POLSC1 Ch10

A citizen can currently give no more than ________ per candidate for federal office per election in a given two-year election cycle.

$2,600

Approximately ________ is needed for a candidate to have a reasonable chance of winning a seat in the House of Representatives.

$500,000

Which of the following statements is true?

Voters tend to learn more from negative ads than positive ads.

Which of the following statements is true?

Voting equipment varies from county to county throughout the United States.

A ________ is an effort by political candidates to win backing and support by voters in the seeking for political office.

campaign

Early presidential primaries and caucuses are more important because they

can help a candidate secure media attention and financial support

Plurality and majority systems tend to

decrease the number of political parties.

By using donor lists or magazine subscription lists, candidates are able to engage in ________.

direct-mail solicitations

National elections are held in the United States the first Tuesday of November ________ year(s).

every other

When candidates for office sponsor hearings, undertake inspection tours of disaster areas, or meet with foreign dignitaries, the form of publicity they receive is called ________.

free media

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 justices

In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, election campaigns tended to be ________.

labor intensive

Which three types of factors influence the decisions of voters at the polls?

partisan loyalty, issues, and the characteristics of candidates

Generally speaking, a recall effort begins with a ________.

petition campaign

If the winner of an election is whoever receives the most votes, regardless of the percentage of votes received, the candidates are running under a ________ system.

plurality

The themes, issues, and messages that candidates present during a campaign are generally based on

polls and focus groups

In order for a political party to select a candidate to run in the general election, it holds a(n) ________.

primary election

The primary responsibility for conducting public elections belongs to ________.

state and local governments

Most European nations utilize a ________.

system of proportional representation

Which party has reserved slots at the national convention for elected super-delegates?

the Democrats

Who is the incumbent?

the current officeholder, running for re-election

Which of the following political officers is/are subject to recall elections?

the governor of the state of California

When do incumbents have difficulty securing supporters and contributors?

when they have experienced negative publicity

A majority system, which is used on a limited basis in the United States, requires that a candidate must win ________ to win an election.

50% plus one of all votes cast

Which of the following statements about campaign spending in Senate elections is true?

Incumbents generally spend more money than challengers in Senate campaigns.

What is a referendum?

It is the practice of voting directly for proposed laws.

Modern political campaigns do NOT depend on ________.

a large army of volunteers from the party

Many members of Congress vote to ban advocacy groups from running ads that mention a candidate's name within 30 days of a primary election and 60 days of a general election. It is because the Congressional members thought the ban would ________.

make it less likely for wealthy groups to buy huge amount of media ads and unfairly influence the electoral outcomes

During midterm elections, voters are selecting ________.

members of Congress

A(n) ________ does NOT coincide with a presidential campaign.

midterm election