty or attachment is known as ________ .
realignment
Every ten years, following the census, representatives are allocated to districts in a process known as ______. Multiple choice question.
reapportionment
Since most voters in Texas go to the election booth with scant knowledge about the qualifications of judicial candidates, they often end up voting by name _________
recognition
What might happen to legislative districts in Texas following a federal census?
redistricting reapportionment
In Texas, which of the following is required at least 30 days prior to an election?
registration
After the poll tax was eliminated in 1966, Texas's system of voter registration ______.
remained very restrictive
In states with partisan elections, judges are most likely to be ______.
responsive
Those who oppose voter ID laws believe that such laws ______.
restrict the right to vote
Which of the following types of bills must originate in the House of Representatives?
revenue bills
What is the literal meaning of "democracy"?
rule by the people
Which of the following was not a traditional function of parties during the era of labor-intensive politics?
running huge mass-media campaigns
Vicente Gonzales, who became the U.S. Representative for Texas's 15th Congressional District in 2016, received most (76 percent) of his funding from ______.
self-financing
Because it restricts voters to a certain degree, Texas's open primary system resembles a ______ primary system.
semi-open
How is the primary system in Texas most commonly labeled?
semi-open
In Texas, the governor and lieutenant governor are elected ______.
separately
The Republic of Texas's constitution did not allow presidents to ______, leading to elections that revolved around personalities.
serve consecutive terms
In modern-day Texas, the media play a(n) ______ role in political campaigns.
significant
At the end of its 140-day session, the Texas legislature must adjourn. This is referred to as ______.
sine dine
Most bills that are introduced in state legislatures are written by ______.
someone other than state legislators
When the Texas governor receives a bill, how long does he or she have to either sign it or veto it?
ten days
Both the legal ability of governors to succeed themselves in office and the length of a governor's term are known as _______ of office.
tenure
A limitation on the number of times a person can be elected to the same office in a state legislature is referred to as a(n) ________ __________
term limit
Judicial election by the legislature is a system left over from what period of American history?
the colonial era
The funding Texas legislators receive for staff salaries and office expenses is set by ______.
the senators and representatives at the beginning of each session
Who controls the output of legislation in the Texas legislature?
the speaker of the house and the lieutenant governor
What was the chief cause of the incredibly high turnout in the 2008 precinct conventions for the Democratic Party?
the tight competition between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton
The effect of public opinion on the increasing number of dismissals for small amounts of marijuana possession demonstrates that ______.
when conflict arises, public opinion is mobilized and affects the political elite
When must voters declare their party affiliation in a closed primary system?
when they register to vote
Which of the following best characterizes public accountability among the agencies of Texas state government?
Agencies often respond only to clientele groups and not the general public.
What is a potential pitfall for candidates who use digital campaigning?
Any problematic statement or action, if digitally recorded, can come back to haunt them.
Which of the following describes the most important difference between trial and appellate courts?
Appellate courts decide cases based on points of law.
In the past 50 years, which of the following parties has not held minor-party status as defined by the Texas Election Code?
Democratic Party
_____ state(s) that candidates must be given an opportunity to respond to any criticism made by a television or radio media outlet.
The right of rebuttal
Throughout most of U.S. history, competitive parties have always existed at the national level. How does Texas compare?
For most of Texas's history, one party has tended to dominate.
_____ is the principle that Internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source and without favoring or blocking particular products or websites.
Net neutrality
Which of the following is true of party politics in Texas from the end of Reconstruction until the 1960s?
No Republican was elected to statewide office.
In Texas, concentration in media has resulted in which of the following?
- less local news - a selection bias that has a national slant
What parties in Texas hold major party status in Texas today?
- Democratic Party - Republican Party
Which of the following have served as governor of Texas?
- George W. Bush - Rick Perry - Greg Abbott
Which two officials have been impeached, convicted, and removed from office in Texas?
- Governor James Ferguson - Judge O.P. Carillo
Which of the following are ways that a bill can be killed on its way through the Texas legislature?
- It fails to get a majority vote on either the second or third reading on the floor. - It is not acted on by the Calendars Committee. - The speaker refers it to committee with an unfriendly committee chair.
For what reasons is it unlikely that the Libertarian Party will ever be an electoral force in Texas politics?
- It is difficult for a third party to establish itself in the state. - Its platform resembles the platform of the Republican Party.
Which of the following are true of the salary of the Texas legislature?
- It leads most legislators to consider themselves part-time. - It is in line with the traditionalistic political culture of the state. - It has not been increased in more than forty years.
Which of the following statements about realignment is accurate?
- It occurs when one party displaces another party as the majority party. - It is the movement of one population category from party to party.
What is an example of an ex officio board or commission? (Choose every correct answer.)
- Legislative Redistricting Board - Budget Execution Committee - Bond Review Board
Who among the following dominated the politics and government of the Republic of Texas?
- Mirabeau Lamar - Sam Houston
Which of the following are characteristic of state legislatures according to Thomas R. Dye?
- State legislators are predominantly influenced by local interests. - State legislatures reflect the socioeconomic conditions of their states.
Identify all the following courts of last resort in Texas.
- Texas Supreme Court - Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
In Texas the Court of Criminal focuses on criminal cases, while the Texas Court focuses on civil cases.
- The person is told of his or her rights. - Bail is set.
Identify which of the following are indicative of the changing nature of elections today.
- The voice of labor unions has declined in elections. - Catholic and male votes are now overwhelmingly Republican, reversing a trend. - The media have a big influence on elections.
Through the use of which two of the following powers can the people most effectively influence political change?
- by challenging social norms - by modifying ideas
In 1994, Republican victories in Texas included which of the following?
- control of the agricultural commissioner's office - George W. Bush as governor - all seats on the Railroad Commission - gain of three seats on the state board of education
Which of the following contribute to the significant portion of Texas's population that is not eligible to vote?
- convicted felons - noncitizens
Which types of officials may Texas district court judges remove?
- county judges - justices of the peace
Which of the following can be heard in a justice of the peace court in Texas?
- criminal misdemeanor cases - cases involving traffic tickets - requests for search-and-arrest warrants
Which of the following is a special election?
- election to decide amendments to the state constitution - school board election - election to fill a vacancy when only one contest is on the ballot
In what way can the Texas legislature perform its oversight function?
- financial mechanisms - the Sunset Advisory Commission - use of committees
For petit juries, how do jurisdictions collect names for jury selection?
- from lists of licensed drivers - from voter registration lists
Which of the following issues have mobilized young voters to both vote and to participate in other unconventional forms of political participation like protests and boycotts?
- gun control - climate change - immigration
Which of the following are part of the voting process in Texas?
- identification to vote - registration 30 days in advance of an election
Which of the following are methods of judicial removal used by at least one state?
- impeachment - judicial conduct commission - removal by the state legislature with a supermajority vote
Which of the following are challenges caused by the manner in which the Texas judiciary is selected?
- issues with representativeness - problems in the electoral process
Which of the following are oversight responsibilities of the Texas legislature?
- keep track of the activities of state agencies - assess the performance of state agencies - determine whether state agencies are providing the necessary functions
Which of the following are potential problems with the way in which judges are selected in Texas?
- lack of minority representation in judicial elections - voting by familiar name rather than by qualification - the influence of judicial campaign contributions
In addition to appointment by governor, which of the following are possible alternatives to Texas's partisan judicial election system that are in use in other states?
- merit plan - nonpartisan elections
Which of the following have had a negative influence on the ability of third parties to gain traction in Texas?
- perception of third-party failures - voter identification with the major parties - single-member districts
Which of the following are common techniques used by political campaign consultants?
- performing public opinion polling - designing visual advertisements - running focus groups
In terms of medium, which of the following are categorizations we use?
- print - electronic
Which of the following did the Progressive movement support?
- prohibition - governmental activism - women's suffrage
In 1919, Texas did which of the following, marking notable achievements for the Progressive movement in the state?
- ratified the Nineteenth Amendment (women's suffrage) - ratified the Eighteenth Amendment (prohibition)
The lieutenant governor in Texas has the power to ______.
- refer bills to committees - appoint the chairs of all senate committees
Which of the following types of tax have been established by the Texas legislature?
- sales tax - "sin" tax - franchise tax
Which of the following are factions of the Texas Republican caucus?
- social conservative - pro-business conservative - libertarian
Which elected officials appoint members to the Texas Ethics Commission?
- speaker of the house - governor - lieutenant governor
Which of the following would be classified as spending on traditional media for a political campaign?
- television ads - direct mail - billboards
Compared with governors of other states, Texas governors are weak in formal powers, although they have a few key strengths. These strengths are seen in which of the following areas?
- tenure of office - veto authority
Place the primary steps in how a bill becomes a law in Texas into the appropriate order.
- the bill is introduced - the bill is referred to the appropriate standing committee - theres committee action on the bill - the bill is referred to the calendars committee - theres floor action on the bill - the bill is referred to the other chamber - theres any necessary subsequent leg. action on the bill - the governor acts on the bill
Which two of the following are barriers to reforms that would increase the powers of the Texas governor?
-political culture - interest group opposition
After the elections in _____, the Republican Party held all statewide offices and comprised the majority in both the Texas House and Senate.
2002
According to the Texas Election Code, each election precinct must contain between ______.
100 and 5,000 voters
Approximately what percentage of all judges in Texas are identified as Hispanic?
17 percent
Early voting in Texas begins ______ days before an election and closes ______ days before the election.
17;4
In what year did the U.S. Supreme Court finally acknowledge that non-African Americans were discriminated against under Jim Crow laws and that they were legally protected by the Fourteenth Amendment?
1954
Poll taxes were used in Texas until ______.
1966
In what era were property ownership requirements finally eliminated in Texas?
1970s
Republicans bounced back in the elections of ______ and set the stage for today's Republican Party.
1986
A Democrat was last elected to statewide office in Texas in ______.
1994
In what year did Texas become a one-party Republican system, substantially changing Texas party politics?
1994
The Republican Party has controlled the governor's office in Texas without interruption since ______.
1994
Each legislative district in Texas elects ______ member(s) for each senatorial district and ______ member(s) for each house district.
1; 1
The Texas Senate has ___ members.
31
For the 2010 congressional and statewide races, where did Texas rank in voter turnout compared to the rest of the states?
50th
Which of the following is true of single-member districts?
A party or candidate must only win a plurality in order to win one seat.
What was an outcome of the Supreme Court's 1935 ruling that held that political parties were private organizations?
African Americans were legally barred from participating in Democratic primaries in Texas.
The Texas Republican Party suffered a big setback in 1990 when Democrat ______ was elected to the governor's office.
Ann Richards
What U.S. Supreme Court decision, decided in 1962, stated that "one man's vote" should equal any others "as nearly as practicable"?
Baker v. Carr
The system that allowed voters to switch parties between offices and was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court was known as a(n) _______ primary.
Election Day for the primary election
Because of the free-market outlook of pro-business conservatives in Texas, they oppose all forms of government spending.
False
The election of John Tower ushered in an era of Republican Party dominance in Texas politics.
False
True or False: Political parties in Texas regulate their own primaries without state laws.
False
True or false: A majority of states do not have any courts of appeal.
False
True or false: Ballot reforms increased the influence of political parties on the voting process.
False
True or false: In the past, coalitions in the Texas legislature organized more around party than around ideology, but ideology has played a much larger role in recent years.
False
Which of the following is true of the pardon and parole authority of the Texas governor?
In almost all cases, it is checked by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Which of the following is true when judicial selection is done by gubernatorial appointment?
Governors are not likely to select unqualified candidates, but that does not mean that the most competent are appointed.
Which of the following best describes governors' roles with respect to their political party in Texas?
Governors can influence the choice of party leadership but do not control the party.
What third party in Texas advocates social justice, ecological sustainability, nonviolence, and political reform?
Green Party
Why did Bill Clements's election to office signify the beginning of real two-party politics in Texas?
He used his political and appointment power to bring Republicans into many state offices.
What best describes Governor George W. Bush's relationship with the state party?
He was largely uninvolved.
What is the most widely circulated newspaper in Texas today?
Houston Chronicle
If the Texas governor receives a bill and neither signs nor vetoes it, what happens to the bill?
It becomes law.
Why was Texas subject to Section 5, the preclearance provisions, of the Voting Rights Act?
It has a history of discriminatory electoral practices.
What best describes the trend in Americans' trust in their government?
It has decreased.
How has the Internet affected political campaigns' ability to control their messages?
It has increased it.
As a result of the Texas House and Senate adjourning the 2001 session without approving new redistricting plans, the ______ was left to establish new districts for the Texas House and Senate.
Legislative Redistricting Board
How does the salary for legislators in Texas compare with that paid to legislators in the other nine most populous states in the United States?
It is the lowest salary for legislators.
How important is a governor's popularity in public opinion to his or her informal leadership?
It is very important.
Which of the following is a problematic aspect of citizen journalism?
It may lack context.
Adoption of the Australian ballot initiated which of the following changes?
It reduced party influence at the local level.
What is the risk in the partisan system of electing judges?
Judges are not independent in their interpretation of the law.
The governor's office and what other office submit budgets to the legislature, which uses the two documents to create the budget for the state?
Legislative Budget Board
Who is responsible for proposing a budget to the state legislature?
Legislative Budget Board
What is the most significant reason that there is less factional infighting in the current Democratic Party than in the 1900s?
Most conservative Democrats left for the Republican Party.
What best describes the depth of knowledge most voters have about judicial candidates' qualifications?
Most know very little.
According to federal law, the president and members of the U.S. Congress are elected on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in ______ of ______ years.
November; even-numbered
In 1948, Texas's first television station began operating and broadcast a speech by whom?
President Harry Truman
When there is conflict between competing positions, why is it important for the government to be aware of public opinion?
Public opinion can be used to shape policy.
What party supported the election of Hispanic Americans to office in Texas in the 1970s?
Raza Unida
Phil Gramm was elected to the House of Representatives as a Democrat, but he soon began to lean toward the Republicans partly through his close relationship to which president?
Reagan
In U.S. presidential elections, Texas solidly votes for the _______ Party candidate.
Republican
The initial redistricting maps drawn by the Texas legislature in 2011 favored ______.
Republicans
What former Texas governor served in the Trump administration as secretary of energy?
Rick Perry
Who is the longest-serving governor in Texas history?
Rick Perry
In what language was Texas's first newspaper published?
Spanish
Which of the following best describes the concept of democratic control among state agencies?
State agencies must be responsible to the people.
How are state courts created?
States create their own courts.
What is the status of straight-ticket voting in Texas today?
Straight-ticket voting was eliminated as of 2020.
What was established by the Texas legislature to review state agencies and determine whether they should be continued or abolished?
Sunset Advisory Committee
What happens if a candidate is unable to make the necessary payment to get on the ballot?
The candidate can be put on the ballot by filing a petition.
Which requirement must a political party meet to be considered a major party according to the Texas Election Code?
The party's nominee for governor received at least 20 percent of all votes cast during the prior election cycle.
As of 2020, straight-ticket voting is prohibited in Texas.
True
Despite his insulting rhetoric about Hispanics and Mexicans, Donald Trump's support increased among those groups in the 2020 election.
True
In the 2020 general election, the Republican Party won every statewide office in Texas that was up for election.
True
The 2018 midterm election saw the largest increase in voting turnout in U.S. history.
True
True or false: Consumers drive media content as much as owners and producers do.
True
True or false: During the time of labor-intensive politics, the parties raised money directly and then distributed it to the different candidates' campaigns.
True
True or false: For many individual voters, the expressive value of voting does not outweigh the costs of participation.
True
True or false: Term limits weaken the power and influence of a governor.
True
True or false: Texas has a history of restrictive voter registration laws.
True
True or false: Under the voting-age population (VAP) measure of voter turnout, citizens who do not meet state and local residency requirements are included even though it is impossible for them to vote.
True
True or false: Unlike appellate courts, which involve virtually no direct citizen participation, trial courts have citizens participate as members of juries and as witnesses during trials.
True
______ is a representational role of a member that states that the member will make decisions based on his or her own judgment about what is best for voters.
Trustee
Who or what was most instrumental in the redistricting map that was passed by both houses of the Texas legislature in mid-October 2003?
U.S. Congressman Tom DeLay
Texas Democrats managed to win 17 of 32 congressional seats up for election the 2002 election cycle. What happened next?
U.S. House Majority Leader Tom Delay proposed an unprecedented mid-decade redistricting.
In 1975, the Voting Rights Act was applied to Texas and required that all changes in election procedures obtain pre-clearance by the ______.
U.S. Justice Department
John Tower was the first Republican to hold statewide office in Texas since the 1870s when he was elected in 1961 to the ______.
U.S. Senate
Under the "sore loser" law, who would be prevented from running as an independent candidate in a general election? Multiple choice question.
a candidate who was defeated that year in either primary
Which of the following is the most essential element of any democracy?
elections
What issue may make liberal Democrats like Wendy Davis especially unattractive to socially conservative Hispanics?
abortion rights
According to the Sentencing Project, as of 2016 what percentage of the voting-age population in Texas could not vote because they were ineligible felons?
about 2.5 percent
process that allows a person to vote before the regular election is known as ______ voting.
absentee
A hearing before a judge who decides if a person must stand trial is known as a(n)
administrative hearing
In Texas, under what circumstance can convicted felons regain their voting rights?
after their sentence is served, including any probation or parole
Even after the poll tax was abolished in 1966, Texas still had a(n) _______ registration system, which meant that voters were required to register each year between October 1 and January 31.
annual
Even after the poll tax was abolished in 1966, Texas still had a(n) ___________ registration system, which meant that voters were required to register each year between October 1 and January 31.
annual
How does the Texas Election Code define minor parties?
any party that receives between 5 percent and 19 percent of the vote for any statewide office in the last general election
Most bills that die in the Texas legislature do so ______.
at the committee level
A major reason for disorganization at the 2008 Democratic district and county conventions following the precinct conventions was the ______.
attendance of many first-timers who did not know the rules
In the Democratic Party, "unpledged" delegates who can vote for any candidate they choose at the national convention are now called ______.
automatic delegates
The nominating election in which voters could switch parties between offices was a(n) ______ primary.
blanket
Although statutes may create general requirements, courts often ask if there are special circumstances that should lead the court to deal with a particular individual differently. This can be described as ______. Multiple choice question.
counter majoritarianism
In the Texas Republican Party, free-market libertarian Republicans call some pro-business efforts ______, claiming they are inconsistent with true capitalism.
crony capitalism
The names of individuals on a voting list who are registered at a certain address but no longer live there are called ________
deadwood
In Texas, as in most states, which courts hear major criminal and civil trials?
district
Historically, the speaker of the Texas house ______.
dominated the legislative process
The judicial structure in the United States in which the federal court deals with federal law and certain interstate and international disputes and the state court deals with almost everything else that occurs within the state's borders is referred to as a(n) _______ court system.
dual
Since 2008, all 254 counties in Texas have used what type of voting system?
electronic
Fill in the blank question. The payment that is required in order to get a candidate's name on the primary or general election ballot is known as a ________ ___________.
filing fee
In order to qualify as governor in Texas, how long does one have to live in the state preceding the election?
five years
The lack of which of the following complicates the ability of the Texas governor to govern the state?
formal power
In states where judges are elected by the legislature, who is most likely to be selected?
former legislators
George Lakoff has pointed out that while deciding what is news has a huge impact on public perception of an issue, how it is _____ significantly influences public reaction to it.
framed
is the media's attempts to focus attention on certain events and place them in context for meaning.
framing
After the _____ determines newsworthiness, it uses agenda setting, priming, and framing to transform the remaining information into news stories.
gatekeeper
Mass media filter down all of what is happening in a given community into a specific set of news that is then transmitted to an audience. This is called ______.
gatekeeping
Before 1972, national conventions were often ______.
highly contentious as candidates vied for votes from state delegates
In March of presidential years, political parties in Texas determine the voters' preferences for president by ______.
holding a presidential preference primary
Legislators usually vote on bills based on ______.
how the issue affects their district
To ________ means to formally accuse an officeholder of misconduct.
impeach
The process for removing elected officials, including governors, is generally called _______
impeachment
One benefit resulting from establishment of the Sunset Advisory Commission is ______.
improved efficiency in the state government
Temporary party organizations are held ______.
in even-numbered years
Money in campaigns has ______ in recent years.
increased dramatically
The necessity of redistricting in 2011 was the result of
increased population in the 2010 census.
In the 1970s, to allow for more minority representation in Texas, the federal courts ______ multimember districts.
invalidated
Some people do not vote because they feel their contribution is not pivotal in a large-scale election. In this instance, individual voting is considered ______.
irrational
As opposed to crossover voting, party raiding ______.
is an intentional effort to weaken an opposing party
The media cannot effectively act as an adversary to government if it ______.
is not providing accurate, substantive news
Which of the following best characterizes a "public"?
its communicative nature
Which of the following factors contribute to the low levels of political participation in Texas?
its traditional political culture
The ______ powers of governors include the ability to issue pardons, executive clemency, and parole for citizens convicted of a crime.
judicial
Which election type has the lowest turnout?
local
Which of the following could be a factor contributing to the high turnover among state legislators in Texas?
low pay
The petition requirements in Texas law ______ independent candidates to gather signatures and be placed on the ballot.
make it difficult
Every two years, ______ of the Texas Senate is elected for ______ terms.
one-half; four-year
Voters who are able to vote in any primary regardless of their party affiliation live in a state with a(n) ______ primary system.
open
The main purpose guiding the Sunset Advisory Commission is to provide ______ to government operations.
oversight
In the Jim Crow era in Texas, if Latinos were permitted to register and vote, political bosses often ______ if the voter would vote the way in which the boss demanded.
paid their poll taxes
What formal action allows some state legislatures to recall a bill to answer a governor's objections to it?
partial veto
In what manner are trial and appellate court judges in Texas elected?
partisan election
Which method of judicial selection is strong on responsiveness but weak on both competence and independence?
partisan election
The Texas Election Code requires major parties to utilize which process of selecting nominees for the general election?
party primaries
Conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh's Operation Chaos, which encouraged Republicans to vote for Hillary Clinton in Democratic primaries to weaken then-candidate Barack Obama, is an example of _____ _____.
party raiding
Unlike the two major parties, in order to get on the ballot, third parties must ______.
pay a filing fee or submit petitions signed by 1 percent of the voters in the previous race
A(n) ________ registration system is one that keeps citizens on the voter registration list without requiring them to reregister every year.
permanent
The political history of Texas could be viewed as a chronological parade of ______.
personalities
Most criminal and civil cases can be decided by a(n) ______ jury, which is a jury of citizens that determines the guilt or innocence of a person during a trial.
petit
After a falling out with the Democratic Party, ______ _______ resigned his congressional seat and was reelected in a special election in 1981 as a Republican.
phil gramm
After a falling out with the Democratic Party, _______ ______ resigned his congressional seat and was reelected in a special election in 1981 as a Republican.
phil gramm
A system in which voters elect many statewide officeholders to serve as heads of departments is known as what?
plural executive structure
Which of the following refers to engagement in the public sphere that encompasses all media and messages between and among citizens, the media, and the governing elite?
political communication
Which position generally controls the passage of legislation in the Texas house?
speaker of the house
Power in the Texas legislature is concentrated in the hands of which two individuals?
speaker of the house and the lieutenant governor
Over the last several decades, the Republican state party system in Texas can best be characterized as ______.
stable
Most of the work done in the Texas legislature is done in _______ committees.
standing
The most important type of committee in the Texas legislature is the ______ committee.
standing
Under what principle must courts follow the precedent of former cases and diverge only when they can show good cause?
stare decisis
Which judicial agency licenses attorneys?
state bar
Most of the work of state government is carried out by ______.
state boards and commissions
Judicial agencies are under the supervision of the ______.
state supreme court
What led to the change in the nature of the national party conventions after 1972?
states adopted binding caucuses and primaries
Compared to other states, requirements for voting in Texas are ______.
strict
Most state courts consist of three levels of courts: trial courts, appellate courts, and a ______ court.
supreme
In 2015, the FCC reclassified broadband Internet transmission as a _____, which allowed to regulate ISPs, but the protections offered by that decision ended in December 2017.
telecommunications service
With respect to the issues of the day, officeholders in Texas during the Civil War era generally supported the positions taken by ______.
the Confederacy
What party dominated Texas politics for roughly 100 years following Reconstruction?
the Democratic Party
Due to its nature, government regulation of ______ is the most complicated.
the Internet
Ultimately, who was successful in Texas's 2003 redistricting?
the Republicans
Members of the Texas legislature are limited to how many terms in office?
the Texas legislature is not term limited
The use of grand juries is required by ______.
the U.S. Constitution
What catalyst did Phil Gramm use to make his conversion from Democrat to Republican?
the loss of his Budget Committee seat
How do you calculate turnout using the voting-age population (VAP)?
the number of people casting votes divided by the number of residents 18 and older
Voters elect all 150 members of the Texas House of Representatives every ______.
two years
The media are typically categorized by ______.
type of message and type of media
Voter identification weakens third-party chances because ______.
voters grow up with two major parties and readily identify with them
In 2020, Texas eliminated straight-ticket voting, this means that ______.
voters have to choose each judicial candidate separately
The most common form of political participation is ______.
voting in an election
The _________ ________ Act is a federal law aimed at preventing racial discrimination in the operation of voter registration and elections at the state level.
voting rights
Because voters elect many important state administrators, the Texas governor's ability to control administrative functions through appointive and removal powers is ______.
weak
Government authority in Texas resides ______.
within many independent state agencies
A person whose name does not appear on the ballot and who must have given formal notice that he or she was a candidate before the election is a ______.
write-in candidate
Citizen journalism is especially problematic on _____ because people generally ignore the site's guidelines about attribution. Multiple choice question.
youtube